Inside Line Promotions - JACKSONVILLE, Ill. (April 29, 2019) - Sammy Swindell was in the middle of a vintage performance with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series on Sunday at Jacksonville Speedway before rain washed out the main event.
The Thone Motorsports driver qualified below the previous track record and was second quickest out of more than 40 drivers to open the night.
"It was pretty good," he said. "You get to those places and you have to hustle around there. We had a good car that I was able to do that and get around there. I wish we could have got that little bit more in qualifying. On the second lap I clipped the wall and had to get out of the gas. That cost me the time to maybe get in the nine-second range or at least be the quickest car."
Swindell, who was making his debut at the bullring, then won a heat race and placed third in the dash to garner the third starting position for the main event.
"We tweaked on it a little," he said. "We didn't do much for the heat. We wanted to make sure we were free enough to get around there. We were taking it easy and making sure I wasn't making any mistakes. There before the dash we made a couple of changes and I felt like it was even better. I was able to run the bottom and stay with those guys. I followed the line up there on the top and was gaining on them. I think with one more lap I could have challenged for second. I felt like we were really good, especially for only our third time out this year."
Rain invaded the area just after the conclusion of the dash. World of Outlaws and track officials are working on rescheduling the race.
It was a fitting end to a wet weekend for Swindell, who joined the World of Outlaws for a tripleheader in the Midwest. Friday's event at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo., was the only one that was completed.
Swindell qualified 13th quickest and advanced from fourth to third place in a heat race before he capped the night with a 14 th-place result in the feature.
"I made a couple of changes from the World of Outlaws race in Texas a couple of weeks ago," he said. "On the first lap in qualifying I clipped the berm in turns three and four and it got me out of the groove. That took a little off both laps because I didn't have the drive to get going on the second lap. The car was a lot better in the heat race. I was going for the lead and got chopped pretty bad. That let David Gravel get by us for second. Then in the feature I got the car where it was too loose getting into the corner and tight going out. It needed to be the opposite for the way the track was."
Saturday's race at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo., rained out.
Swindell is slated to compete this Friday at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., and Saturday at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., with the World of Outlaws.
QUICK RESULTS -
April 26 - Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo. - Qualifying: 13; Heat race: 3 (4); Feature: 14 (9).
April 28 - Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville, Ill. - Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 3 (2); Feature: Rained Out (3).
SEASON STATS -
2 races, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s, 2 top 15s, 2 top 20s
UP NEXT -
Friday at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., and Saturday at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
MEDIA LINKS -
Website: http://www.SammySwindell1.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/1sam91
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Sweet Manufacturing
Sweet Manufacturing was incorporated in 1978 with the basic concept of providing racers with steering products that would offer a competitive advantage. For more information, visit http://www.SweetMfg.biz/home.php .
"I've been with Randy Sweet and Sweet Manufacturing going on our fifth year," Swindell said. "He continues to make improvements to his steering gears. For all the people who don't have one they don't know what they're missing out on."
Swindell would also like to thank John Christner Trucking, High Performance Lubricants, Rossie Feed & Grain, Whitacre Glass, FK Rod Ends, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Premier Truck Group, Simpson Race Products, Hopf Farms, Schoenfeld Headers, W&B Service Company, Superior Trailer Sales, South Bay Partners and Inside Line Promotions for their continued support.
The Thone Motorsports driver qualified below the previous track record and was second quickest out of more than 40 drivers to open the night.
Swindell, who was making his debut at the bullring, then won a heat race and placed third in the dash to garner the third starting position for the main event.
"We tweaked on it a little," he said. "We didn't do much for the heat. We wanted to make sure we were free enough to get around there. We were taking it easy and making sure I wasn't making any mistakes. There before the dash we made a couple of changes and I felt like it was even better. I was able to run the bottom and stay with those guys. I followed the line up there on the top and was gaining on them. I think with one more lap I could have challenged for second. I felt like we were really good, especially for only our third time out this year."
Rain invaded the area just after the conclusion of the dash. World of Outlaws and track officials are working on rescheduling the race.
It was a fitting end to a wet weekend for Swindell, who joined the World of Outlaws for a tripleheader in the Midwest. Friday's event at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo., was the only one that was completed.
Swindell qualified 13th quickest and advanced from fourth to third place in a heat race before he capped the night with a 14 th-place result in the feature.
"I made a couple of changes from the World of Outlaws race in Texas a couple of weeks ago," he said. "On the first lap in qualifying I clipped the berm in turns three and four and it got me out of the groove. That took a little off both laps because I didn't have the drive to get going on the second lap. The car was a lot better in the heat race. I was going for the lead and got chopped pretty bad. That let David Gravel get by us for second. Then in the feature I got the car where it was too loose getting into the corner and tight going out. It needed to be the opposite for the way the track was."
Saturday's race at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo., rained out.
Swindell is slated to compete this Friday at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., and Saturday at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., with the World of Outlaws.
QUICK RESULTS -
April 26 - Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo. - Qualifying: 13; Heat race: 3 (4); Feature: 14 (9).
April 28 - Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville, Ill. - Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 3 (2); Feature: Rained Out (3).
SEASON STATS -
2 races, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s, 2 top 15s, 2 top 20s
UP NEXT -
Friday at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., and Saturday at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
MEDIA LINKS -
Website: http://www.SammySwindell1.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/1sam91
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Sweet Manufacturing
Sweet Manufacturing was incorporated in 1978 with the basic concept of providing racers with steering products that would offer a competitive advantage. For more information, visit http://www.SweetMfg.biz/home.php .
"I've been with Randy Sweet and Sweet Manufacturing going on our fifth year," Swindell said. "He continues to make improvements to his steering gears. For all the people who don't have one they don't know what they're missing out on."
Swindell would also like to thank John Christner Trucking, High Performance Lubricants, Rossie Feed & Grain, Whitacre Glass, FK Rod Ends, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Premier Truck Group, Simpson Race Products, Hopf Farms, Schoenfeld Headers, W&B Service Company, Superior Trailer Sales, South Bay Partners and Inside Line Promotions for their continued support.
