(Photo by Paul Arch)
Inside Line Promotions – KNOXVILLE, Iowa (Aug. 14, 2018) – Kevin Swindell Racing netted a top-10 result during the Sage Fruit Front Row Challenge presented by Musco Lighting before scoring a career-best finish at the 58th annual 5-Hour Energy Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores last week in Iowa.
The action began a week ago Monday at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa for the Front Row Challenge, which was intended to be a test session for Swindell and driver Spencer Bayston. The Swindell Speed Lab backed team timed in ninth quickest overall before advancing from fourth to second place in a heat race. The night was capped with a sixth-place outing in the feature.
“That was a really good night,” Bayston said. “We wanted a smooth, easy night knowing it was our Knoxville Nationals motor and Knoxville Nationals car that we were running. We wanted to shake everything down so to come out of there sixth felt really good.”
The team ventured to Knoxville Raceway to kick off the famed Knoxville Nationals on Thursday. Bayston qualified 22nd quickest before placing third in a heat race and 15th in the main event despite battling a bleeder problem.
“We drew bad on Thursday, which hurt us in qualifying,” Swindell said. “After two something years on the same bleeders we ran into a problem when the bleeder battery turned itself off.”
The team returned to the half-mile oval on Friday. Bayston timed in sixth quickest in his group before a fourth-place finish was only one position shy of locking into the main event. Bayston won a B Main to transfer into the back of the main event, but a flat tire in the main event forced him to the rear and the team ended 21st.
The event concluded on Saturday and the Swindell Speed Lab sponsored race car was fast. Bayston maneuvered from sixth to second place during the C Main to transfer into the back of the B Main. He then charged from 22nd to 11th in a non-stop race.
“A lot of little things didn’t go our way, but overall we had a lot of speed,” Swindell said. “If that B Main had a yellow or two or if a couple of guys had problems I could have seen us making it up further, but going green to checkered that was about as good as we could do.”
It marked an improvement from last year’s team debut at the event.
“We got that thing going and were able to drive to 11th with no cautions,” Bayston said. “It felt really good to do that. If we could have done that early in the week it would have been a different outcome overall.”
The team will take this weekend off before resuming competition on Aug. 23 at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa.; Aug. 24 at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa.; Aug. 25 at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pa.; and Aug. 26 at BAPS Motor Speedway in Newberrytown, Pa., with the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions.
QUICK RESULTS –
Aug. 6 – Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa – Qualifying: 9; Heat race: 2 (4); Feature: 6 (6).
Aug. 9 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – Qualifying: 22; Heat race: 3 (4); Feature: 15 (9).
Aug. 10 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – Qualifying: 6; Heat race: 4 (3); B Main: 1 (3); Feature: 21 (20).
Aug. 11 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – C Main: 2 (6); B Main: 11 (22).
SEASON STATS –
33 races, 1 win, 4 top fives, 13 top 10s, 23 top 15s, 28 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Aug. 23 at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa.; Aug. 24 at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa.; Aug. 25 at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pa.; and Aug. 26 at BAPS Motor Speedway in Newberrytown, Pa., with the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.KevinSwindellRacing.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevinSwindell
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevinSwindellRacing
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – John Christner Trucking
Established in 1986, John Christner Trucking has grown into a giant in the trucking industry. For more information, visit http://www.JohnChristner.com.
“John Christner Trucking has been an integral part of our program at the Chili Bowl for a long time,” Swindell said. “We appreciate the support and partnership that John and his team bring to our program.”
Swindell would also like to thank Mike Curb and Curb Records, DKW Transport, Premier Truck Group, Rossie Feed & Grain, High Performance Lubricants, Tim Walker Real Estate, TWRentToOwn.com, Premier Truck Group, E-Distribution Racing, MPI Steering Wheels, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Racing Optics, Arai Helmets, Maxim Chassis, DMI, Hoosier Racing Tires, Sweet Manufacturing, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Kenny’s Components and Swindell Speed Lab for their continued support.
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 by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on Aug 15, 2018
- Article Date: 8/14/2018 by Inside Line Promotions