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MIDGETS: Kevin Swindell Scores Back-To-Back Chili Bowl Wins
There have been 25 Chili Bowl midget races but none of them could top Saturday night for drama, emotion, closeness and history.
Father Sammy and son Kevin Swindell battle for the Silver Driller at Tulsa. (Photo: Boyd Adams)
There have been 25 Chili Bowl midget races but none of them could top Saturday night for drama, emotion, closeness and history.
Kevin Swindell, mired in seventh place halfway through the 50-lap main event, staged a had-to-see-it-to-believe-it charge to the front, passed Sammy Swindell for the lead on Lap 39 and held off his famous father by two feet to become the first driver to ever score back-to-back victories in what’s become the best short track race in North America.
"It’s going to take a while for this one to sink it, it’s the most emotional I’ve ever been and I can’t imagine a better feeling,” said young Swindell, who started 10th and had the sellout crowd of 15,000 standing and screaming for five minutes after he took the checkered flag.
"Halfway through the race I was nowhere and didn’t think I had anything for anybody but then I got a couple things figured out and started picking people off. And when I got by dad, I knew I couldn’t make any mistakes.’’
On a tricky track with a nasty shelf of dirt up high instead of a smooth cushion, Swindell was flawless until the very last lap.
"I messed up getting into Turn 3 and I just figured that was going to cost me the race but I managed to get enough of a shot off Turn 4,” he said. "But I didn’t know who had won until I looked up at the scoreboard.
"To win this thing again the way I did it and beat one of the best drivers ever, it just can’t get any better.’’
The 55-year-old patriarch of the family looked well on his way to a record sixth win before being overhauled by his 21-year-old son.
"He drove a helluva race,’’ said the World of Outlaws’ legend who started second and took the lead from pole-sitter Bryan Clauson on Lap 13. "I saw where he was running and it was a tough track so I figured I just had to stay on his butt and maybe I could get by.
"I thought for a second I had him coming off four (Turn 4) because I got in real good low but I just couldn’t get enough of a run and I didn’t want to slide up into him.”
New Zealand’s Mike Pickens came from eighth to take third, local favorite Jonathan Beason transferred through the B Main, started 17th and finished fourth. Clauson led the first 12 laps but staggered home fifth following a couple of altercations.
"I knew I had to get to the top before Sammy did but it’s tough to move off the bottom when you’re leading and it cost me,’’ said Clauson, who has won every big midget race except this one during the past two years.
"I got roughed up a couple times after that and it damaged my car so I didn’t have anything at the end. Not how we wanted to end up but we’ll be back.’’
Kevin Swindell, mired in seventh place halfway through the 50-lap main event, staged a had-to-see-it-to-believe-it charge to the front, passed Sammy Swindell for the lead on Lap 39 and held off his famous father by two feet to become the first driver to ever score back-to-back victories in what’s become the best short track race in North America.
"It’s going to take a while for this one to sink it, it’s the most emotional I’ve ever been and I can’t imagine a better feeling,” said young Swindell, who started 10th and had the sellout crowd of 15,000 standing and screaming for five minutes after he took the checkered flag.
"Halfway through the race I was nowhere and didn’t think I had anything for anybody but then I got a couple things figured out and started picking people off. And when I got by dad, I knew I couldn’t make any mistakes.’’
On a tricky track with a nasty shelf of dirt up high instead of a smooth cushion, Swindell was flawless until the very last lap.
"I messed up getting into Turn 3 and I just figured that was going to cost me the race but I managed to get enough of a shot off Turn 4,” he said. "But I didn’t know who had won until I looked up at the scoreboard.
"To win this thing again the way I did it and beat one of the best drivers ever, it just can’t get any better.’’
The 55-year-old patriarch of the family looked well on his way to a record sixth win before being overhauled by his 21-year-old son.
"He drove a helluva race,’’ said the World of Outlaws’ legend who started second and took the lead from pole-sitter Bryan Clauson on Lap 13. "I saw where he was running and it was a tough track so I figured I just had to stay on his butt and maybe I could get by.
"I thought for a second I had him coming off four (Turn 4) because I got in real good low but I just couldn’t get enough of a run and I didn’t want to slide up into him.”
New Zealand’s Mike Pickens came from eighth to take third, local favorite Jonathan Beason transferred through the B Main, started 17th and finished fourth. Clauson led the first 12 laps but staggered home fifth following a couple of altercations.
"I knew I had to get to the top before Sammy did but it’s tough to move off the bottom when you’re leading and it cost me,’’ said Clauson, who has won every big midget race except this one during the past two years.
"I got roughed up a couple times after that and it damaged my car so I didn’t have anything at the end. Not how we wanted to end up but we’ll be back.’’
DTM Zandvoort
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