Kody Swanson wins inaugural Nolen Classic

David Sink Photo

By Ken de la Bastide

ANDERSON – In 2018 Kody Swanson gave long time car owner Gene Nolen a first victory in the Lucas Oil Little 500 at Anderson Speedway. During the inaugural Gene Nolen Classic Saturday, Swanson turned in a dominating performance to win for the second time this year with the 500 Sprint Car Tour presented by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper auto stores.

Swanson captured the pole position with 22 of the 25 teams on hand within a second of the quick time.

With an invert of four it was Brian Gerster leading the opening lap chased by Jacob McElfresh, Swanson and Shane Hollingsworth. McElfresh took the lead on the ninth circuit with an inside pass of Gerster in turn three. But six laps later both Swanson and Hollingsworth passed McElfresh and the two drivers would hold down the top two positions for most of the remainder of the race.

The 100-lap race was slowed only twice once for a spin by Derek Bischak on lap 26 and again on lap 41 when Tanner Swanson made contact with the turn two wall.

In the second half of the race the drivers on the move from Dakoda Armstrong and Taylor Ferns. Armstrong passed Davey Hamilton Jr. for the fourth position on lap 55, McElfresh on lap 66 and finally Hollingsworth on lap 94 to claim the runner-up spot.

Ferns climbed from seventh to finish fourth over the final 50 laps.

Swanson won over Armstrong by 3.2-seconds with Hollingsworth, Ferns and Bobby Santos III rounding out the top five.

“It was such an honor to drive for Gene (Nolen),” Swanson said in the Riley & Sons Victory Lane. “He loved the Little 500 and Anderson Speedway. “I wanted to have a good run tonight,” he said. “I just didn't want to make any mistakes coming through traffic.”

Armstrong entered the night as the point leader for the 500 Sprint Car Tour and is seeking that elusive first tour win. “The car was off a little bit,” he said. “Other than the 44 (Swanson) I think everyone was. I did what I could to get to the front, used the bumper the best I could.”

Armstrong said the track was very slick and not what they expected. “We're knocking on the door for a win, missed it a little bit tonight,” he said. “But the track was different than what was expected.

Hollingsworth has been a regular at the Little 500 competing for Nolen Racing over the past few years. “Normally we're good on a long run and we were fast in qualifying,” he said. “We had a good start and I thought we were pacing ourselves with Kody (Swanson). About 40 laps into the race I could tell the rear drive was giving up,” Hollingsworth said. “By the end of the race we were just hanging on. Not the finish we wanted, but I think Gene would be satisfied.”

The finish: 1) Kody Swanson; 2) Dakoda Armstrong; 3) Shane Hollingsworth; 4) Taylor Ferns; 5) Bobby Santos III; 6) Jacob McElfresh; 7) Billy Wease; 8) Kyle Robbins; 9) Travis Welpott; 10) Derek Bischk; 11) Davey Hamilton Jr.; 12) Quinton Saayman; 13) Larry Kingseed Jr.; 14) Justin Harper; 15) Kyle O'Gara; 16) Tanner Swanson; 17) Tony Main; 18) Shane Butler; 19) Brian Gerster; 20) Chris Jagger; 21) Cory Butler; 22) Christian Koehler