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Sammy Swindell wins 2nd straight Front Row Challenge

OSKALOOSA, IOWA (8-9-10) By Brian Liskai- Sammy Swindell passed for the lead twice, but a caution would fly moving him back to second. Then, when leader Tyler Walker suffered a flat left rear tire with just four laps remaining, Swindell took the lead for good and went on to win his second straight Front Row Challenge at Southern Iowa Speedway Monday night.

The win with the O'Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions was worth $10,000 for the Germantown, Tenn. driver.

"I had to pick my spot to pass. The corners are so big here if I got up on someone the bad air made the car push so bad," said Swindell beside his Big Game Tree Stands #1

The 12th Annual Musco Lighting Front Row Challenge started with 31 cars signed in and they were scattered throughout the race track as over two inches of rain on Sunday night made the pit area a swamp. Following the heats, the eight fastest qualifiers who had made it through their heats into the A-main, competed in the King of the Hill, with Joey Saldana winning a thrilling two lap side-by-side battle over Tyler Walker by three feet.

Saldana said he would accept the Front Row Challenge - go to the rear with a chance to win $50,000 - if promoter Terry McCarl would make the race 30 laps rather than the scheduled 25. McCarl said his insurance policy for the $50,000 bonus would only be in effect for a 25 lap race. However, he told Saldana if he went to the tail and finished in the top three he would earn a $5,000 bonus, so Saldana accepted the challenge, much to the delight of the huge crowd.

At the drop of the green, pole-sitter Walker jumped into the lead in his Keen Motorsports #17 with Swindell, David Gravel, Paul McMahan, Brad Sweet and Brook Tatnell in tow. The caution would fly on lap three for Daryn Pittman who stopped on the track. All eyes were on Saldana who had already moved from 24th to 11th. On the restart Walker continued to lead with Swindell stalking in second, but the action would come to a halt when Mitchell Dumsney got upside down in turn three.

Again on the restart, Walker powered away slightly from Swindell with Gravel battling McMahan and Sweet for third while Saldana had move into eighth by lap 7. With 10 laps in, Swindell began to reel Walker in, and made a pass for the lead in turns one and two just as the caution flew for a stalled Jonathan Allard. On the restart, Swindell once again drove under Walker for the lead, but it was for naught, as Saldana got crossed up and spun on the front stretch, ending his bid for the $50,000.

On the ensuing restart, Walker did not give Swindell another opportunity, and took his line into turn one and maintained the lead. But, just as earlier in the race, about five laps into the run, Swindell began to close wtih McMahan, Gravel, Sweet and Tatnell locked in a good battle for third. With five laps remaining the caution would fly and Walker had a lapped machine between himself and Swindell. On the ensuing restart, Walker's left rear tire exploded on the backstretch, handing the lead to Swindell.

Swindell would drive away to the victory with McMahan, Gravel, Sweet and Tatnell rounding out the top five.

"The first three or four laps in every run we were about even and then about six to seven laps in I would get a little faster. I could manuever around a little better than him (Walker)," said Swindell. "I just had to wait to make my move..I couldn't get too close to him because of how the dirty air affected my car."

McMahan was pleased with his runner-up finish.

"I had one shot at Sammy and there was a lapped car between us. But, our Speedway Motors engine was great and the Great Clips, Sage, Kasey Kahne Racing car was good...this was a great tune-up for the Nationals (Knoxville)," said McMahan.

Gravel, who sits third in the All Star Circuit of Champions' point standing, continued his impressive summer.

"We brought out a new car tonight and it worked very well. Every since Rob (Hart) came on board we've been really fast and racing in the front and I can't ask for more than that," said Gravel beside his DDR Motorsports JRC Transportation backed #89.

Southern Iowa Speedway

Kistler Engines Qualifying: 1 3C Cale Conley 15.222; 2 91 Paul Mcmahan 15.244; 3 49 Brad Sweet 15.266; 4 9 Joey Saldana 15.283; 5 0 Jonathan Allard 15.320; 6 89G David Gravel 15.340; 7 1S Sammy Swindell 15.342; 8 17 Tyler Walker 15.471; 9 3 Kerry Madsen 15.477; 10 98 Brooke Tatnell 15.495; 11 13 Daryn Pittman 15.497; 12 1 Bronson Maeschen 15.501; 13 30C Lance Dewease 15.515; 14 51 Fred Rahmer 15.526; 15 7K Robbie Wolfgang 15.540; 16 24H Lee Jacobs 15.561; 17 W20 Greg Wilson 15.573; 18 O4 Cap Henry 15.574; 19 83 Tim Shaffer 15.582; 20 13L Mark Dobmeier 15.601; 21 12AU Paul Jeffrey 15.612; 22 6 Bill Rose 15.700; 23 77AU Mitchell Dumsney 15.718; 24 1M Phillip Mock 15.724; 25 19W Bob Weuve 15.798; 26 12 Jared Ridge 15.966; 27 23M Kim Mock 16.287; 28 2K Kevin Engle 16.342; 29 40 Clint Garner nt; 30 2 Dale Blaney nt; 31 2x Josh Higday nt

MSD Ignitions Heat 1 (8 laps top 6 to A) : 1. Sammy Swindell; 2. Lance Dewease; 3. Cale Conley; 4. Joey Saldana; 5. Brooke Tatnell; 6. Tim Shaffer; 7. Kevin Engle; 8. Bill Rose; 9. Bob Weuve; 10. Lee Jacobs

Kear's Speed Shop Heat 2 (8 laps top 6 to A): 1. Fred Rahmer; 2. Tyler Walker; 3. Daryn Pittman; 4. Greg Wilson; 5. Paul McMahan; 6. Mitchell Dumsney; 7. Mark Dobmeier; 8. Jonathan Allard; 9. Jared Ridge; 10. Josh Higday.

All Pro Aluminum Heads Heat 3 (8 laps top 6 to A): 1. Cap Henry; 2. Kerry Madsen; 3. Robbie Wolfgang; 4. Bronson Maeschen; 5. David Gravel; 6. Paul Jeffrey; 7. Kim Mock; 8. Phillip Mock

King of the Hill: Round 1. Cale Conley over Kerry Madsen; Tyler Walker over Paul McMahan; Sammy Swindell over Brad Sweet; Joey Saldana over David Gravel; Round 2: Joey Saldana over Cale Conley; Tyler Walker over Sammy Swindell; Round 3: Saldana over Walker

University of Northwestern Ohio B-Main (12 laps, top 6 to A): 1. Jonathan Allard; 2. Mark Dobmeier; 3. Paul Jeffrey; 4. Lee Jacobs; 5. Bob Weuve; 6. Phillip Mock; 7. Kevin Engle; 8. Kim Mock; 9. Jared Ridge

A main (25 laps, started): 1. 1s, Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN (2) 2. 91, Paul McMahan, Nashville, TN (6) 3. 89G, David Gravel, Watertown, CT (4) 4. 49, Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA (5) 5. 98, Brooke Tatnell, Sans Souci, NSW, Aust. (8) 6. 3, Kerry Madsen, St. Mary's, NSW, Aust. (7) 7. 1, Bronson Maeschen, Pleasantville, IA (10) 8. 17, Tyler Walker, Los Angeles, CA (1) 9. 3c, Cale Conley, Vienna, WV (3) 10. 24H, Lee Jacobs, Dalton, OH (15) 11. 19, Bob Weuve, Newton, IA (22) 12. 7K, Robby Wolfgang, Sioux Falls, SD (14) 13. 12AU, Paul Jeffrey, Kellyville, NSW, Aust. (19) 14. 9, Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN (24) 15. 83, Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, PA (17) 16. 0, Jonathan Allard, Chico, CA (11) 17. w20, Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge, OH (16) 18. 51, Fred Rahmer, Salfordville, PA (13) 19. 77AU, Mitchell Dumesny, Nelson, NSW, Aust. (20) 20. 04, Cap Henry, Bellevue, OH (23) 21. 1m, Phillip Mock, Kenosha, WI (21) 22. 13P, Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK (9) 23. 13, Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks, ND (18) 24. 30c, Lance Dewease, Fayetteville, PA (12).

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