Tag: Kingsburg

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 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.

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.

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

Kody Swanson, a 23 year old from Kingsburg, California was badly hurt in a USAC National Midget race in Huabstadt, Indiana on Saturday night. In lap 81 of the 100 lap main event, Kody’s car flipped and rolled several times. He was life-flighted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Evansville, Indiana for treatment. Kody who is currently in 7th place in the standings and his younger brother Tanner Swanson race in several USAC divisions. On May 12th in Indianapolis, Kody and Tanner finished 1-2 in the 2nd USAC Pavement Sprint Car race of the year. Kody is first in the points standings in that division and Tanner is 4th. Earlier this year, Kody was selected to compete in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity race that preceded the Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Here is an update on Kody’s condition from the team’s Facebook page by Jordan Swanson (his wife of three weeks): “Kody is alert between naps and has his cute n quirky personality shining through. Head Condition: he has a sml fracture by his left temple and also a chip in the bottom of his scull where it sits on the 1st vertebrae. Both will heal completely on their own with time and tlc. X-rays from his neck came back outstanding w no issues whatsoever. He can take the brace off if he wants, but currently feels more comfortable with it on. Neuro surgeon came by and said he’s glad that we don’t have to see him anymore because kody is doing great. Thanks for all the concerns and prayers, they are surely working!!! Keep them coming”

Here is a note that Tanner posted on Kody’s website describing what happened with a link to an interview Kody did from his hospital bed.

“As many of you have already heard, this past weekend TK Motorsports has seemed to have had a little bump in the road. Kody Swanson was seriously injured Saturday night while driving his #11 Wilke-PAK Motorsports/Toyota at the Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, IN. He took a violent series of flips on Lap 81 of the feature which resulted in Kody needing to be Life-Flighted to the local Saint Mary’s Hospital in Evansville, IN. After being in the ICU unit for a day and a half he was then moved upstairs to a normal room. Kody has a small chip out of the base of his skull as well as his collarbone. He also has 2 fractures on the right side of his pelvis, and one on his skull behind his left ear. All of these injuries will not need any surgery or braces, so time will be Kody’s best healing tool. He has been stable the whole time and his sense of humor has never dwindled. We expect for him to be released from the hospital in the next day or two as he is hoping to go watch his younger brother Tanner race at the Hoosier Hundred on Friday night.

For updates on Kody’s condition the Swanson Brothers-TK Motorsports Facebook page has been where most of them are currently posted, however I will do my best to let all of you know when Kody is released from the Hospital.

The FOX 7 news station in Indiana came to interview Kody on Sunday evening and that interview has been posted for your viewing at the following link.

http://tristatehomepage.com/search-fulltext?nxd_id=273317

Kody may look like he has been through a couple of rounds with Mike Tyson, but in the last day he has lost a lot of the swelling around his eyes and a lot of the bruising from his forehead. He is now up and walking around in his room, and is anxious to get home. Not only Kody but our whole family would like to thank everyone for their countless prayers and well wishes, they are appreciated and are greatly needed during this time of Kody’s recovery.”

Thanks,
Tanner Swanson

All of us at NorCal Car Culture would like to wish Kody a speedy recovery!