1/16/2018
Inside Line Promotions
Swindell Posts Top Five During Chili Bowl Preliminary Night
(Photo by TeeJay Crawford)
Inside Line Promotions – TULSA, Okla. (Jan. 16, 2018) – Sammy Swindell was on pace for his best Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in several years before a mechanical problem ended the event early during the main event on Saturday inside the River Spirit Expo Center.
“I think it’s the best car I’ve had there in the last three years,” he said.
Swindell kicked off the week on Tuesday by drawing the third-highest number – 17 – during the Vacuworx International Race of Champions draw. He then finished 18th in the 20-lap race after using it as a test session, which was beneficial for the remainder of the event.
“We wanted to see how the motor would do and that we didn’t have any issues,” he said. “I made a deal with myself if I didn’t get in the top 10 by halfway I wouldn’t push it after that. We got right there close, but there were some guys acting up. I felt it wasn’t worth it so I pulled to the bottom and changed some things with the shocks and tried some different lines. I wasn’t trying to pass people. I was trying to figure things out for the car. I think it helped for the next night.”
Preliminary action kicked off on Wednesday for Swindell, who powered from third to win a heat race before advancing from fifth to fourth place in a qualifier.
“We had an SR11 motor, which is heavier than the previous one I had,” he said. “The car made really good power. The way it set in the car changed some things. We had to move the oil tank back. We had a little too much left side weight. It was a progression all week.
“The car was really good early in the heat race and it went well. The car was good in the qualifier, but I think I could have been a little tighter. I got held up with a guy who was blocking for third. I tried to go around the top, but he didn’t leave me enough room and I got put into the fence a couple of times. That’s part of it.”
Swindell ranked seventh in overall points out of more than 80 drivers and that started him on the inside of the fourth row for the 25-lap main event.
“I got to fourth and those guys in front of me were running the top,” he said. “I was being easy on the car and easy on the tires. Then a yellow came out and the crews were trying to move everyone down. After that we’d only run about three laps at a time and have a yellow. That hurt our chances, but at the Chili Bowl you take whatever it gives you.”
Swindell finished fourth, which was one spot shy of locking into Saturday’s A Main. However, it marked his best preliminary night result since a runner-up finish in 2014.
Once four nights of preliminary competition were concluded and the points tabulated Swindell lined up on the outside of the front row for a B Main on Saturday. He ran second for most of the race before taking the lead with a few laps remaining. The consolation race victory locked him into the 13th starting position for the 55-lap A Main.
“Starting on the front of a B Main I felt like it’d be a fairly easy transfer,” he said. “It was making sure you’d get through it. We rode a few laps and then figured out where Tracy (Hines) was going to be. He started slowing down and I was getting quicker so I was able to pass him for the win.”
Swindell advanced a handful of positions in the first dozen laps before a mechanical problem ended his A Main early.
“Where the wire goes onto the switch at the terminal broke,” he said. “That just turns the car off. The car was really good. I was pacing myself a bit to not be hard on the tires. I was able to pass people when I got to them. The way we try to set it up is for our car to be really fast the second half of the race, but I never got to the second half. That’s just the way it is.”
QUICK RESULTS –
Jan. 9 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. – Race of Champions: 18 (17).
Jan. 10 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. – Heat race: 1 (3); Qualifier: 4 (5); Feature: 4 (7).
Jan. 13 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. – B Main: 1 (2): Feature: 23 (13).
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.SammySwindell1.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/1sam91
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 has been huge,” Swindell said. “If it hadn’t been for him coming along we wouldn’t be able to do much of this at all. He’s been a great supporter for us and he’s been a great friend. It was nice of him to do all the things he’s done for us and continues to do for us.”
Swindell would also like to thank Acme Graphix & Design, CP Pistons, High Performance Lubricants, Simpson Race Products, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Rossie Feed & Grain, FK Rod Ends, Sweet Manufacturing, Schoenfeld Headers, MyRacePass and Inside Line Promotions 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.
Article Credit: Inside Line Promotions
Submitted By: Shawn Miller
