Charlotte LMS race summary

17-Year-Old Kevin Swindell Records First WoO Sprint Car Victory in Eckerd Outlaw Showdown

CONCORD, N.C. (May 24, 2006) - Kevin Swindell, the 17-year-old son of sprint car racing legend Sammy Swindell, followed in his father's tire tracks Wednesday night as the Germantown, Tenn., youngster recorded his first career World of Outlaws Sprint Series victory in the Eckerd Outlaw Showdown at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"This is a dream come true for me," said the exuberant Swindell in victory lane. "This is amazing. I just told myself to breath those last five laps because I was a little too excited."

Swindell started from the pole in the sprint car finale and was never seriously challenged during the 25-lap run.

"We've been waiting a while to get one of these," said Swindell, who banked $10,000 for his evening's work. "I had an absolutely incredible car tonight."

Swindell's victory came in his first start at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway and his father also won the first time he visited the four-tenths-mile clay oval for the track's inaugural event on May 25, 2000.

Chad Kemenah chased Swindell throughout the race, but had to settle for second with Brooke Tatnell third under the checkered flag. Tim Shaffer, subbing from the injured Terry McCarl in the No. 24 sprinter, moved up from the ninth starting spot to finish fourth.

Series point leader Donny Schatz had the most adventurous evening. The Fargo, N.D., resident spun in his heat race and had moved back to a transfer spot, but was penalized by series officials for jumping a restart.

That put Schatz in the 12-lap B feature which he won in wire-to-wire fashion to earn a spot in the finale where he charged from the 11th starting spot to fifth.

The red flag was unfurled twice during the feature. The first came on the opening lap when veteran Jac Haudenschild and Becca Anderson tangled in Turn 2, sending Haudenschild's car tumbling.

The race was stopped again on lap 19 when Jason Martin flipped on the frontstretch. No one was injured in either incident.

Justin Henderson led the 51-car World of Outlaws Sprint Series field in group qualifying with a lap of 12.461 seconds, 115.561 mph, around the four-tenths-mile clay oval.

The eight-lap sprint car heat races were won by Jason Johnson, Jason Solwold, Kemenah and Swindell while Greg Wilson topped the 10-lap C main.

Late model veteran Dennis "Rambo" Franklin was the class of the field in the 25-lap finale for the Goodyear Fastrak Challenge Series. The Gaffney, S.C., driver was chased across the stripe by Buddy Smith and Jonathan Davenport.

The eight-lap heat races for the Goodyear Fastrak Challenge late models were won by Rob McLaughlin, Timbo Mangum, Franklin and Smith while Matthew Daniels and Chris Carlson topped the last chance races for the fendered machines.

The Back-to-School Monster Truck Bash is up next at The Dirt Track on Saturday night, Aug. 19. The car-crunching program includes one-on-one eliminations along with a radical freestyle competition for the Monster Trucks. The popular CRASHCars will also be in action.

Adult tickets are $20 in advance with children 12 and under admitted for $10. All tickets are $5 more the day of the event. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.

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