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NorCal Driver Kody Swanson Returns and Wins the USAC Silver Crown Race

Kody Swanson made his return to racing and Victory Lane all in one night during Thursday’s Kroger Speedfest at Lucas Oil Raceway. Driving for Team 6R Racing, powered by Toyota and sponsored by Kroger and Wawona Packing, Kody picked up his 2nd career USAC Silver Crown win in just his first series start of 2011.

Kody Swanson from Kingsburg, California with younger brother Tanner in Victory Lane.

Kody was seriously injured in a May 21st accident at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Indiana, and had to be airlifted from the racetrack. Thursday night’s event was his first night back behind the wheel full-time.

After qualifying 5th and 6th, Tanner then Kody, the Swanson brothers knew it’d be important to balance getting to the front and saving their cars and tires for the end of the long 100-lap event. At the drop of the green, the brothers seemed content with their position, but that didn’t last long. By lap 10, Kody had cracked the Top 5, and quickly began making his move toward the front. Kody found the low groove and used the bottom side of the racetrack to pass for each position, taking over the top spot from Tony Stewart Racing’s Levi Jones on lap 20.

Kody Swanson gets the USAC Silver Crown win in Indianapolis.

For the majority of the race, Tanner battled with the frontrunners and got himself into the 4th position, hoping to make a charge toward the top spot near the end of the 100-lap event. In the final 25 laps Tanner passed defending Silver Crown Champ Levi Jones, and set his sights on the Top 2: Kody Swanson and Tracy Hines.

While Kody had continued to pull away during the middle of the race, a series of late cautions and a flattening Right Rear tire seriously affected the handling on his #19. As the race neared its end, Kody found some stiff competition from former Silver Crown Champ Tracy Hines. Hines closed to his back bumper, and pulled alongside Swanson as the duo took the white flag, but Kody held on to win at the famed Indianapolis racetrack, and closed the book on his recovery.

Kody Swanson Wins!!

The win propelled Team 6R Racing to the All-Time USAC Silver Crown series Wins lead, with 26.

While he was never able to fully challenge for the lead, Tanner’s 3rd place finish, of the 30 car starting field, was enough to propel him to a tie for the series point lead!

NASCAR Sprint Cup star Ryan Newman finished 8th.

For the latest news on Kody Swanson please visit: www.kodyswansonracing.com or like his Facebook Page.

To follow Tanner Swanson please visit: www.tannerswansonracing.com

Drag Racing is Back at Hot August Nights in Sparks, Nevada


SPARKS, Nev. – Drag racing is making a comeback to Hot August Nights. News 4’s Mackenzie Warren had the exclusive on the big announcement Tuesday morning on News 4 Today.

Hot August Nights cruises into Northern Nevada in less than one month. And to celebrate its 25th anniversary Hot August Nights is turning over a new leaf, make that engine–the event is bringing back the drag races.

Drag racing went away ten years ago and Hot August Nights diehards wanted it back ever since. The event used to be at the Reno-Stead Airport. For many racers that was too far away to drive. Another reason the popular event disappeared was the liability, especially after 9-11 when FAA regulations at the airport became more strict.

This year drag racing is coming back louder and faster than before. It’s also moving location. Bringing back the drags meant bringing in two key players: Full Throttle Performance and John Ascuaga’s Nugget in Sparks.

Full Throttle Performance is organizing the races and the Nugget will provide the venue.

Charlie Carter, co-owner of Full Throttle, says it’s not all pedal-to-the-medal the racing takes some serious skill and finesse. Stephen Ascuaga, Chief Operating Officer of the Nugget, says it’s an honor to host the races and it took him just 30-seconds to say yes.

Racers will finish the course in five seconds.

For all you adrenaline junkies out there here are the details:

The drag race event consists of approximately an eighth of a mile track and will take place in the West parking lot of John Ascuaga’s Nugget from 12 p.m. -to- 10 p.m. From Wednesday, August 10th through Saturday, August 13th.

Hot August Nights Volunteers and Car Participants will gain free entry into the event. The gate fee for the general public is $10 daily.

To enter your car in a race, vehicles must be 1972 or older, with an American or European make. The cost to race is $25 per vehicle, per day for registered car participants and $45 per vehicle, per day for non-registered car participants.

Tires must be D.O.T. Approved (no slicks), no nitro/nitris and no racing fuels allowed. Daily prize for the fastest overall time will be awarded.

For more information on Hot August Nights please visit: www.hotaugustnights.net

J.R. Hildebrand Finishes 11th in the Honda Indy Edmonton

The IZOD IndyCar Rookie of the Year Points Leader Has Moved Up a
Total of 64 Positions in Six Non-Oval Starts

Rookie IndyCar Driver J.R. Hildebrand from Sausalito, California.

EDMONTON, Alberta (July 24, 2011) – National Guard Panther Racing driver JR Hildebrand climbed the grid yet again Sunday during the Honda Indy Edmonton, where the IZOD IndyCar Series rookie climbed a total of 13 positions for an 11th-place finish on the City Centre Airport circuit. Hildebrand has now improved his finishing position relative to where he qualified by a total of 64 positions in his six road/street course starts; St. Pete (+13), Barber (+2), Long Beach (+10), Brazil (+12), Toronto (+14) and now Edmonton (+13). Hildebrand has also completed 100 percent of the possible 495 laps held this season on road and street courses.

After starting in the 24th position, JR moved up to 15th by the team’s first pit stop during a full-course caution on Lap 26. He later passed Marco Andretti into Turn Five on Lap 41 to move up to 13th position, with several cars ahead of him running an alternate fuel strategy. Hildebrand advanced up to 12th position when Alex Tagliani had to pit for fuel and with three laps remaining JR made a move to pass former Panther driver Vitor Meira into the last corner to help secure his final finishing position of 11th.

The National Guard Panther Racing team currently ranks in the ninth position in the IZOD IndyCar Series points standings, and in 11 starts this season has collected four Top Ten and two Top Five finishes. Hildebrand is tied for ninth with Helio Castroneves, and is just six points behind Graham Rahal, who is in the eighth position. Hildebrand also extended his lead in the IZOD IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year points’ championship by 39 points over fellow rookie James Hinchcliffe.

Team Penske driver Will Power captured the victory and was joined on the podium by teammate Castroneves and current championship points leader Dario Franchitti of Ganassi Racing.

JR Hildebrand, No. 4 National Guard Dallara Honda:

“The thing for me that’s encouraging, and encouraging for everybody on the National Guard Panther team is we had a really fast race car out there. We rolled out this weekend and thought we were looking OK and then kinda lost track of it in the second practice and in qualifying, but made some changes this morning and started to get it back and, man, during the race I felt like I had as quick a race car as lot of the guys that were running up front. As far as temporary circuits go, I feel like this is the best race car I’ve had in all of those events. That’s good and it definitely and it allowed me to be aggressive and allowed me to make some good passes on-track; setting guys up, braking late and getting by them and pulling away – so that always makes your day a lot more exciting.”

www.JRHildebrandRacing.com – www.pantherracing.com – www.NationalGuard.com

– Panther Racing, Press Release