KODY SWANSON CAPTURES ROLLIE BEALE CLASSIC AT TOLEDO; WILL GO FOR HEMELGARN/SUPER FITNESS $25,000 TRIPLE CROWN BONUS
KODY SWANSON CAPTURES ROLLIE BEALE CLASSIC AT TOLEDO; WILL GO FOR HEMELGARN/SUPER FITNESS $25,000 TRIPLE CROWN BONUS
Toledo, Ohio—May 1, 2015: Fast qualifier Kody Swanson edged out Jacob Wilson to win Friday night’s Rollie Beale Classic 100 lap main event for the USAC Silver Crown Series at Toledo Speedway. With the victory, Kody is ready to go after the $25,000 Hemelgarn Racing/Super Fitness Triple Crown at Toledo this season. Hemelgarn boss Ron Hemelgarn, who also served as the sponsor of the event, presented Kody with the 5 foot trophy in the 7-Up Winner’s Circle.
Swanson will now set his sights on the Auto Value Super Sprint Winged show at Toledo June 12, leg number 2 of the Triple Crown. With a win in that race and a third win at the King of the Wing show June 26, Kody would collect the $25,000 bonus from Hemelgarn and Super Fitness.
The 18 car field battled early in the contest, but a lap 48 red flag stopped things when Tanner Swanson, Kody’s brother, took a wild ride down the front straight and into turn 1, getting high in the air after tangling with a lapped car. Tanner went end over end, tagged the fence and kept going, and ended up upside down, sliding down the track and into the cement blocks at the bottom of turn 1. Tanner climbed out of his car under his own power.
When the race resumed, Kody Swanson took control, with pressure from Wilson. Wilson looked high and low, but to no avail. Swanson was able to keep a 5 car-length lead as he zipped to the win over Wilson, A.J. Fike, Jerry Coons Jr., Aaron Pierce, David Byrne, Austin Nemire, Dave Baumgartner, Tracy Hines and Rex Norris III. The top 7 cars all finished on the lead lap. C.J. Leary, Tim Barber, Jarett Andretti, Jimmy McCune, Tanner Swanson, Bobby Santos and Kyle Hamilton completed the finishing order. Patrick Lawson was unable to start. Swanson’s fast time was a lap of 14:978.
Jacob Stickel took the 20 lap USAC HPD Midget feature on the ¼ mile oval over Ross Rankine, Aaron Leffel and Jacob Taylor. The Northwest Ohio ¼ Midget group put on an exhibition race as part of the race card.
Toledo Speedway’s next show is Friday, May 8 as the ARCA Aramark Late Model Sportsman, Praxair Figure 8’s and R & M Recycling X Cars will be in action. It’s also Scout Night and College ID Night. Scouts in uniform will be admitted free and all college students with valid College ID will also be admitted free. Race time is 7:30 p.m.
