Sammy Swindell Masters Knoxville Raceway Classic
Friday, May 29, 2009
By Bob Wilson
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (May 29) Sammy Swindell of Bartlett Tennessee captured the 17th annual Masters Classic at Knoxville Raceway Friday night. The Classic is the annual National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Musuem’s race for those drivers who are 50 years of age or older and has become an integral part of their Induction weekend activities.
Swindell, who started in the front row, jumped to the immediate lead when he roared out of turn two on the first lap. He was chased early on by Gary Wright who started right behind him. Swindell moved into lap traffic on the fifth circuit, thus allowing Wright to close in on his rear nerf bar.
Both drivers put on exciting performances dicing through traffic in this 24-car field as neither driver seemed to falter in this early going. It was lap 10 that saw Wright make his move on Swindell as he roared into turn three beside the bottom-hugging leader. As they headed toward turn four, Swindell was slowed by a lap car and Wright took the lead.
At this point, the race had become a two-car battle. Though both cars were still in lap traffic, third place Kenny Jacobs was unable to stay with them. Then, just as Wright headed for the flag stand at the end of lap 14, he slowed allowing Swindell to take the lead. The yellow was displayed as Wright stopped in turn two the victim of a broken fuel pump.
When the race resumed, Swindell was chased by Jacobs who soon faltered. By lap 20 Swindell could claim a full straightaway lead, but he nearly lost it when he became sideways in turn four as he headed to the white flag. After he corrected the move he continued on around the half-mile oval to take the $3,000 first place prize money. Jacobs claimed second and $2,000 and Chuck Swenson was third for $1,500. Fourth went to the defending champion Randy Smith ($1,200) and claiming fifth was Joe McCarthy ($1,000). Completing the top ten finishers were Judy Bates, Greg Rilat, Ed Neumeister, Terry Alexander and Allen Unruh.
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