IRWINDALE, California — Versatile Cole Whitt started second in a 28-car field of USAC Western Series 360 cu. in. sprint cars as the fifth fastest qualifier. He led all 40 laps on the progressively-banked, paved Toyota Speedway at Irwindale half-mile. The 18-year old from Alpine (east of San Diego) drove his family-owned No. 29w CW Management Services/Red Bull/Ferguson Beast/Chevy. He won by ten yards (0.816 on AMB electronic scoring) over fast-closing fastest qualifier Kody Swanson. The winner banked $2,500 from the $16,305 sprint car purse posted by TS@I. Whitt, who won the 2008 USAC National Midget championship by one point over Tracy Hines last Thanksgiving in Irwindale, won the USAC Super License for 2010 based on his successful 2009 results in the three USAC National series. The annual award entitles the recipient to pit admission for the following season.
Runner-up Swanson, 21, started sixth in his family-owned TK Motorsports Eagle/Chevy sponsored by Dr. Keith Williams, DDS. He was third on lap 13 and second on lap 22 after engaging in a spirited battle for nine laps with Scott Pierovich, who placed third in Ken Pierson's Eagle/Chevy. Swanson collected $1,500 and Piervich $1,200. At victory presentations from the finish line, Whitt told spectators, “The team's been working hard and been struggling. We kept working on it. Hard work really pays off. My dad taught me that.” The winner thanked sponsor Red Bull and all the fans for coming out on the holiday weekend.
Tanner Swanson, Kody's 17-year old brother, started fourth in another Swanson family Eagle/Chevy sponsored by dentist Dr. Williams. The younger Swanson finished fourth, 3.490 seconds behind Whitt, and won his second consecutive USAC Western Sprint Series championship by 166 points. He took home $1,000 for family coffers. Bobby East started seventh and finished fifth in the Klatt Enterprises Beast/Ford after yielding fourth spot to T. Swanson on lap 37. He trailed the winner by 5.082 seconds.
Ryan Kaplan started on the pole as sixth fastest qualifier in his father Ken's K & N Filters Hornet/Losorwith and finished sixth. Kaplan finished second as a rookie in NASCAR Auto Club Late Model stock car half-mile racing at Irwindale in 2007. He drove a Chevy Monte Carlo for Tim Huddleston's High Point Racing team and won the track's ACLM rookie of the year award. Audra Sasselli, a 33-year old school teacher from Visalia (near Fresno) started fifth and finished seventh in her father Myrel's Beast/Losorwith. She is a USAC Ford Focus Midget graduate and multi-feature winner in that class, including several victories on the TS@I third-mile. She is completing her second full season in sprint cars and ranked sixth in final 2009 series points. Jo Jo Helberg, 18, started and finished eighth aboard a Hansen/Chevy owned by his father Joe. He ran seventh from the initial lap until Sasselli passed him three laps from the end. He placed second in final point standings.
Tony Hunt, a 37-year old three-time series driving champion, charged from 14th starting slot to earn ninth place in Mike Phulps East/Schwenke Chevy. Idaho resident Mike Murgoitio came from 18th in his Eagle/Chevy Losorwith to round out the top ten. The 19:34.980 race averaged 61.278 mph after being slowed twice for single car incidents. Whitt ran the fastest lap of the race at 16.827 (106.971 mph) per AMB electronic scoring. The top eight finishers all logged best laps in the 16 second bracket with K. Swanson's 16.877 the second-best race lap. Starter Bryan Howard (the Indianapolis 500 starter and a long-time USAC West Coast starter) waved the checkered flag with 27 of 28 starters still racing; 19 drivers completed all 40 laps.
K. Swanson's 16.487 was the fastest qualifying time. He beat fellow central California resident Sasselli by 0.032 for quick time honors. His brother Tanner was third quickest during 4:00 pm qualifying. The one lap track record for the series is 16.378 (109.904 mph) set in October 2003. The difference between the fastest and 28th qualifier was 2.950 and only 1.634 seconds between the fastest and 27th quickest driver. The impressive Swanson brothers come from a long-time racing family from Kingsburg, California. They monopolized the USAC 360 Sprint series this season with ten feature victories in the 13 races. Tanner won six main events and Kody won four as he split his time racing in the Midwest for Team Six-R of Indiana. Tanner also won four USAC Western Midget mains while Kody won two Western Midget features in April and May while driving for two teams.
(USE BOXSCORE & POINT STANDINGS FROM USAC HQ.)
