Swanson Claims Second Consecutive Gene Nolen Classic
Swanson Claims Second Consecutive Gene Nolen Classic
By Ken de la Bastide
ANDERSON, IN – Disappointment for Bobby Santos III with eight laps remaining gave Kody Swanson back to back wins in the Gene Nolen Classic.
In the fourth event of the year for the 500 Sprint Car Tour presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper stores Saturday at Anderson Speedway, Santos's mount ran out of fuel on a lap 93 restart which gave Swanson and the Mission Foods sponsored team the victory.
The early lead was taken by Chris Neuenschawander following the inversion of the top six qualifiers that were led by Tyler Roahrig.
Neuenschwander surrounded the lead to Santos on lap 18 with Caleb Armstrong moving into the second spot four laps later.
There were three caution periods in a five-lap span near the halfway mark that saw Santos leading Caleb Armstrong, Swanson, Neuenschwander and Roahrig.
The drive on the move was Kyle O'Gara who had started 14th in the 22-car field. He climbed from the eighth spot to third by passing Dakoda Armstrong, Roahrig and Caleb Armstrong in the space of 15 laps.
The eighth and final caution flag waved on lap 93 when Shawn Bonar made contact with the turn four retaining wall.
On the restart Santos ran out of fuel, slowing and heading into the pit area.
Swanson took over the point winning by a half-second over O'Gara with Roahrig, Dakoda Armstrong and rookie competitor Jackson Macenko rounding out the top five.
Swanson won is first Lucas Oil Little 500 driving a Gene Nolen owned and prepared sprint car.
“Gene was a friend and this is an honor,” Swanson said the Peterman Brothers Victory Lane. “Bobby (Santos) did a great job, but ran out of fuel or something weird happened.
“We were capable of winning but some nights you get lucky and some nights it's better to be lucky than good,” he said.
Swanson said the 500 Sprint Car Tour is attracting a stout field of cars and continues to get better.
O'Gara stated during his victory lane interview that he wanted to apologize to Nick Hamilton for some contact on lap 52.
“We had a good car, tough when you qualify that deep in the field,” he said. “We'll come back stronger next time.
“I had to go where they weren't tonight,” O'Gara said. “Went through the middle a couple of times, bounced off the wall and other cars a couple of times.”
Roahrig said the team is not just taking off lately at Anderson Speedway.
“We're going to keep working on it,” he said. “It wasn't my night, we have some work to do.”
Roahrig said the car didn't have enough grip during the race.
