Sammy Swindell Sweeps Through Wednesday Chili Bowl
Qualifier!
Sets Sights on Fifth Chili Bowl
Crown
Lonnie
Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (January 14, 2009) Through two nights of competition at the
23rd Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire, Sammy
Swindell stands undefeated.
After
serving notice with a convincing Race of Champions triumph on Tuesday night, Swindell took
on a field of 68 competitors in Wednesday night's Creek Nation Casino Qualifying Showdown
at the QuikTrip Center's Tulsa Expo Raceway.
Piloting
an unconventional Midget, at least in terms of appearance with an old super modified style
tailtank, the four-time Chili Bowl king put a whooping on the mostly younger generation of
racers by winning his heat race, qualifying race and then wiring the field in the 25-lap
"A" Feature event.
Queried
about the unique tailtank, Swindell simply said, "It's a secret," with a sly
grin.
Only
J.J. Yeley could keep Swindell in sight in the feature event. But, when Swindell cleared a group of three lapped
cars on the white flag lap, the victory aboard the Esslinger-powered Venture
Racing/ARIENCO/York Excavating No. 1 Spike was as good as sealed.
"We
didnt really have to press anything, I didn't want to give it away or beat
myself," Swindell commented after securing his 16th career Chili Bowl
championship main event start. "The
thing's been fantastic all week, it's so easy to drive and a lot of fun to drive."
While
Swindell assured himself of a prime starting position in his pursuit of an unprecedented
fifth Chili Bowl championship and accompanying Golden Driller trophy to go along with wins
in 1989, 1992, 1996 and 1998, Yeley and third-place finisher Jon Stanbrough both locked
themselves into Saturday night's 50-lap finale as well.
Swindell's
strength on the racetrack was evident from the outset.
And, if there were any doubts about the nature of his Race of Champions win on
Tuesday night, they were promptly dispelled when he raced from three rows deep to make a
last-lap pass of California's Brent Camarillo in the night's fourth heat race.
The
Sprint Car racing legend backed it up by making a second sixth-to-first charge in the
first qualifying race, making a move around Josh Ford on the eighth of ten laps.
From
the pole position in the feature, there was no stopping Swindell. After weathering three cautions over the initial
eight circuits as Stanbrough and Darren Hagen diced for second along with Yeley, Swindell
cruised a handful of car-lengths ahead of Yeley in the race's mid-stages until hitting
lapped traffic on the 15th round.
By
the 20th circuit, Swindell found himself mired behind a pair of lapped cars as
Yeley closed to within striking distance. Traffic
finally worked to Swindell's favor before Yeley could pounce, and Swindell galloped the
final lap-and-a-half to the checkered flag unabated.
Yeley
brought Cruz Pedregon's Toyota-powered Odyssey Extreme Batteries/Hot Hues No. 1J Spike
across the stripe second. Yeley commented
that, "I've been in the alphabet soup so many times here that second place is just
like winning 'cause I know on Saturday I'm locked in the 'A' and that's a lot less races
than I'm used to running here."
Wingless
Sprint Car ace Stanbrough secured a fifth consecutive Chili Bowl championship main event
start by taking the show position aboard the Loyet Motorsports Esslinger Ford-powered No.
05s Spike.
Stanbrough
explained of his late race strategy that, "We just stayed down there and tried to
play it smart so we'd be in the show for Saturday night.
We know what we did wrong and hopefully we can fix it and be a little better
Saturday night."
Josh
Ford, a two-time Chili Bowl preliminary main event winner, settled for fourth with Thomas
Meseraull rounding out the top five.
Chris
Windom claimed sixth, with Kevin Ramey racing from 20th to seventh in his first
Chili Bowl "A" Feature action. Mike
Goodman was eighth, with Hagen and 18th-starter Gary Wright completing the top
ten.
Three
Chili Bowl Rookie of the Year contenders made it into Wednesday night's main event, with
Shane Hmiel's 14th-place run besting rookie foes Austen Wheatley (16th)
and Bruce Douglass (20th).
Originally
slated to start the feature from the sixth row inside, Bryan Clauson tagged the tail of
the field after a quick trip to the work area to tend to mechanical issues. A fourth-place finisher at last year's Chili Bowl
Nationals, Clauson carved through half the field in the opening eight laps before
eventually finishing eleventh.
Hagen,
Wheatley, Matt Sherrell, Swindell, Nick Wean, Joey Fabozzi, Ford, Austin Mero and Clauson
each posted heat race wins, with Swindell, Windom, Joey Moughan and Meseraull topping the
qualifying races.
Brady
Bacon wired the field in the first "C" Main before being collected in a
late-race tangle while battling for the final transfer from a "B" Main aced by
Hmiel.
Jonathan
Halford made last-lap pass of Donnie Lehmann to win the second "C" Main, with
Wright winning the second "B" Main over fellow Texan Ramey, who edged Wean at
the line for second.
California's
Tim Spurgeon became the 1,000th different competitor in Chili Bowl history when
he took the green flag in the night's seventh heat race.
He went on to become the night's third flip victim when he got upside down in the
first "C" Main.
The
most spectacular of the night's half-dozen flips was 2006 Chili Bowl winner Tim
McCreadie's wicked ride over the turn one barriers while handily leading the night's first
"A" qualifier. The rear axle
snapped as McCreadie set his mount to enter turn one on the fifth round, nearly sending
the Watertown, NY, hotshoe out of the building.
Qualifying
night action at the 23rd Annual Chili Bowl Nationals continues with Thursday
night's Warren CAT Qualifying event, with heat races slated to start at 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday
Night's Creek Nation Casino Qualifying Showdown Results from the 23rd Annual
Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals presented by General Tire
Heat
Races (8 Laps - Top 40 in passing points to A Qualifiers; Balance to two C Mains)
Heat 1:
1. #32 Darren Hagen, Riverside, CA; 2. #7A Bubba Altig, Marengo, IL; 3. #27C Tony Elliott,
Warsaw, IN; 4. #7M Kevin Ramey, Fort Worth, TX; 5. #31B Bruce Douglass, Ventura, CA; 6.
#99J Robby Josett, Agua Dulce, CA; 7. Dave Camfield Jr., Decatur, IL; 8. #10V Viktor
Sinzig, Cupertino, CA
Heat 2:
1. #73W Austin Wheatley, Lake Stevens, WA; 2. #2A Thomas Meseraull, San Jose, CA; 3. #74
Ernie Bartley III, El Cajon, CA; 4. #D33 Joey Moughan, Springfield, IL; 5. #99 Brady
Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 6. #15D Andrew Deal, Caney, KS; 7. #6M Justin Mallo, Cheyenne,
WY; 8. #91K Kevin Bayer, Bixby, OK
Heat 3:
1. #35 Travis Berryhill, American Canyon, CA; 2. #30 Chad Boat, Phoenix, AZ; 3. #81 Doug
Kammerzell, Arlington, WA; 4. #88W Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA; 5. #17F Mike Goodman,
Tulsa, OK; 6. #35R Tyler Robbins, Collinsville, OK; 7. #37W Joe Walker, Harrisonville, MO;
8. 31X Eddie Martin, Stilwell, OK
Heat 4:
1. Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN; 2. #51 Brent Camarillo, Camarillo, CA; 3. #35M Matt
Sherrell, Owasso, OK; 4. #71X Gary Wright, Hooks, TX; 5. #11XS Donovan Peterson,
Brookings, SD; 6. #34 Evan Sewell, Tulsa, OK; 7. #31X Scott Nail, Visalia, CA; 8. #98G
Gavin Galbraith, Washington, MO
Heat 5:
1. #78 Nick Wean, Phillipsburg, NJ; 2. #7G Joe Boyles, Greenwood, MO; 3. #11W Tim
McCreadie, Watertown, NY; 4. #51J R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 5. #83H Jonathan Halford,
Tulsa, OK; 6. #8E Murray Erickson, Odessa, TX; 7. #20B Carey Becker, Reading, PA; 8. #39J
Justin Grosz, Hawley, PA
Heat 6:
1. #84 Joey Fabozzi, Norco, CA; 2. #87J Johnny Rodriguez, Galt, CA; 3. #21X Kevin Olson,
Machesney Park, IL; 4. #12C Rick England, Wichita, KS; 5. #7S Shannon McQueen,
Bakersfield, CA; 6. #6 Brian Carter, Frisco, TX; 7. #3W Brandon Waelti, Sun Prairie, WI
Heat 7:
1. #73 Josh Ford, Oxnard, CA; 2. #47X Jerome Rodela, El Monte, CA; 3. #1J J.J. Yeley,
Phoenix, AZ; 4. #71K Cale Conley, Vienna, WV; 5. #92R Jacob Rosario, Guthrie, OK; 6. #6E
Rafe Essary, Fayetteville, AR; 7. #35P Tim Spurgeon, San Ramon, CA
Heat 8:
1. #17K Austin Mero, Kingsburg, CA; 2. #05S John Stanbrough, Avon, IN; 3. #17 Chris
Windom, Canton, IL; 4. #24C Casey Riggs, Shelbyville, IN; 5. #31 Donnie Lehmann,
Springfield, IL; 6. #48 Lee Little, Mustang, OK; 7. #10W George White, Fort Worth, TX
Heat 9:
1. #47B Bryan Clauson, Noblesville, IN; 2. #56 Shane Hmiel, Huntersville, NC; 3. #8 Randi
Pankratz, Atascadero, CA; 4. #11R Ryan Cole, Porter, OK; 5. #401 Daniel Adler, East
Carondolet, IL; 6. #6J Justin Barger, Montrose, NY; DNS Johnny Heydenriech,
Indianapolis, IN
C Mains
(12 Laps - Top 4 in each transfer to back of corresponding B Main)
C Main 1:
1. #99 Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 2. #401 Daniel Adler, East Carondolet, IL; 3. #15D
Andrew Deal, Caney, KS; 4. #11XS Donovan Peterson, Brookings, SD; 5. #86C Dave Camfield
Jr., Decatur, IL; 6. #37W Joe Walker, Harrisonville, MO; 7. #99J Randy Josett, Agua Dulce,
CA; 8. #31X Scott Nail, Visalia, CA; 9. #1X Eddie Martin, Stilwell, OK; 10. #3W Brandon
Waelti, Sun Prairie, WI; 11. #91K Kevin Bayer, Bixby, OK; 12. #92R Jake Rosario, Guthrie,
OK; 13. #6 Brian Carter, Frisco, TX; 14. #39J Justin Grosz, Hawley, PA
C Main 2:
1. #83H Jonathan Halford, Tulsa, OK; 2. #31 Donnie Lehmann, Springfield, IL; 3. #7S
Shannon McQueen, Bakersfield, CA; 4. #6J Justin Barger, Montrose, NY; 5. #6E Rafe Essary,
Fayetteville, AR; 6. #34 Evan Sewell, Tulsa, OK; 7. #10V Viktor Sinzig, Cupertino, CA; 8.
#20B Carey Becker, Reading, PA; 9. #98G Gavin Galbraith, Washington, MO; 10. #10W George
White, Fort Worth, TX; 11. #6M Justin Mallo, Cheyenne, WY; 12. #48 Lee Little, Mustang,
OK; 13. #35P Tim Spurgeon, San Ramon, CA DNS Johnny Heydenreich, Indianapolis, IN
A
Qualifiers (10 Laps - Top 16 in combined passing points to A Main; Balance to twin B
Mains)
A
Qualifier 1: 1. #1 Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN; 2. #73 Josh Ford, Oxnard, CA; 3. #21X
Kevin Olson, Machesney Park, IL; 4. #84 Joey Fabozzi, Norco, CA; 5. #51 Brent Camarillo,
Camarillo, CA; 6. #71X Gary Wright, Hooks, TX; 7. #81 Doug Kammerzell, Arlington, WA; 8.
#73W Austen Wheatley, Lake Stevens, WA; 9. #74 Ernie Bartley III, El Cajon, CA; 10. #11W
Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY
A
Qualifier 2: 1. #17 Chris Windom, Canton, IL; 2. #87J Johnny Rodriguez, Galt, CA; 3. #1J
J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, AZ; 4. #17F Mike Goodman, Tulsa, OK: 5. #17K Austin Mero, Kingsburg,
CA; 6. #51J R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 7. #7M Kevin Ramey, Fort Worth, TX; 8. #12C Rick
England, Wichita, KS; 9. #88W Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA; 10. #47X Jerome Rodela, El
Monte, CA
A
Qualifier 3: 1. #D33 Joey Moughan, Springfield, IL; 2. #05S Jon Stanbrough, Avon, IN; 3.
#47B Bryan Clauson, Noblesville, IN; 4. #56 Shane Hmiel, Huntersville, NC; 5. #11R Ryan
Cole, Porter, OK; 6. #35R Tyler Robbins, Collinsville, IL; 7. #71K Cale Conley, Vienna,
WV; 8. #24C Casey Riggs, Shelbyville, IN; 9. #30 Chad Boat, Phoenix, AZ; 10. #35 Travis
Berryhill, American Canyon, AZ
A
Qualifier 4: 1. #2A Thomas Meseraull, San Jose, CA; 2. #32 Darren Hagen, Riverside, CA; 3.
#35M Matt Sherrell, Owasso, OK; 4. #31B Bruce Douglass, Ventura, CA; 5. #8 Randi Pankratz,
Atascadero, CA; 6. #7G Joe Boyles, Greenwood, MO; 7. #8E Murray Erickson, Odessa, TX; 8.
#7A Bubba Altig, Marengo, IL; 9. #78 Nick Wean, Phillipsburg, NJ; 10. #27C Tony Elliott,
Warsaw, IN
B Mains
(15 Laps - Top 4 in each advance to A Main)
B Main 1:
1. #56 Shane Hmiel, Huntersville, NC; 2. #35R Tyler Robbins, Collinsville, IL; 3. #73W
Austen Wheatley, Lake Stevens, WA; 4. #11R Ryan Cole, Porter, OK; 5. #30 Chad Boat,
Phoenix, AZ; 6. #7G Joe Boyles, Greenwood, MO; 7. #81 Doug Kammerzell, Arlington, WA; 8.
#11XS Donovan Peterson, Brookings, SD; 9. #15D Andrew Deal, Caney, KS; 10. #401 Daniel
Adler, E. Carondolet, IL; 11. #99 Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 12. #35 Travis Berryhill,
American Canyon, CA; 13. #8E Murray Erickson, Odessa, TX; 14. #12C Rick England, Wichita,
KS; 15. #88W Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA; 15. #27C Tony Elliott, Warsaw, IN
B Main 2:
1. #71X Gary Wright, Hooks, TX; 2. #7M Kevin Ramey, Fort Worth, TX; 3. #78 Nick Wean,
Phillipsburg, NJ; 4. #8 Randi Pankratz, Atascadero, CA; 5. #51J R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ;
6. #71K Cale Conley, Vienna, WV; 7. #7A Bubba Altig, Marengo, IL; 8. #51 Brent Camarillo,
Camarillo, CA; 9. #31 Donnie Lehmann, Springfield, IL; 10. #47X Jerome Rodela, El Monte,
CA; 11. #7S Shannon McQueen, Bakersfield, CA; 12. #24C Casey Riggs, Shelbyville, IN; 13.
#83H Jonathan Halford, Tulsa, OK; 14. #6J Justin Barger, Montrose, NY; 15. #74 Ernie
Bartley III, El Cajon, CA; DNS #11W Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY
A Main
(25 laps Top 3 advance to Saturday Night's Main Event)
1. #1
Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN; 2. #1J J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, AZ; 3. #05S Jon Stanbrough,
Avon, IN; 4. #73 Josh Ford, Oxnard, CA; 5. #2A Thomas Meseraull, San Jose, CA; 6. #17
Chris Windom, Canton, IL; 7. #7M Kevin Ramey, Fort Worth, TX; 8. #17F Mike Goodman, Tulsa,
OK; 9. #32 Darren Hagen, Riverside, CA; 10. #71X Gary Wright, Hooks, TX; 11. #47B Bryan
Clauson, Noblesville, IN; 12. #87J Johnny Rodriguez, Galt, CA; 13. #D33 Joey Moughan,
Springfield, IL; 14. #56 Shane Hmiel, Huntersville, NC; 15. #21X Kevin Olson, Machesney
Park, IL: 16. #73W Austen Wheatley, Lake Stevens, WA; 17. #17K Austin Mero, Kingsburg, CA;
18. #78 Nick Wean, Phillipsburg, NJ; 19. #8 Randi Pankratz, Atascadero, CA; 20. #31B Bruce
Douglass, Ventura, CA; 21. #84 Joey Fabozzi, Norco, CA; 22. #35R Tyler Robbins,
Collinsville, IL; 23. #35M Matt Sherrell, Owasso, OK; 24. #11R Ryan Cole, Porter, OK |