(Photo by DB3 Imaging)
Inside Line Promotions – BARBERVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 19, 2014) – A trip to Disney World with his family is exactly what Big Game Motorsports driver Sammy Swindell needed after a thorny start to the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series season last week.
“We decided to stay an extra few days in Florida,” he said. “Our granddaughter came down here.”
While the family is enjoying a couple of days at the theme park, Swindell’s wheels are turning as he evaluates the minor steps toward creating more speed and stability in his Big Game Treestands sprint car following the season-opening 43rd annual UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit Racing Equipment at Volusia Speedway Park last Thursday through Sunday.
“It wasn’t near as good as we hoped for,” he said. “Just a tough week for us. I think we were missing just a little on a couple of things we’ve got to work on.”
After Wednesday’s opening night was rained out, Swindell started the event last Thursday with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions by qualifying 22nd quickest. He then won his heat race from the pole position to lock into the feature, which he started 20th.
Swindell maneuvered the Big Game Treestands car toward the top 10 before pulling into the infield with approximately 11 laps remaining in the main event.
“It had got a little rough and I wasn’t sure if we had a problem,” Swindell said after finishing 17th. “Where I was running I thought it was best to pull it in to play it safe and not tear up a car for the first night of the Outlaws.”
The following night kicked off the three-day World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series season-opening weekend at the fast half-mile track. However, qualifying put the team behind the eight ball from the start.
“The first couple of nights we went out early and the track definitely got faster and that hurt us,” he said. “It’s just such a fast track that being back in traffic wasn’t good. It definitely made a difference being in dirty air versus clean air.”
After qualifying 22nd quickest, Swindell finished where he started – sixth – in his heat race and he missed a lock-in position by one spot. He then claimed the Last Chance Showdown to transfer the Big Game Treestands car to the 30-lap feature, which he started 21st.
“We had a pretty good run moving up there,” he said. “We had a long yellow there late and we had a tire go down. Everything that I gained I gave up. That’s just a fast place. If you’re off a little bit it shows up. We wound up going back where we started. If we hadn’t had that I think we would have had a top 10.”
Swindell held on for a 21st-place result.
Saturday started off much better for Swindell, who qualified second quickest and advanced from fourth to second place in his heat race. That locked him into the dash, which he finished sixth in after starting on the inside of the third row.
The Big Game Treestands car started the main event sixth and after quickly advancing into the top five, Swindell was nearly swept up in an incident that cost him several positions.
“I got caught with a car that almost spun in front of me,” he said. “By the time I recovered we lost two spots. We had another yellow and ran into a similar problem as the night before. The bleeder went down so it made the car tight on the restart. We gave up a couple of places there.”
Swindell ended with a ninth-place finish, which marked his first top 10 of the season.
The event concluded on Sunday at Volusia Speedway Park, where Swindell qualified 17th quickest – 0.007 of a second out of the heat race inversion.
“We tried a different set of headers for the motor and it probably wasn’t the right time and didn’t help,” he said. “That cost us a tenth and a half and would have put us in a good spot. It was just a bad decision for us to try. I had to learn the hard way from that.”
After finishing eighth in his heat race, Swindell won the Last Chance Showdown to transfer to the main event. He then charged from 17th to 11th.
“I was working real hard trying to get by guys when I could,” he said. “We were picking them off a little bit one at a time. Once you get to the better cars it gets a little harder.”
Swindell, who ranks 12th in the championship standings, will return to action with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series March 5-6 at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nev.
QUICK RESULTS –
Feb. 13 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 22; Heat race: 1 (1); Feature: 17 (20).
Feb. 14 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 22; Heat race: 6 (6); B Main: 1 (2); Feature: 21 (21).
Feb. 15 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 2 (4); Dash: 6 (5); Feature: 9 (6).
Feb. 16 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 17; Heat race: 8 (5); B Main: 1 (1); Feature: 11 (17).
SEASON STATS –
4 races, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 1 top 10, 2 top 15s, 3 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Wednesday and Thursday, March 5-6, at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nev., for the FVP Outlaw Showdown with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series
LIVE AUDIO –
Keep up with Big Game Motorsports via free, live audio from DIRTVision at every World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series event throughout the season. Select events also include live Pay-Per-View video. For more information, click http://www.DIRTVision.com.
MEDIA LINKS –
Big Game Treestands: http://www.BigGameTreestands.com
Aggressive Hydraulics: http://www.AggressiveHydraulics.com
MobileStar: http://www.MobileStar.us/mobilestarwebsite
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Big_Game_TS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Game-Treestands/251832101535076?fref=ts
BIG GAME TREESTANDS –
Established in 1977 in Windom, Minn., Big Game Treestands® has grown to be a leading company in the outdoor industry. Big Game Treestands® offers a Rock Solid™ line of field tested, safety certified above TMA requirements, welded steel stands & free standing elevated platforms that gives you not only a safe and extremely sturdy vantage point, but also reliable all-day comfort at a great value. Large, non-slip standing platforms, top-notch fastening systems, and our innovative pinned, sleeved ladder sections provide the Rock Solid™ stance, twist free climbing, and all around silence that Big Game Treestands® is known for. Non-glare, powder coat finish keeps our products hidden from nature’s wary eye.
For over 30 years, it has been our goal and our philosophy to provide the most innovative and practical treestands and hunting accessories in the field. As tradition continues, we are Exceeding Limitations and once again providing new models that challenge Mother Nature. In 2012 Big Game extended the line into Trail Cameras known for the easy to set, great picture quality, and over all great camera. Eyecon Trail Cameras® exceeds the expectations of consumers. Big Game Treestands® and Eyecon Trail Cameras® offers undeniable quality on time-tested favorites as well as new innovations for 2013.
For more information on Big Game Treestands®, visit http://www.BigGameTreestands.com.
TRAIL CAMERAS –
Big Game Treestands® offers a variety of trail camera options that are user-friendly with exceptional imaging as well as a 120 degree pivoting head. New and improved cameras include the Jag, Mantis II, Frenzy, Storm II, Black Widow and Quick Shot. To learn more about or to purchase a trail camera, visit http://www.BigGameTreestands.com.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program and to join Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or InsideLinePromotions@gmail.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on Feb 19, 2014
- Article Date: 2/19/2014 by Inside Line Promotions