BROWNSBURG, Ind., Oct. 21 — Mission accomplished!
Driving the Mission Foods No. 77, Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson won the 100-lap USAC Silver Crown season finale Saturday night at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) to extend his record as the winningest driver in series history with an unprecedented 45 career victories and his eighth series championship.
By adding one more championship to the titles he won in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022, he also set a new record in terms of total championships earned by any one driver in a USAC national series. Who did he surpass? None other than A.J. Foyt with seven Indy car championships under USAC sanction and Mel Kenyon, who earned seven USAC national midget titles.
Swanson beat Justin Grant in the final point standings for 2024 with the Lebanon, Ohio-based team’s car, which also carries the colors of Glenn Farms and Wilke Orthodontics. Defending champion Logan Seavey finished third in the point standings followed by C.J. Leary and Kyle Steffens.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, led the point standings all season except for six days in May, but he went into Saturday’s race only six points ahead of Grant, 785 to 779. "Read more"
TERRE HAUTE, Ind., Oct. 7 — Doran Binks Racing and driver Kody Swanson still lead the USAC Silver Crown point standings going into the season finale Oct. 19 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) in Brownsburg, Ind. after a 10th-place finish in the Sumar Classic Sunday night at the Terre Haute Action Track.
They have led the point standings all year since the season opener in April except for six days in May with their No. 77, which is sponsored by Mission Foods, Glenn Farms, and Wilke Orthodontics.
The Lebanon, Ohio-based team and the Indianapolis-based driver had a 27-point advantage over Hemelgarn Racing and Justin Grant going into Sunday’s race, and a 91-point advantage over the third-place team and driver, Rice MotorsportsAbacus Racing and Logan Seavey.
By finishing third on Sunday Hemelgarn Racing and Grant are now just six points behind, 785 to 779. And by winning Sunday’s race, Rice Motorsports-Abacus Racing and Seavey are now 64 points behind, 785 to 721. These three combinations are the only entities still in the running for the series’ 2024 entrant and driver championships with one of 14 races remaining. "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, Sept. 22 — Thanks to a solid second-place finish in the USAC Silver Crown race at Eldora Speedway Saturday night, Doran Binks Racing and driver Kody Swanson bolstered their lead in the series’ championship and now have 742 points to their closest rivals’ 715 with only two races remaining in 2024.
Swanson, the winningest driver in series history, is going for an unprecedented eighth championship in USAC’s top division.
Going into the event their lead was 12 points in the driver and entrant standings, but they more than doubled that to 27 when Swanson took the checkered flag 0.489 seconds after Mitchel Moles did in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
The 50-lap race was part of the 42nd running of the 4-Crown Nationals presented by NKTELCO. The program featured the NOS Energy Drink midget national championship, USAC AMSOIL sprint car national championship, Kubota High Limit Racing sprint cars, and the USAC Silver Crown national championship.
Swanson was third in USAC Silver Crown qualifying on Friday night. His No. 77, which is sponsored by Mission Foods, Glenn Farms, and Wilke Orthodontics, was just 0.077 seconds off Daison Pursley’s fast time of 17.605 seconds for the half-mile dirt track. A total of 27 drivers took time. "Read more"
DU QUOIN, Ill., Sept. 1 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson powered his way from fifth to finish second in the 70th running of the Ted Horn 100 USAC Silver Crown race at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds on Saturday.
Swanson’s Mission Foods No. 77 was just 0.195 seconds behind the winning car of Justin Grant on the last green-flag lap before the 100-lap race was declared complete two laps short due to rain.
Unofficially Swanson and Doran Binks Racing now lead the series’ driver and entrant point standings by 12 points with 675 points to Grant and Hemelgarn Racing’s 663.
Three races remain in the 2024 championship. Swanson is shooting for an unprecedented eighth series title with the Mission Foods No. 77, which is also sponsored by Glenn Farms and Wilke Orthodontics. "Read more"
MADISON, Ill., Aug. 17 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson set several new records Friday in USAC Silver Crown competition at World Wide Technology Raceway, but unfortunately the engine expired in the Mission Foods No. 77 just two laps from victory in the 60-lap race while he had a 3.804-second lead. He ended up 12th in the official rundown of the Ranken Technical College Silver Crown Showdown Presented by Welsch Heating and Cooling.
Earlier in the day Swanson won the pole and bettered his own track record at the 1.25-mile, paved oval by over 2 miles per hour when he topped qualifying with a lap in 30.239 seconds for an average speed of 148.814 miles per hour. That extended his series record for the driver with the most pole positions in history to 53. What’s more, it was the fastest official lap turned in a traditional USAC Silver Crown car ever. It was the team’s sixth pole so far this year.
Swanson also topped the only practice session with a 30.626-second lap to begin the day’s competition with the No. 77, which is also sponsored by Glenn Farms and Wilke Orthodontics. "Read more"
JENNERSTOWN, Pa., Aug. 11 — The USAC Silver Crown series’ first event ever on Jennerstown Speedway’s 0.522-mile asphalt oval Saturday night was record-setting and memorable for Doran Binks Racing and driver Kody Swanson. Driving the Mission Foods No. 77, the seven-time series champion led all 100 laps of the feature to extend his record for the driver with the most USAC Silver Crown victories in history to 44.
Swanson lapped through sixth place, taking the checkered flag a whopping 3.907 seconds before Dakoda Armstrong, the runner-up, did the same. It was Swanson’s fourth win of the year, and it extended both Swanson and Doran Binks Racing’s lead in the point standings.
It was a team effort. The Doran Binks crew made numerous changes to their Lanci Ford-powered car to trim 0.295 seconds from the best lap they ran in Friday’s practice sessions to the 18.019-second lap Swanson put down in qualifying on Saturday. That was an automatic new track record and it extended his record as the driver with the most poles in series history to 52. It was the team’s fifth pole so far this year.
The pressure was intense for the first half of the race. Defending champion Logan Seavey, who started second, was only 0.457 seconds behind Swanson when the first of two caution flags waved on lap nine. That yellow lasted for three laps and it flew after the eighth-place driver, Kaylee Bryson, had a mechanical issue. "Read more"
HUTCHINSON, Kan., July 22 — The first USAC Silver Crown race ever held at Salt City Speedway presented many questions to the drivers and teams who competed in Saturday night’s 100-lap race at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. Doran Binks Racing and driver Kody Swanson worked through those questions, focused on the big picture, and advanced from eighth to fifth to pad their lead in the entrant and driver point standings.
Swanson had a 10-point lead over Justin Grant in the point standings before the race, but he left Kansas with a 31-point advantage over him in the driver point standings thanks to his work in the No. 77. Mission Foods, Glenn Farms, and Wilke Orthodontics are among the companies that sponsor the car, which is a Maxim chassis powered by a Hampshire Chevy engine.
Kevin Thomas Jr. established an automatic track record and earned the pole when he topped qualifying with a time of 21.090 seconds for the half-mile dirt track. Swanson, who has four fast time awards this year, qualified eighth in the very close field assembled for the Murphy Tractor & Equipment Salt City 100.
Thomas led the first 68 laps, but lost the lead to fellow front-row starter C.J. Leary on lap 69 in Turns 3 and 4 while dealing with lapped traffic. Unfortunately the pair made contact in Turn 2 working lap 84, which sent Leary flipping coming out of Turn 2 and onto the backstretch. He emerged from his wrecked car under his own power, but he was done for the night. Thomas led the rest of the race and posted his first series victory. In victory lane he apologized to Leary for his role in the accident. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., July 15 — Shane Hollingsworth of Lafayette, Ind., put the famous yellow Nolen Racing No. 20 asphalt sprint car on the podium in second place Saturday night in the third annual CB Fabricating Gene Nolen Classic presented by “The Herald Bulletin” at Anderson Speedway. The 100-lap race honoring Nolen Racing’s founder is a crown jewel of the 500 Sprint Car Tour, and it was streamed live worldwide on Dirtvision.
Kody Swanson was going for his third Gene Nolen Classic victory in a row, but unfortunately his Nolen Racing No. 4 sponsored by KECO Coatings was involved in a racing incident while running fourth and he had to pull into the infield off Turn 1 with only eight laps complete. He ended up 18th in the final rundown.
Earlier in the day Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, was the fastest qualifier with a lap in 11.232 seconds for the quarter-mile track. Bobby Santos III was second-fastest in qualifying, just 0.140 off Swanson’s time. Hollingsworth was the third-fastest qualifier with a time of 11.391.
However, with the series’ inversion Shane Butler, who was the fifth-fastest qualifier, got the pole with Santos in second, Hollingsworth in third, and Swanson in fourth for the start.
Butler led the first 14 laps until he also pulled off the track due to a mechanical issue. That gave the point to Santos, who led the rest of the race with Hollingsworth right behind him. Hollingsworth ran nose to tail behind Santos, just milliseconds behind, until Santos was able to gain more of an advantage in the last 10 laps. Santos’ margin of victory was 1.268 seconds. "Read more"
OREGON, Wis., June 23 — Doran Binks Racing and driver Kody Swanson still lead the entrant and driver point standings in the USAC Silver Crown division following Friday night’s Bytec Dairyland 100 at Madison International Speedway, but their top rivals have drawn closer after a mechanical problem resulted in an 11th-place finish for the No. 77, which is sponsored by Mission Foods, Glenn Farms, and Wilke Orthodontics.
Earlier in the evening Swanson won the pole for the 100-lap race with a time of 17.062 seconds, extending his record as the driver with the most USAC Silver Crown poles in history to 51. C.J. Leary, Bobby Santos III, Dakoda Armstrong and Taylor Ferns rounded out the top five in qualifying.
Swanson led all 300 laps of the three previous pavement USAC Silver Crown races this year and he’s won this race three times (2018, 2019 and 2023).
But on Friday Leary was able to get around him on the outside going into Turn 1 of the half-mile paved oval on the first lap, and then Santos edged under him in the same spot on lap two to relegate him to third. "Read more"
PORT ROYAL, Pa., June 17 — Thanks to a solid top-five finish in Saturday night’s USAC Silver Crown race at Port Royal Speedway, Kody Swanson and Doran Binks Racing remain in the lead in the series’ driver and entrant point standings with a third of the season complete.
Driving Doran Binks Racing’s dirt Silver Crown car, which is a Maxim chassis powered by a Hampshire Chevrolet engine, Swanson qualified third for the 50-lap race for sponsors that include Mission Foods, Glenn Farms, and Wilke Orthodontics. He was only 0.127 of a second off the new track record of 19.816 seconds that Brady Bacon set to better the mark Mitchel Moles established here last year and earn the pole. Daison Pursley, who ended up winning the race on the last lap, qualified second.
Logan Seavey, who won the two previous USAC Silver Crown races on Port Royal’s half-mile dirt oval, and Justin Grant managed to pass Swanson on the first lap before the first of two caution flags waved with one lap down for C.J. Leary and Nathan Moore, who crashed low in Turn 4.
For most of the race Swanson had his hands full defending his position from Matt Westfall, who hounded him almost constantly. Swanson tried both the high and the low grooves to spurt away from Westfall, who preferred the low groove. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., May 28 — Kyle Larson was focused on trying to do “The Double” over the Memorial Day weekend, but Kody Swanson did “The Triple” on Saturday and recorded three podium finishes in one day in three different race cars.
In the morning he finished second in a 30-lap pavement midget race for Bertrand Motorsports at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Shortly thereafter he led all 100 laps of the USAC Silver Crown race there driving for Doran Binks Racing. Then Swanson and the Lebanon, Ohio-based team traveled approximately 50 miles north to record a third-place finish in the largest asphalt sprint car race in the world, the 500-lap, 76th annual Little 500 Presented by UAW at Anderson Speedway, with Doran Binks Racing’s Mission Foods/Glenn Farms/Wilke Orthodontics pavement sprint car.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, led the second-most number of laps at the Little 500 with 107 to Dakoda Armstrong’s 194.
He started eighth in the 33-car Little 500 field in the No. 77, which is powered by a Binks-prepared Chevrolet V8 engine. "Read more"
BROWNSBURG, Ind., May 28— Last year Kody Swanson qualified second and led the most laps in the Hoosier Hundred USAC Silver Crown race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, but he didn’t finish due to a broken fuel pump drive.
He and the Doran Binks Racing team made up for that disappointment in grand style Friday and Saturday when Swanson earned his fifth victory in the 67th running of one of USAC’s most prestigious events. He earned $26,000 and now he’s second only to A.J. Foyt in the number of Hoosier Hundred victories.
The victory extended the seven-time series champion’s record as the winningest driver in series history to 43. He tied his now-retired brother Tanner as the winningest USAC Silver Crown driver at this particular track with eight wins.
Driving the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms/Wilke Orthodontics No. 77, which is powered by a Lanci Ford engine, Swanson was fastest in practice on Friday with a lap in 21.392 seconds on the 0.686-mile asphalt oval. Then he topped qualifying with a two-lap combined time of 42.316 secondsto earn his 50th career USAC Silver Crown pole, also extending his record in that category. Logan Seavey, Bobby Santos III, Dakoda Armstrong and Justin Grant completed the top five in qualifying. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., May 28 — Nolen Racing and driver Emerson Axsom shook up the pavement sprint car world last week by winning the pole for that division’s biggest race, the 76th annual Little 500 Presented by UAW at Anderson Speedway. The Whiteland, Ind.-based team only plans to run a handful of races this year, and the 19-year-old driver from Franklin, Ind., has been concentrating on driving winged dirt sprint cars all over the country, not non-winged ones on paved tracks.
That’s why the regulars were surprised when Axsom won the CB Fabricating pole last Thursday with a four-lap time of 44.575 seconds to earn the right to lead the field of 33 cars three abreast to the green on Saturday night for 500 laps on the quarter-mile track. He backed that up by routinely being fastest in practice sessions too.
“I wish Gene [Nolen] was here,” Axsom told an Andersen Speedway representative after winning the pole. “He was one of my biggest supporters. He’s the main reason I’m able to drive this car; he was a big fan of mine. I know he’s watching but it would be cool if he was here and was able to take some pictures with us on the front row.”
Dakoda Armstrong got the jump at the start as Axsom didn’t press things in an effort to save his No. 4, which is sponsored by KECO Coatings and powered by a Tranter-prepared Chevrolet V6 engine. Still, he set the fastest lap of anyone in the race when he posted a time of 11.554 seconds on lap 26 while running second to Dakoda Armstrong. "Read more"
BELLEVILLE, Kan., May 20 — After blasting by four cars on the first lap to rise from eighth to fourth, Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson encountered an unusual problem which resulted in a 14th-place finish in the Huncovsky Classic USAC Silver Crown race Saturday night on the half-mile dirt oval at the Belleville High Banks.
Driving the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms/Wilke Orthodontics No. 77, which is a Maxim with a Hampshire Chevy engine, the all-time USAC Silver Crown king passed Matt Westfall, Briggs Danner, Taylor Ferns and Chase Stockon on the first lap, while Brady Bacon came from fourth to take the lead from the polesitter and eventual winner, Kaylee Bryson.
Westfall regained fourth on lap two of the 50-lapper to push Swanson back to fifth, but Swanson set the fifth-fastest lap of anyone in the race on lap four. He remained in fifth place until Stockon passed him on lap 16. "Read more"
INDIANAPOLIS, May 7 — What could possibly go wrong if a skunk was in the pits at an auto race?
“The Trouble with Howard,” a children’s book based on a real-life story about auto racers Howard and Anita Millican and their pet skunk, is available now through the website TheTroubleWithHoward.com and at select retail outlets.
The 48-page hardcover book is a collaboration between author and motorsports veteran Lee Anne Patterson, a native of Atlanta, and acclaimed racing illustrator Roger Warrick of Hamilton, Ohio. "Read more"
WINCHESTER, Ind., May 6 — Doran Binks Racing and driver Kody Swanson made Cinco de Mayo memorable Sunday afternoon at Winchester Speedway when they topped the charts in every conceivable way with their USAC Silver Crown car sponsored by Mission Foods, the leading tortilla company in the United States.
After extending his record as the driver with the most poles in series history to 49, Swanson led all 100 laps of Sunday’s 33rd annual Rich Vogler Classic to post a whopping 5.554-second victory over Bobby Santos III. Swanson, a seven-time USAC Silver Crown champion, also extended his record as the driver with the most victories in series history to 42.
It was Swanson’s third straight USAC Silver Crown victory at Winchester. He has now won the Rich Vogler Classic five times (2016, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024; this Silver Crown event was held elsewhere prior to 2021.) "Read more"
INDIANAPOLIS, May 3 — The Indianapolis 500 is full of tradition, from the prerace singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana” to the winner drinking milk in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s victory lane. KECO Coatings has been part of the tradition at “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” for a long time. It has one of the longest team partnerships in the NTT INDYCAR Series due to its 27-year partnership with driver-turned-team owner Sam Schmidt of Arrow McLaren, which continues in 2024.
KECO is an official partner of the Arrow McLaren INDYCAR team, which will field four cars in the Indy 500 on May 26. Pato O'Ward drives the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet while Alexander Rossi drives the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. Arrow McLaren has not yet announced who will drive the No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but an announcement will reveal the driver in due time.
One of the biggest stories at this year’s Indy 500 will be Kyle Larson’s attempt to do “The Double,” and he’ll attempt it in an entry co-fielded by Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports. The 2021 NASCAR Cup champion will attempt to become the fifth driver in history to attempt to complete “The Double” and run 1,100 miles in one day, starting with his first Indy 500 and then flying to Charlotte, N.C. to drive his usual stock car in the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’s longest race of the year, that night. His entry will be co-owned by his stock car team’s owner, Rick Hendrick, and it will be the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. "Read more"
TOLEDO, Ohio, April 21 — Kody Swanson’s mastery of Toledo Speedway in a USAC Silver Crown car rocketed into another dimension Saturday afternoon when he led all 100 laps of the Hemelgarn Racing/Super Fitness Rollie Beale Classic in Doran Binks Racing’s Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77. He had a 3.441-second lead over runner-up C.J. Leary at the checkered flag and he lapped through eighth place in the 19-car contest on one of the fastest tracks on the series’ schedule.
He continued to set records with the achievement. It was the eighth time he’s won this particular race, and sixth straight. He extended his record as the winningest driver in series history to 41, and his record for the most poles in series history to 48.
After setting the fastest time in Saturday’s practice session with a 15.042-second lap, Swanson captured the Honest Abe Roofing pole with a time of 14.916 seconds (120.676 miles per hour average) for the round, half-mile asphalt track in qualifying. It didn’t break his own track record here, but it was enough to top the other top-five qualifiers — Tyler Roahrig, C.J. Leary, Bobby Santos III and Justin Grant, respectively. It was his eighth career pole for the Rollie Beale Classic. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., April 15 —Doran Binks Racing and driver Kody Swanson got the 2024 season off to a great start Sunday afternoon when Swanson was the fastest qualifier in the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77, led a third of the 100-lap Glen Niebel Classic, and finished a solid second in the 500 Sprint Car Tour season opener at Anderson Speedway.
After earning the pole when the inversion was a one, Swanson led the first 34 laps as the 21-car field sped around the quarter-mile paved oval. Dakoda Armstrong used lapped traffic to help him vault from third to first in Turn 2 on lap 35, and he went on to win the race with Swanson in hot pursuit. The winner’s cousin, Caleb Armstrong, placed third followed by the defending race winner, Kyle O’Gara, and Taylor Ferns.
It was the second year in a row that Swanson was the fastest qualifier for this particular event, which was its 24th edition. After running third and first in the two practice sessions Sunday afternoon, he topped the field in qualifying with a time of 11.274 seconds with the No. 77, which is powered by a Dan Binks-prepared Chevrolet V8 engine. Defending series champion Tyler Roahrig qualified second followed by Dakoda and Caleb Armstrong and Bobby Santos III. "Read more"
WHITEHOUSE, N.J., Dec. 28 — Jeff and Dawn Kreider are pleased to announce they have purchased Robison Racing Products and will continue the legacy of the late Gerry Robison by supplying the racing community with high-quality products under the company’s new name, Robison Race Products by Kreider Manufacturing.
With the purchase, the new company will utilize the Kreiders’ 3,300-square-foot machine shop in Whitehouse, N.J., which is much bigger than Robison Racing Products’ former headquarters in Dublin, Pa. The sale included a great deal of inventory which is ready for racers around the world, including oil tanks, radius rods, valve covers, wing trees and birdcages, to name just a few items.
Jeff Kreider has been a CNC machinist for over 35 years, specializing in high-quality parts for the aerospace, military, and medical fields. The past few years he has expanded into machining racing parts too, doing so working directly with Gerry Robison, who died in November after decades in the racing business. They had discussed the Kreider family taking over Robison Racing Products prior to his death. "Read more"
SOUTHWICK, Mass., Oct. 30 — A dream came true for team owner Tim Bertrand when driver Kody Swanson and the rest of the Bertrand Motorsports team won a special 30-lap midget race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) on Oct. 15.
Bertrand has always wanted to see one of his cars win a feature at the storied 0.686-mile asphalt oval in Brownsburg, Ind., but prior to that day his midgets had always come up shy of the top spot there. Despite his best efforts, an IRP victory remained an unchecked line on his bucket list.
So when Swanson took the checkered flag, both Bertrand and his driver got a little emotional.
The race was one-third of the Howard Companies Championship Sunday at IRP, and part of IRP’s three-race Browns Oil Service National Pavement Midget Championship. Since it was coupled with the USAC Silver Crown and the 500 Sprint Car Tour season finales, many of the nation’s top open-wheel asphalt drivers were on hand and had midget rides too.
But it was Swanson who took the checkered flag first after grabbing the lead from Davey Hamilton Jr. on lap seven and showing the way the rest of the race in one of the Bertrand Motorsports cars, as Todd Bertrand (Tim’s brother) and Nathan Byrd were his teammates. Swanson’s car is a Gerhardt chassis previously owned and meticulously maintained by Jerome Rodela with a Stanton SR-11X Mopar engine. Swanson had a whopping 4.593-second margin of victory over Justin Grant, who just sealed up his second consecutive USAC AMSOIL national sprint car championship. "Read more"
BROWNBURG, Ind., Oct. 16 — Doran Binks Racing and driver Kody Swanson finished fourth in the USAC Silver Crown series’ 100-lap season finale Sunday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park with their Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77. They placed second in the series’ point standings for 2023, coming up just seven points shy of repeating as the series’ champions.
The slim margin underscores how competitive the championship was. Driver Logan Seavey and the Rice Motorsports/Abacus Racing team won the title in USAC’s top class with 676 points to Swanson and Doran Binks Racing’s 669. A total of 836 points were up for grabs in the series’ 11 races.
Doran Binks Racing and Swanson also finished second in the 2023 edition of the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores after also winning that series’ inaugural championship last year. They had an eighth-place finish in the 500 Sprint Car Tour’s 40-lap race on Sunday at IRP. That championship’s margin was larger at 58 points, as Tyler Roahrig won the title with 1,818 points to Swanson’s 1,760 after nine races, unofficially.
Swanson guided the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 to five victories in 2023 within the two series, which started in April. In a combined total of 20 races within the two series, he was only out of the top five three times, which is a remarkable accomplishment for the Kingsburg, Calif., native and the team based in Lebanon, Ohio. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., Oct. 8 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson kept the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 in fourth place from start to finish in the Tony Elliott Classic Saturday at Anderson Speedway to retain second place in the 2023 point standings of the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores with one event remaining.
Dakoda Armstrong passed Taylor Ferns on lap 46 and went on to post his first series victory by 4.426 seconds over Ferns, who led the first 45 laps of the 100-lap race on the quarter-mile asphalt oval. They were the only drivers to lead. Point leader Tyler Roahrig won the pole and finished third, followed by Swanson and Caleb Armstrong. Billy Wease, Kyle O’Gara, Bobby Santos III, Brian Vaughn, and Trey Burke rounded out the top 10.
Unofficially Roahrig still leads the point standings going into the season finale this coming Saturday, Oct. 14, at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) in Brownsburg, Ind. He has a 13-point lead over Swanson, 1,598 points to 1,585 points. There are 220 points up for grabs at the season finale, so mathematically the title is up for grabs between the top five drivers, which includes Armstrong in third (1,521 points), O’Gara in fourth (1,520 points), and Santos (1,420 points). The different scenarios of possible point totals at IRP are too numerous to spell out since bonus points are awarded to the driver who wins the pole, leads a lap, and leads the most laps in addition to the points earned by finishing positions. "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, Sept. 25 — Nolen Racing’s Emerson Axsom flirted with a top-10 finish in the USAC Silver Crown feature that was part of the 41st 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway over the weekend. After qualifying 13th on Friday, he was as high as 11th and ended up 14th in the series’ 50-lapper in a program that started Saturday night and ended in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
The top 20 drivers in Friday’s qualifying session locked themselves into the starting line-up for the feature. Axsom was among them when he took just 17.926 seconds to circle the half-mile clay oval in the famous bright yellow Nolen Racing No. 20, a Maxim/Tranter Chevy sponsored by KECO Coatings and Advanced Racing Suspensions.
He actually got to start 11th in the main event, however. The driver who qualified third, Brady Bacon, suffered an eye injury so Tyler Courtney substituted for him and went to the rear of the field for the green. Mario Clouser qualified ninth but he was unable to start the feature after he crashed in a practice session Saturday night. Axsom was eighth in that practice session.
Moving up two positions before the race even started was countered by dropping three spots at the end of lap one of the feature, as the pack ran close together and diced for position. However, Axsom was able to regain two spots by lap two to rise to 12th. That was an early indication of Axsom’s 2023 Eldora Silver Crown experience, as he was embroiled in several battles throughout the race with several veterans. Axsom is a series rookie; he’ll turn 19 on Sept. 30. "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, Sept. 24 — Kody Swanson trailed point leader Logan Seavey by just one point going into the USAC Silver Crown race that was part of the 41st 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway. Swanson drove the Doran Binks Racing Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 to a solid fifth-place finish in the 50-lapper that ended in the wee hours of Sunday morning, but Seavey won the race and led the most laps to extend his lead to 16 points going into the season finale Oct. 14 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg, Ind. No other drivers have enough points to contend for the title at the season finale. A maximum total of 76 points are up for grabs on Oct. 14.
Swanson qualified eighth but he actually started seventh behind polesitter Justin Grant, C.J. Leary, Jake Swanson, Chase Dietz, Seavey, and Matt Westfall. Brady Bacon qualified third but suffered an eye injury before the race, so Tyler Courtney substituted for him and went to the rear of the field for the green.
Jake Swanson (no relation) had a bad start and faded from third to seventh on the first lap, which elevated Kody Swanson to sixth place. He remained in sixth for the first 22 laps, which included a yellow with six laps down when Matt Mitchell drew the race’s only caution flag. "Read more"
DU QUOIN, Ill., Sept. 5 — The 69th running of the Ted Horn 100 USAC Silver Crown race at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds attracted a big field of 35 drivers on Saturday, 10 of whom were rookies. Nolen Racing’s Emerson Axsom of Franklin, Ind., was the class of the rookie field, as he was both the highest qualifying rookie and the highest finishing rookie.
Driving the famous bright yellow Nolen Racing No. 20, a Maxim/Tranter Chevy sponsored by KECO Coatings and Advanced Racing Suspensions, Axsom qualified 12th and finished seventh in the 100-lap race on the 1-mile dirt oval.
The top-10 finish was an impressive accomplishment for the 17-year-old driver, who was making his first start at this particular track and only his fifth race ever in USAC’s top division.
Gaining experience was his primary goal. That started in practice, when he ran 34 laps as the Whiteland, Ind.-based team worked to develop its set-up for the test ahead. Only one other driver among the 35 who participated in practice ran any more. Axsom ended up seventh in practice with a lap in 31.187. Track conditions changed somewhat for qualifying, when he was 12th with a 33.035. He set the sixth-fastest lap of anyone in the race when he was timed in 31.834 on lap 77. "Read more"
DU QUOIN, Ill., Sept. 4 — Doran Binks Racing’s Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 driven by Kody Swanson was the fastest car in the 69th running of the Ted Horn 100 USAC Silver Crown race at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds Saturday afternoon. Track position was everything, however. Swanson put on a stirring charge to advance to third at the checkered after starting eighth in a race that only had three caution flags once it got underway.
Justin Grant started on the pole and led all but the first lap of the 100-lapper, when C.J. Leary, who started second, had the point in the 29-car field on the 1- mile dirt oval.
But it was Swanson who set the fastest lap of anyone in the race. He gave it his all right up to the end with the No. 77, a Maxim with a Bob Hampshire-prepped Chevy engine, as he set the fastest race lap on lap 99 with a time of 31.363 seconds. He was also the fastest driver around the halfway point after he ran a lap in 31.675 on lap 58.
Grant’s performance gave him the six bonus points available as well as the winner’s 70. Logan Seavey came in fifth and he still leads the point standings, but now it’s only by one point over Swanson. Going into the race Seavey led the standings over Swanson by seven points. "Read more"
MADISON, Ill., Aug. 28 — It was an up-and-down day for Doran Binks Racing and driver Kody Swanson in USAC Silver Crown action Sunday in the shadows of the Gateway Arch at World Wide Technology Raceway. Swanson won the pole and led more than a quarter of the 80-lap/100-mile race on the 1.25-mile asphalt oval until a mechanical issue dropped the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 to 14th place in the official rundown of the Outfront Media USA 100.
The event shared the card with the NTT IndyCar Series’ Bommarito Automotive Group 500.
After leading the 22-car field to the green flag, Swanson dropped to third initially with the No. 77, which is powered by a Lanci-prepped Ford engine. He quickly moved into second before two laps were in the books as the top runners ran inches apart. He regained the lead from Logan Seavey as the top pack jockeyed for positions, but dropped to second again when C.J. Leary slipped under him coming out of Turn 1 on lap five.
Tom Paterson brought out the first of six yellows with six laps down when he stopped in Turn 2. Leary continued to have the upper hand after the restart on lap eight, but Leary brought out a yellow when he slowed on the frontstretch working lap 11, which gave the lead back to Swanson. The top five for the restart on lap 15 were Swanson, Mario Clouser, Davey Hamilton Jr., Bobby Santos III and Justin Grant. "Read more"
SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Aug. 20 — The USAC Silver Crown series isn’t Emerson Axsom’s primary focus this year, as he’s only doing a couple of races in that series in 2023. Anyone who attended Saturday afternoon’s Bettenhausen 100 USAC Silver Crown race at the Illinois State Fairgrounds wouldn’t have known that by his performance in the bright yellow Nolen Racing No. 20, however.
Axsom, who is currently second in the USAC AMSOIL sprint car point standings driving for Clauson Marshall Newman Racing, shook up the USAC Silver Crown set by qualifying second, just 0.024 off the pole, in a robust field of 31. Then the young Franklin, Ind.-based driver led the first lap of the race, ran in the top three for the first quarter of the race and fifth for the second half of it to finish a solid fifth for the Whiteland, Ind.-based Nolen Racing team.
It was his first race ever at this particular track.
In a car powered by a Tranter-prepared Chevrolet engine and sponsored by KECO Coatings, Axsom passed the polesitter and eventual race winner, Logan Seavey, to the outside on the frontstretch heading into Turn 1 to lead the first of 100 laps around the 1-mile dirt oval. Seavey got him back with a move to the outside in Turn 3 working lap two, but Axsom ran in second place and held off veteran Shane Cottle until Cottle got by him working lap 21. "Read more"
SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Aug. 20 — Although Logan Seavey gained 15 points on Kody Swanson for winning the 60th annual Bettenhausen 100 USAC Silver Crown race at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Swanson and the Doran Binks Racing team still lead the overall point standings due to their solid fourth-place finish in the 100- lapper on the 1-mile dirt oval Saturday afternoon.
Driving the Mission Foods No. 77 powered by a Lanci Ford engine, Swanson started tenth in the 31-car field, but he certainly didn’t stay there long once the green flag dropped.
He passed Davey Ray, Wayne Johnson and Mario Clouser on the first lap to rise to seventh place, and he got sixth by passing Jacob Wilson on lap two. The native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis remained in sixth place through lap 10, and advanced to fifth on lap 11 by passing Justin Grant. "Read more"
TOLEDO, Ohio, Aug. 6 — Kody Swanson is from Kingsburg, Calif., and he now lives in the Indianapolis suburb of Zionsville, Ind., but he seems to own part of Toledo, Ohio too.
That part is on Benore Road where the half-mile Toledo Speedway is located. Swanson won an unprecedented fifth consecutive USAC Silver Crown race at Toledo Speedway Saturday night, and his seventh there in all (2011, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023). (There was no Silver Crown race there in 2020.)
The complete name of Saturday’s race on the high-banked asphalt oval was the tenth running of the Hemelgarn Racing/Super Fitness Rollie Beale Classic Fueled by Marco’s Pizza. It’s named in honor of the late Rollie Beale, a Toledo native, the 1973 USAC sprint car champion driver, a member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, and a longtime USAC official. "Read more"
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 1 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson qualified third, started fourth in the 40-lap feature, ran as high as second, and finished third last Saturday night at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in the Pro Door Manufacturing 40. The 40-lap race was part of the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores, and unofficially with the podium finish with his Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 Swanson retook the lead in the series’ championship.
The top six qualifiers were inverted for the start, which put Billy Wease on the pole. He led the whole race, which ran non-stop, for his first series victory.
In a car powered by a Binks Chevy engine, Swanson was able to soar from fourth to second on the first lap. He passed fellow row-two starter Dakoda Armstrong to the outside on the backstretch, and dipped under Bobby Santos III, who started second, on the frontstretch before the start-finish line.
Swanson then did his best to pass Wease too, but he was elusive. Instead, Santos regained second from Swanson with a move to the inside in Turn 1 working lap nine. Swanson remained third the rest of the way, and the podium finishers took the checkered flag nose to tail. Wease’s margin of victory over Santos was just 0.149 of a second, while Swanson was only 0.242 behind Santos. The driver who finished fourth, Kyle O’Gara, was further back, some 1.994 seconds behind Swanson at the end. Armstrong rounded out the top five and the driver who led the point standings going into this race, Tyler Roahrig, finished sixth. "Read more"
MARNE, Mich., July 24 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson qualified third, started sixth due to the invert, and charged back up to finish third Saturday night at Berlin Raceway in a 40-lap feature sanctioned by the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores.
Driving the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 asphalt sprint car which is powered by a Binks Chevy engine, Swanson got right to work at the drop of the green flag. The Kingsburg, Calif., native who now lives in Indianapolis passed fellow row three starter Bobby Santos III for fifth on the first lap. He got around Jackson Macenko for fourth on lap two. In just one more lap Swanson, the defending series champion, passed Taylor Ferns for third on lap three.
Polesitter Derek Bischak led the first three laps, but his fellow front-row starter, Kyle O’Gara, got the lead from Bischak working lap four. Swanson passed Bischak for second place on lap six right before the event’s only caution flag waved with seven laps down, reportedly for debris on the track. "Read more"
WINCHESTER, Ind., July 21 — For the second year in a row and for the second race in a row this year, Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson led all 100 laps of a USAC Silver Crown race as he defended his 2022 victory in the Rich Vogler Classic Thursday night at Winchester Speedway in dominant fashion.
The defending series champion led all 100 laps of the USAC Silver Crown race June 23 at Madison Int’l Speedway in Wisconsin too, and by the end of Thursday’s race on the world’s fastest half-mile paved oval Swanson and Doran Binks Racing had earned enough points to take the lead in the 2023 USAC Silver Crown driver and entrant point standings. They have 311 points for their work with the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 so far this year, while Logan Seavey and Rice Motorsports/Abacus Racing are second in the current standings with 295 points.
Swanson won this race last year by an unheard of 10.062 seconds, lapping everyone except the runner-up, who was Seavey. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., July 10 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson spent a big portion of the CB Fabricating Gene Nolen Classic at Anderson Speedway Saturday night trying to find a way around Bobby Santos III. As it turned out he didn’t have to, as Santos dropped out of the race with seven laps remaining and Swanson went on to post his second consecutive victory in the event named in memory of one of his former car owners.
With his triumph in the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 powered by a Binks Chevy V8 engine, Swanson took the lead in the point standings as he guns for his second consecutive championship in the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores.
After Santos dropped out reportedly due to a mechanical issue that caused his car to run out of fuel, Swanson beat Kyle O’Gara by 0.502 seconds at the checkered flag after 100 laps around the quarter-mile, high-banked oval. Fastest qualifier Tyler Roahrig finished third followed by Dakoda Armstrong and Jackson Macenko in the field of 22 asphalt sprint cars.
Swanson was the second-fastest qualifier, just 0.023 off Roahrig’s time of 11.097 seconds. The inversion was a six, so Swanson started fifth and the front row was shared by polesitter Santos and Chris Neuenschwander. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., July 9 — The late Gene Nolen, the founder of Nolen Racing and the man whom the Gene Nolen Classic honors, knew very well that a driver’s finishing position often does not reflect the effort extended.
That was the case Saturday night at Anderson Speedway when young Nick Hamilton qualified seventh in the famous yellow Nolen Racing No. 20 in his first race ever in the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores, and then ran in seventh place for more than half the race. Unfortunately the Fillmore, Ind.-based driver ended up 16th with 66 laps complete in the 100-lapper after two incidents not of his doing.
Driving a Beast powered by a Tranter-prepped Chevy V6 engine and sponsored by KECO Coatings, Hamilton kept his mount firmly in seventh place for the first 51 laps around the high-banked, quarter-mile oval.
Kyle O’Gara, who ended up finishing second and set the second-fastest lap of the race despite qualifying 14th, was behind Hamilton with 51 laps down when there was contact between the pair in Turn 3 which forced Hamilton to stop, bringing out the race’s fifth yellow flag. O’Gara apologized afterwards during the podium celebration for his role in the incident. "Read more"
OREGON, Wis., June 24 — Kody Swanson has now won three of the four USAC Silver Crown races ever held at Madison Int’l Speedway. Friday night’s victory was his most dominant, as he was the fastest qualifier to earn the pole, set the fastest lap of the race, and led all 100 laps of the Salute to America/Bytec Dairyland 100 in Doran Binks Racing’s Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77.
The greatest USAC Silver Crown driver in history extended his series’ leading number of victories to 38 and earned his 43rd series pole, also a record, as he attempts to earn an unprecedented eighth series championship.
It was Swanson and the Doran Binks Racing team’s second victory of the week, as they were also victorious last Sunday in a 500 Sprint Car Tour race at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway. Ironically the top three finishers were the same in both races, although second and third exchanged places. In Friday’s USAC Silver Crown race Swanson took the checkered flag 2.392 seconds before Bobby Santos III did, while Tyler Roahrig finished third. Mario Clouser and Logan Seavey rounded out the top five.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, won the pole by turning the half-mile asphalt oval in 16.980 seconds for an average speed of 106.007 miles per hour, just a tick slower than his one-lap track record of 16.852 seconds set in 2019. Derek Bischak qualified second, just 0.085 of a second behind. "Read more"
TOLEDO, Ohio, June 19 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson won the 40-lap feature sanctioned by the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores Sunday at Toledo Speedway. The asphalt sprint car action was part of the Father’s Day Special Presented by Monroe Asphalt.
Although he was the fastest qualifier in the Mission Foods No. 77 also sponsored by Glenn Farms, Swanson had to start seventh in the 16-car field due to the inversion and Tyler Roahrig starting at the rear because his team changed a tire before the race.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, got straight to work. With Chevrolet power prepped by Dan Binks, the series’ defending champion passed Kyle O’Gara, Bobby Santos III and Taylor Ferns to rise from seventh to fourth by the end of the first lap of the half-mile asphalt oval.
He passed Jackson Macenko for third on lap two to trail only Dakoda Armstrong and Justin Harper when the first of three yellows waved. The caution was for Tommy Nichols, who stopped on the track due to a mechanical issue.
Swanson used the outside groove to pass Harper at the end of the frontstretch on lap three to move into second place, but then another yellow that extended to a red flag waved with three laps down when Nichols crashed into the Turn 1 wall. He emerged unhurt. "Read more"
PORT ROYAL, Pa., June 19 — Top-five finishes are crucial when trying to defend a championship, and Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson recorded another one in pursuit of his unprecedented eighth USAC Silver Crown title when he finished fifth in the 50-lap USAC Silver Crown race Saturday night at Port Royal Speedway.
His Mission Foods No. 77, a Maxim chassis powered by a Hampshire Chevy engine that is also sponsored by Glenn Farms, started second in the 26-car field on the half-mile clay oval, but Swanson beat polesitter Mitchel Moles into the first turn and led the first 21 laps. Brady Bacon passed Moles for second on lap two and tried to get around Swanson both on the low side and the high side to no avail. By lap 10 Swanson had a 1.567-second lead over Bacon, who was followed by Moles, Chase Dietz and Logan Seavey.
The fight for second was intense, which allowed Swanson to increase his lead to over 2 seconds by lap 13. Seavey got around Bacon for second three laps later, and he was able to cut Swanson’s lead to 0.796 of a second by lap 20 when the second of three cautions waved.
Swanson fought Seavey off on the restart but Seavey took the lead in Turn 3 on lap 22, relegating Swanson to second. On lap 24 Swanson, Bacon and Dietz were three abreast flying down the frontstretch as they battled for second. That battle allowed Seavey to build up a 3-second lead over Swanson by lap 31. (Paul Arch photo) "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, June 15 – The Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions winged sprint cars headline a sprint car doubleheader at Eldora Speedway this Friday night (June 16) for the next-to-last round of the 41st annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Cometic Gasket.
The non-wing MPD Racing Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series (BOSS) completes the open-wheel racing card.
With sponsorship from the Whistle Stop Bar & Grill in nearby Ansonia, Ohio, the All Stars will race for $12,000 to win at the “World’s Greatest Dirt Track.” Friday’s race is also the final opportunity for winged sprint car teams to tune up for the Eldora Million on July 12-13. "Read more"
MARNE, Mich., June 11 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson qualified third, started at the rear due to a tire change, and flew through the field to finish fourth Saturday night at Berlin Raceway in a 40-lap feature sanctioned by the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores.
Driving the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 asphalt sprint car, Swanson was always among the top drivers in practice and qualifying, setting the fastest time in the second practice session and qualifying third, just 0.390 off fastest qualifier Tyler Roahrig’s 15.493.
But Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, had to start at the rear of the 18-car field for the feature per the rules after the Doran Binks crew changed a tire prior to the start of the race. It was the right decision, as the handling of the car was immediately better after the switch.
His start was spectacular. Powered by a Binks Chevy engine, Swanson’s No. 77 was already in the top 10 by lap two. The defending series champ took ninth on lap four, eighth on lap eight, seventh on lap nine and sixth on lap 11 as the cars blazed around the nearly circular and very challenging 0.4375-mile asphalt oval, which has 13-degree turns and 9-degree straightaways. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., May 29 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson led more than half of the 75th running of the Lucas Oil Little 500 Presented by UAW Saturday night at Anderson Speedway, and he finished on the podium in third place in the team’s Mission Foods No. 77 in the most prestigious asphalt sprint car race in the world.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, was never lower than fourth place during the 500-lap contest on Anderson’s quarter-mile, high-banked oval, which is famous for starting 33 sprint cars three abreast and being long enough to require two mandatory pit stops in each half of the race.
Swanson started on the pole after being the fastest qualifier in first-round qualifying last Thursday. He immediately took command, and led the first 194 laps with the No. 77, which is powered by a Binks Chevrolet V8.
He made his first pit stop working lap 195 under a caution flag, but didn’t lose a lap and only dropped to fourth place. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., May 29 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson led more than half of the 75th running of the Lucas Oil Little 500 Presented by UAW Saturday night at Anderson Speedway, and he finished on the podium in third place in the team’s Mission Foods No. 77 in the most prestigious asphalt sprint car race in the world.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, was never lower than fourth place during the 500-lap contest on Anderson’s quarter-mile, high-banked oval, which is famous for starting 33 sprint cars three abreast and being long enough to require two mandatory pit stops in each half of the race.
Swanson started on the pole after being the fastest qualifier in first-round qualifying last Thursday. He immediately took command, and led the first 194 laps with the No. 77, which is powered by a Binks Chevrolet V8.
He made his first pit stop working lap 195 under a caution flag, but didn’t lose a lap and only dropped to fourth place.
He moved from fourth to third on lap 280 when his brother, Tanner, dropped out while leading with an apparent motor issue. "Read more"
BROWNSBURG, Ind., May 27 — Emerson Axsom qualified seventh and ran in eighth place for the first 40 laps of the Hoosier Hundred USAC Silver Crown race Friday night at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Unfortunately at that point it appeared that a front suspension component broke on his bright yellow Nolen Racing No. 20, and he crashed hard into the outside wall in Turn 1. Although he escaped injury, his KECO Coatings-sponsored Beast with a Tranter Chevy V8 suffered front-end damage and he was unable to continue in the 146-lap race.
The Franklin, Ind.-based driver, who was making his first USAC Silver Crown pavement start, unofficially finished 28th.
Axsom ran a 42.618 for two laps around the 0.686-mile asphalt oval in qualifying, which was just 0.892 off the time Bobby Santos ran to earn the pole.
Nathan Byrd passed Axsom at the start of the race to push him from seventh to eighth, but Axsom was able to hold off veteran Russ Gamester for the first 31 laps. Taylor Ferns passed Gamester on a restart on lap 31 and inched ahead of Axsom for an instant too, but he passed her back on the same lap and never dropped out of eighth place on the lap charts. "Read more"
BROWNSBURG, Ind., May 26 — Kody Swanson’s quest for a fifth victory in the Hoosier Hundred will have to wait until 2024, but he led 115 laps of the 146-lap USAC Silver Crown race Friday night at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Doran Binks Racing’s Mission Foods No. 77.
After qualifying second, just 0.269 of a second off Bobby Santos III’s pole-winning effort, Swanson took the lead from Santos in Turn 2 on the initial lap and then led the first 115 laps of the race. At one point he had built up over a 3-second margin over Santos with the No. 77, which is also sponsored by Glenn Farms and is powered by a Lanci Ford V8.
However, working lap 116 the car rolled to a stop with mechanical difficulties, which later proved to be a broken cam drive that turns the fuel pump. Swanson ended up 19th in the unofficial rundown for the race, which attracted the largest car count for a pavement USAC Silver Crown race in 18 years with 35 entries.
Swanson posted a two-lap qualifying time of 41.995 seconds on the 0.686-mile oval to Santos’s 41.726. Swanson set the fastest lap of anyone in the race when he took only 21.772 seconds to circle the track on lap 50. "Read more"
BELLEVILLE, Kan., May 21 — Kody Swanson and Doran Binks Racing got the 2023 USAC Silver Crown season off to a great start Saturday at the Belleville High Banks by setting a new track record to win the pole, setting the fastest lap of the race, leading the most laps, and finishing second in the 50-lap main event with the No. 77 sponsored by Mission Foods and Glenn Farms.
It was an impressive performance on the unique, high-banked half-mile dirt track as Swanson began the pursuit of his eighth series title. He is the winningest driver in the history of USAC’s top series and the defending champion. After Saturday’s season opener he leads the point standings over Brady Bacon, 73 to 70.
The Lebanon, Ohio-based team brought a Maxim chassis that Swanson used to drive for DePalma Motorsports out of retirement, and the Indianapolis-based driver led the first 27 laps of the race with his old car, fitted with a Bob Hampshire Chevy engine. By lap 13 he had a whopping 4.018-second lead over the second-place runner at the time, Justin Grant. "Read more"
INDIANAPOLIS, May 19 — Anything can happen in professional motorsports, but KECO Coatings’ logo has a very good chance of being seen on the sides of a top contender and perhaps even the winner of the Indianapolis 500 May 28 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
KECO is an official partner of the Arrow McLaren INDYCAR team. The drivers of its four cars entered in this year’s Indianapolis 500 finished second, third, fourth, and fifth in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” last year.
In 2022 Arrow McLaren drivers Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist finished second and fourth in the Indianapolis 500. Alexander Rossi joined the team this year, and he came in fifth in last year’s Indianapolis 500 driving for Andretti Autosport. These three drivers are competing in the full 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule driving for Arrow McLaren. Rossi won the Indianapolis 500 in 2016 driving for Andretti Herta Autosport.
Tony Kanaan will join Arrow McLaren for this year’s Indianapolis 500, after which he’ll retire from driving in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, ending a 25-year INDYCAR career. He finished third in the Indianapolis 500 last year driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. Kanaan won the Indianapolis 500 in 2013 driving for KV Racing Technology. "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, May 15 — People who don’t know the difference between USAC SpeeD2 Midwest Thunder midgets, DIRTcar modifieds, or Eldora super stocks will still thoroughly enjoy Family Fireworks Night presented by Casey’s General Store this Saturday, May 20 at Eldora Speedway.
This community event will feature not only those three racing divisions but also a huge fireworks extravaganza that will delight all ages as the rockets burst across the sky, blazing in streams of vivid colors and booming over the Ohio countryside.
At its heart, however, the event showcases very special people — the area’s firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, who will provide special displays and demonstrations of their work to the people they protect.
Children will love getting their faces painted and watching clowns twist balloons into animals. They’ll be able to meet Disney characters who will be roaming the grounds. They’ll also enjoy seeing and touching emergency vehicles, and watching them during a parade around the track. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., April 10 — Defending series champion Kody Swanson was the fastest qualifier for the 23rd running of the Glen Niebel Classic presented by CB Fabricating Saturday at Anderson Speedway with Doran Binks Racing’s Mission Foods No. 77. After the top six qualifiers were inverted for the start, he finished a solid fifth in the 75-lap race that opened the 2023 season for the 500 Sprint Car Tour presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores.
Swanson took just 11.173 seconds to travel over the quarter-mile asphalt oval during qualifications to top the other 26 competitors with the No. 77, which is powered by a Binks-prepared Chevrolet V8 engine. Defending Little 500 winner Tyler Roahrig was second fastest, just 0.015 off Swanson’s time in the very tight field. The top 13 drivers in qualifications were within five-tenths of a second of Swanson’s time.
The inversion of six put the defending race winner, Kyle O’Gara, on the pole for the start. It was difficult to pass, and the only difference in the starting order and the finishing order for the top six drivers was that Swanson passed Roahrig for fifth. He did that before one lap was in the book.
O’Gara led all 75 laps, and Taylor Ferns ran second the whole race. Billy Wease started fourth and got around Dakoda Armstrong for third on the first lap, but Armstrong passed him back on the last lap to regain his starting position and the final podium position. Wease finished fourth. After Swanson passed Roahrig on the first lap he kept him behind him the whole race, which was no easy feat. "Read more"
LEBANON, Ohio, March 29 — Mission Foods, the leading producer of tortillas in the United States and the manufacturer of a variety of authentic Mexican products, will be the primary sponsor of Kody Swanson this year in both the USAC Silver Crown and the 500 Sprint Car Tour series.
Swanson is the defending champion of both series.
Swanson’s cars will be fielded by Kevin Doran and Dan Binks working together as Doran Binks Racing, and they will be based at Doran Racing’s headquarters in Lebanon, Ohio. Glenn Farms will be the team’s associate sponsor. The race cars will all be No. 77.
Doran Racing fielded Swanson’s asphalt USAC Silver Crown car last year. This year Doran Binks Racing will field both the asphalt and dirt USAC Silver Crown cars for Swanson.
Doran Binks Racing plans to compete in all 14 USAC Silver Crown races in 2023. As a seven-time champion, Swanson’s 37 victories make him the winningest driver in the history of this series, the top class of USAC. "Read more"
WHITELAND, Ind., March 27 — Greg Nolen, owner of Nolen Racing, is pleased to announce his team will again enter asphalt sprint cars for Shane Hollingsworth, 38, of Lafayette, Ind., and Emerson Axsom, 18, of Franklin, Ind., to drive in the Lucas Oil Little 500 presented by UAW in 2023. The 75th edition of the world’s greatest asphalt sprint car race is slated for Saturday night, May 27 at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway. It is part of the 500 Sprint Car Tour, and it will be broadcast on MAVTV by Flo Racing.
In addition, the Whiteland, Ind.-based team will field a USAC Silver Crown car for Axsom at that series’ season opener April 16 at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track and its races on 1-mile dirt tracks: Aug. 19 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield and Sept. 2 at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in Du Quoin, Ill. One or two other USAC Silver Crown races on asphalt tracks will be added to the mix as scheduling permits. The USAC Silver Crown races are broadcast on Flo Racing. "Read more"
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