OSKALOOSA, IA (8-8-11) By Brian Liskai - "I felt like I had been bringing a knife to a gun fight...with this new motor I feel like I'm now bringing a machine gun."
Those words from Sammy Swindell never rang more true after he dominated the 15th Annual Musco Lighting Front Row Challenge Monday night at Southern Iowa Speedway. The win was an unprecedented third in a row for the Germantown, Tenn., resident and the third All Star Circuit of Champions victory of 2011.
Swindell, who earned the pole-starting spot by winning the "King of the Hill" match race, led all 25 laps on route to his 24th career All Star victory. It wasn't easy, however, as he survived a couple of late race restarts and a lapped car exploding a tire and spinning right in front of him.
"I'm just so proud of this Big Game Tree Stand team. We put a new motor in this..probably the best engine I've ever had. Before I felt at times like I had been bringing a knife to a gun fight...with this new motor I feel like I'm now bringing a machine gun," said Swindell. "That was a close call when that tire exploded...it seems there's a tire or two that does that at every race."
Brad Sweet would hound Swindell the entire race and looked poised to pounce on a restart with four laps to go. But, Swindell would show his experience, changing up his restart pattern, giving him a huge advantage to pull away for the win.
"Sammy kind of snookered us on that last restart...he proved why he is one of the best in the business," said Sweet beside his Kasey Kahne Racing/Red Bull #9. "I just wish that last caution wouldn't have come out....I was catching him. He was going to have to make a decision in traffic and I was ready. We had a great car all night and I'm excited about the (Knoxville) Nationals."
While Swindell and Sweet ran nose to tail in traffic, Shane Stewart - coming off the Knoxville 360 Nationals win - thrilled the crowd with his charge from 10th to third.
"It was hard to pass tonight but my Rockstar Energy Drink car was so good I could go any where. I think we might have had something for those guys if this would have stayed green. I can't complain...we've had a great week so far," said Stewart.
Swindell and Sweet would lead the field to the green with Daryn Pittman and Cody Darrah in tow. Swindell would hit lapped traffic by the sixth circuit as Sweet stayed within striking distance. Pittman and Darrah would battle hard for third while Dale Blaney and Sam Hafertepe Jr. ran off their rear bumpers.
15th Annual Musco Lighting Front Row Challenge Results
A main (25 laps, started): 1. 1, Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN (1) 2. 9, Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA (2) 3. 57, Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK (10) 4. 15H, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, TX (6) 5. 15, Donny Schatz, Fargo, ND (13) 6. 2, Dale Blaney, Hartford, OH (5) 7. 0, Jonathan Allard, Chico, CA (8) 8. 13, Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks, ND (16) 9. 22K, Kraig Kinser, Bloomington, IN (14) 10. 51, Fred Rahmer, Salfordville, PA (7) 11. 83x, Paul McMahan, Nashville, TN (11) 12. 29, Bud Kaeding, Campbell, CA (12) 13. 89G, David Gravel, Watertown, CT (18) 14. D4, Danny Holtgraver, Pittsburgh, PA (20) 15. 7K, Robby Wolfgang, Sioux Falls, SD (15) 16. 1z, Jessica Zemken, Sprakers, NY (9) 17. 27, Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK (4) 18. 44w, Austen Wheatley, Lake Stevens, WA (23) 19. 91, Cody Darrah, Red Lion, PA (3) 20. 71R, Ryan Anderson, Deloit, IA (19) 21. 23, Seth Bergman, Snohomish, WA (21) 22. 53, Jack Dover, Springfield, NE (24) 23. 30c, Lance Dewease, Fayetteville, PA (17) 24. 55x, Jason Solwold, Mt. Vernon, WA (22). Lap Leaders: Swindell 1-25. Hard Charger: Schatz.
Fast time: Brad Sweet, 15.084 (New Track Record)
"King of the Hill" Match Race Winner: Sammy Swindell
Heat 1 (8 laps, Top Five to A main): 1. Mark Dobmeier (2) 2. Ryan Anderson (1) 3. Shane Stewart (3) 4. Dale Blaney (5) 5. Brad Sweet (6) / 6. Bud Kaeding (4) 7. 99, Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK (7) 8. 17, Tyler Walker, Los Angeles, CA (8) 9. 04, Cap Henry, Bellevue, OH (9) DNS – 6R, Ryan Bunton, Morton, IL
Heat 2 (8 laps, Top Five to A main): 1. Sammy Swindell (6) 2. Jonathan Allard (4) 3. Danny Holtgraver (1) 4. Daryn Pittman (5) 5. Austen Wheatley (7) / 6. 8, Kaley Gharst, Decatur, IL (8) 7. 12, Glen Saville, Camden, NSW, Aust. (9) 8. 00, Brad Foster, Melbourne, VIC, Aust. (10) 9. 2m, Dustin Daggett, Portland, MI (2) 10. Donny Schatz (3)
Heat 3 (8 laps, Top Five to A main): 1. Lance Dewease (2) 2. Seth Bergman (1) 3. Kraig Kinser (3) 4. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (5) 5. Jessica Zemken (4) / 6. Paul McMahan (6) 7. 3, Pete Miller III, Port Vue, PA (9) 8. w20, Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge, OH (7) 9. Jack Dover (8) DNS – 83, Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, PA
Heat four (8 laps, Top Five to A main): 1. David Gravel (2) 2. Jason Solwold (1) 3. Cody Darrah (6) 4. Robby Wolfgang (3) 5. Fred Rahmer (5) / 6. 2x, Dustin Morgan, Tulsa, OK (8) 7. 18, Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal, KS (7) 8. 2K, Kevin Ingle, Huron, SD (9) 9. 38, Wayne Johnson, Knoxville, IA (4)
B main (12 laps, Top Four to A main): 1. Paul McMahan (1) 2. Donny Schatz (3) 3. Bud Kaeding (2) 4. Jack Dover (6) / 5. Brady Bacon (5) 6. Dustin Morgan (9) 7. Tony Bruce Jr. (4) 8. Kaley Gharst (7) 9. Glen Saville (11) 10. Kevin Ingle (10) 11. Ryan Bunton (8) 12. Brad Foster (12) DNS – Pete Miller III, Dustin Daggett, Cap Henry, Wayne Johnson, Greg Wilson, Tyler Walker, Tim Shaffer
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