In Lapped Traffic by Kathy Bell
Monday, May 2, 2005
The horribly cold weather didn't ruin the excitement we had at the Knoxville Raceway last weekend. I chatted with Sammy Swindell early Saturday night. I reminded Sammy that sixteen years ago, I had walked up and asked him how it felt being a new dad. I asked, if it was as exciting as winning a feature at Knoxville. He just smiled and said, "It's pretty close." He smiled again when I reminded him of that long ago interview as his son was now making his debut in a sprint car at Knoxville.
Kevin told me he only raced a sprinter for about a month last year. I couldn't help but notice as I talked to him; he's definitely a chip off the old block. He said this season he's going to concentrate on racing with the Outlaws and USCS pavement racing. His ultimate goal is a career in pavement. It's funny to watch a 16-year-old talk about the future. The future to them is tomorrow, next week, next month. To us older folks, it's a few years down the road. Interviewing the kids is fun and grounds my thinking. We get so wrapped up in life and here they are, just living it. I sure enjoy talking to the kids like Kevin.
Back to the Swindell family. When I asked Kevin if he thought growing up with Sammy for a dad and being around the sport, his entire life has helped him. He shrugged his shoulders and answered, "I guess so." He said his dad gives him tips and he's learned more about the mechanics of the car, that way. When I talked to Sammy, he said, "I've been trying to tell him (Kevin) he needs to spend more time learning about the mechanics of the car." It was interesting to see Sammy and Kevin as a normal, everyday father and son, trying to bridge the generation gap in their communication with each other. Sammy said he's looking for someone to help on Kevin's car to take some of the responsibility off his shoulders so he can focus more on his car. He keeps Kevin's #1 sprinter going at the track, which can really be a burden for him as he also tries to compete in Guy Forbrook's #5 car. Sammy said Kevin needs laps on big, wide-open tracks like Knoxville and Kevin agreed. When I asked Kevin how it felt making the A-Main on Friday night, he said, "It was ok, but I could have done better." Who does that sound like? The bottom line, Kevin has the same drive to race and do his best as his dad does. Sammy wants his son to do well, will help him all he can, while also trying to focus on his own career, which has to be a real strain on Sammy. "Kevin has as good a chance as anyone else to do what he wants to do," Sammy said, "I'm able to give him the opportunity to race and the rest is up to him. He's pretty competitive and just learning. I tell him what I think he needs to know. Whether or not he listens is up to him."
Sammy and Kevin both made the A-Main on Friday night. Kevin timed 11th quick on Saturday night, was light at the scales, went back out at the end of the pack (Outlaws rules) and re-timed in the 32nd spot. He finished 13th in the B-Main Saturday night. Sammy placed third in Saturday's A-Main. Speaking of quick time. Saturday night Brian Paulus set a new track record with a 14.931. I asked him how it felt being the fastest guy at Knoxville. He said, "Pretty good but there are a lot of cars left to time." He was right. Minutes later, Joey Saldana reset the record with a 14.908. At the end of qualifying I asked Joey the same question. He said, "Come ask me how I feel if I win the feature, that's a lot more important and with the way we've been running, something we really need." In a lighter tone, Joey said it was kind of neat having a track record at a place like Knoxville.
The old track record at Knoxville was set in August of 1998 by weekly racer, Don Droud Jr. with a 14.934. Besides Saldana and Paulus, two more men broke into the 14-second mark; Sammy had a 14.966 and Chad Kemenah a 14.992. Lasoski's Friday night win marked his 85th feature win at Knoxville. Saturday afternoon, I was taking photos at the Knoxville Little League opening day ceremonies. I looked up and there was the Dude. He was on hand to throw out the opening day pitch. Thanks Danny for braving the cold and wind to promote community spirit in Knoxville. Friday night, Barbie and I decided to hitch a ride in the "Hummer's gone wild" WoO pace vehicle. Little did we know, the hardest part would be getting into it. Thanks to Knoxville Fireman and one of my former KHS classmates, Greg Ball, for the assistance.
The American Dirt Network, has joined SpeedChannel as the official broadcasters of the Knoxville Raceway and all of it's 2005 racing events. You might remember, "Hot Rod" Pattison from his former days with the SCN radio broadcasts of WoO events and the Knoxville Nationals. American Dirt Network formed last year with 16 races. This year they are doing a variety of events from the McTwo Spring Challenge at Oskaloosa to the Eagle Sprint Tour, WDRL late models, WISSOTA late models, NOSA sprint series and Knoxville weekly, plus special shows. You can find them at www.americandirtnetwork.com. Lannie Nichols who used to help Rod with SCN owns a 360 sprinter the #69R at Huset's driven by Terry Reilly. They were second in Huset's 360 points, last season. He was in the pits this past weekend assisting South Dakota friend, Steve Swenson, on Jason Meyers #14 Outlaw sprinter.
Wasn't it great to see Jac Haudenschild back at Knoxville? He set quick time on Friday night, just missing the top four locked in positions by one, he was fifth. Mechanic Robert Hubbard was in Haud's pit, helping his new team iron out some wrinkles. Haud and Jack Elden resurrected the #22 and fans in the stands were ready with their "We want Jac" chants. Jac's always been a fan favorite because he's down to earth and "real." Hubbard told me he's worked with 42 different drivers in his sprint car mechanic career. He's presently working with Roger Johnson on the Silver Crown car driven by Jerry Coons Jr., and he's had some past top performances with the likes of Doug Wolfgang, Greg Hodnett and Jeff Swindell to name a few.
I talked with Knoxville 360, 4-time track champion, David Hesmer, Friday night. Hesmer won the first Knoxville 360 Nationals in 1991, and then won the event again in 1997. His Knoxville championships were 1988, 1997-99. He has 65 feature wins to his credit. Hesmer's mom, Sarah Hesmer, had a liver transplant in the off-season. Like a true racers mom, she told her doctor, she had to be back in commission by Knoxville's opening night to watch her son. The Hesmer's wanted everyone to know she's doing really well. David said, "Mom getting through her transplant surgery was the biggest feature we've ever won."
I've been asked by so many people how friend and former Knoxville Marketing Director, Don Fuerhoff is doing, I told Cappy I'd write just a little bit to let you know. Don "Uncle Don" to most of us at the race track, and his wife Jo, were involved in a car accident in Arizona, a couple of weeks ago. Jo lost her life in the accident and last I heard, Don is still recovering in a hospital in the Phoenix area. Don and Jo are both former teachers in Knoxville and friends to many of us in the community and at the race track. Jo's funeral arrangements are pending Don's recovery. Please pray for Don's continual recovery as he attempts to get through this difficult time. Until next time, be safe and keep on turning left. I can be reached for comments at kmbell@lisco.com.
(Kathy's article has been edited a bit to fit on our site)
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