Inside Line Promotions – KNOXVILLE, Iowa (June 25, 2016) – Sammy Swindell still knows how to celebrate with the best of them.
The 60-year-old veteran climbed onto the back of his sprint car in Victory Lane on Saturday at Knoxville Raceway, where he captured the National Sprint League event with a last-turn, last-lap pass that was only surpassed by his post-race party, which was highlighted by several beats on his chest, a bow and yes, even a dab.
“I’m so blessed to be here and be able to do this,” he said in an interview in the Winner’s Circle.
The win was Swindell’s 49th career at Knoxville Raceway and it makes him the oldest winning sprint car driver in the history of the famed track. However, the special moment almost came up short.
Swindell, who started the 25-lap main event on the outside of the second row, faded to seventh place by Lap 2. He maneuvered into sixth place on Lap 7, fifth on Lap 11 and fourth on Lap 13 before cracking the top three when the first caution of the race came out on Lap 16 for Brian Brown, whose left front wheel came off the car going down the backstretch while Brown was running third.
Swindell advanced into second place on the restart and he stalked Davey Heskin, who took the lead on the opening lap and maintained a strong pace on the cushion. While Swindell stayed within striking distance, it took until turn two on the final lap before he pulled even with Heskin.
Swindell’s momemtum propelled him into the lead on the bottom in turn three and he slid in front of Heskin exiting the final turn to score his third career National Sprint League victory by only 0.112 seconds.
“It was probably better to run the top, but Davey was there,” Swindell said. “We were trying to get our car working there in the slick. We made it interesting. I probably waited a little longer than I wanted to, but it doesn’t matter. We got the win.”
Danny Lasoski capitalized on a late-race caution with three laps remaining for Bronson Maeschen, whose right rear tire went flat while he was running seventh. Lasoski maneuvered from fifth to third place on the restart to garner his fifth podium finish of the season in NSL competition.
Ian Madsen scored a fourth-place finish with Josh Schneiderman rounding out the top five, which was his first career with the National Sprint League.
Points leader Craig Dollansky placed sixth and now holds a five-point lead over Lasoski in the championship standings.
Swindell opened the night by setting quick time during qualifying before Schneiderman and Dollansky claimed heat race wins.
NATIONAL SPRINT LEAGUE NOTES: Sammy Swindell earned a $200 bonus from Deberg Concrete and a $50 certificate from Slade Shock Technology for setting quick time during time trials. … Josh Schneiderman garnered a $100 certificate from Walker Filtration Performance for winning a heat race. … Craig Dollansky scored a $100 certificate from Kaeding Performance for winning a heat race. … A.J. Moeller was the So Close Award winner and received a certificate from Rod End Supply for being the highest starting NSL driver who missed the feature redraw. … Scott Bogucki powered to the Locked in Award to garner a $100 certificate from Hooker Harness by being the final driver to take the green flag in the main event. … Tasker Phillips picked up a $50 certificate from KSE Racing Products for being the Hard Charger in the A Main. … Brian Brown was given the Hard Luck Award, which provided a $100 certificate from Ti22 Performance for facing the worst luck of the night.
National Sprint League Race Report: Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, on June 25, 2016 –
Deberg Concrete/Slade Shock Technology Time Trials: 1. 1s-Sammy Swindell 15.230; 2. 96-Bronson Maeschen 15.492; 3. 2-Danny Lasoski 15.588; 4. 21-Brian Brown 15.598; 5. 18-Ian Madsen 15.644; 6. 20-A.J. Moeller 15.663; 7. 56n-Davey Heskin 15.669; 8. 2ks-Craig Dollansky 15.769; 9. 7w-Tasker Phillips 15.779; 10. 55-Brooke Tatnell 15.814; 11. 49-Josh Schneiderman 15.891; 12. 4a-Jon Agan 15.916; 13. 3a-Billy Alley 16.058; 14. 84-Scott Bogucki 16.106; 15. 10-Dakota Hendrickson 16.122; 16. 1b-Jake Bubak 16.263; 17. 19-Bob Weuve 16.440; 18. 35-Kevin Hetrick 16.650.
Walker Performance Filtration Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. 49-Josh Schneiderman (1); 2. 18-Ian Madsen (4); 3. 56n-Davey Heskin (3); 4. 2-Danny Lasoski (5); 5. 1s-Sammy Swindell (6); 6. 3a-Billy Alley (7); 7. 10-Dakota Hendrickson (8); 8. 19-Bob Weuve (9); 9. 7w-Tasker Phillips (2).
Kaeding Performance Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 2ks-Craig Dollansky (3); 2. 21-Brian Brown (5); 3. 96-Bronson Maeschen (6); 4. 55-Brooke Tatnell (2); 5. 20-A.J. Moeller (4); 6. 1b-Jake Bubak (8); 7. 35-Kevin Hetrick (9); 8. 4a-Jon Agan (1); 9. 84-Scott Bogucki (7).
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 1s-Sammy Swindell (4); 2. 56n-Davey Heskin (2); 3. 2-Danny Lasoski (3); 4. 18-Ian Madsen (6); 5. 49-Josh Schneiderman (1); 6. 2ks-Craig Dollansky (5); 7. 1b-Jake Bubak (12); 8. 7w-Tasker Phillips (13); 9. 55-Brooke Tatnell (10); 10. 3a-Billy Alley (11); 11. 10-Dakota Hendrickson (15); 12. 20-A.J. Moeller (9); 13. 19-Bob Weuve (17); 14. 35-Kevin Hetrick (16); 15. 96-Bronson Maeschen (8); 16. 21-Brian Brown (7); 17. 84-Scott Bogucki (18); 18. 4a-Jon Agan (DNS). Laps led: Davey Heskin 1-24; Sammy Swindell 25.
UNOFFICIAL NATIONAL SPRINT LEAGUE TOP 10 IN POINTS AFTER ROUND 10 –
.1. 2ks-Craig Dollansky 3591; 2. 2-Danny Lasoski 3586; 3. 18-Ian Madsen 3285; 4. 21-Brian Brown 3190; 5. 55-Brooke Tatnell 2841; 6. 56n-Davey Heskin 2704; 7. 7w-Tasker Phillips 2389; 8. 1s-Sammy Swindell 2262; 9. 29-Kerry Madsen 2223; 10. 10-Dakota Hendrickson 1996.
2016 FEATURE WINNERS –
Craig Dollansky – 2 (Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, Minn., on May 20 and Iowa State Fair Speedway in Des Moines, Iowa, on May 29); Danny Lasoski – 2 (Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, on May 21 and Mason City Motor Speedway in Mason City, Iowa, on June 19); Kerry Madsen – 2 (Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, on May 28 and June 18); Brian Brown – 1 (Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, on June 4); Terry McCarl – 1 (I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb., on May 6); Daryn Pittman – 1 (Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, Minn., on June 24); and Sammy Swindell – 1 (Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, on June 25).
NEXT EVENT –
Friday and Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa
MEDIA LINKS –
NSL Website: http://www.NationalSprintLeague.com
NSL Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/NSLSeries
NSL Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NSLSeries
MARKETING PARTNERS –
The National Sprint League would like to thank Abdo, Eick & Meyers, LLP, Arnold Motor Supply, Bank Midwest, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Deberg Concrete, Hepfner Racing Products, Hooker Harness, Kaeding Performance, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, KSE Racing Products, Max Papis Innovations, MyRacePass, Rod End Supply, Rossie Feed & Grain, Slade Shock Technology, Ti22 Performance, TiLUBE Motorsport Lubricants, Vortex Wings and Walker Performance Filtration for support throughout the 2016 season.
NATIONAL SPRINT LEAGUE –
The National Sprint League was established in 2015 as a premier 410ci winged sprint car series focusing on the Midwest. In 2016, the series branches into the 360ci winged sprint car ranks with the GoMuddy.com National Sprint League 360 Sprint Car Series as well as multiple regions across the United States. For the latest news and information among all the NSL entities, visit http://www.NationalSprintLeague.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.
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- Shawn Miller on Jun 25, 2016
- Article Date: 6/25/2016 by Inside Line Promotions