Former World of Outlaws champion Sammy Swindell bound for Placerville Speedway
PLACERVILLE, CA – For years Placerville Speedway has been recognized as one of the most competitive Saturday night racing programs in California. Word must be getting out nationally lately because last week it was four time Knoxville Champion Danny Lasoski of Dover Missouri making an unexpected visit here and this Saturday it will be former World of Outlaws champion and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Sammy Swindell making a very rare appearance at Placerville Speedway.
This Saturday night, Swindell will join the action for Placerville Speedway’s second to last point race in the 2008 New Car Dealers of El Dorado County, Hoosier Racing Tires, Arnolds for Awards championship racing season. A native of Bartlett Tennessee that has three World of Outlaw championships to his name will be aboard the Tom Rolfe Trucking #10 sprint car that frequents Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico and the now concluded Golden State Challenge Series as well as select World of Outlaw events. The team is preparing to make a strong run for the 55th Annual Gold Cup Race of the Champions in Chico with Swindell behind the wheel.
Swindell earned the World of Outlaw championship for the first time in 1981 and then in 1982. In those days hey earned his early career nickname as “Slammin Sammy” and was best recognized for his arch rivalry with the King of the Outlaws Steve Kinser. Kinser was dethroned by Sammy for the World of Outlaws championship the first year that Swindell claimed it and then, redeemed the throne in 1983. This rivalry was still recognized in the later years and Swindell claimed his third World of Outlaws championship in 1997.
In addition to the Outlaw titles, Swindell has claimed more that 267 victories with the national series. Swindell is a 1983 Knoxville Nationals winner and four time winner of the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.In 1995 Swindell raced a full season with the popular NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, finishing 12th in the series point standings and has competed with CART. He raced select races in the NASCAR Busch Series, starting in 10 events and made two Winston Cup Series starts in his career. Swindell competed in the rival National Sprint Car Tour for the 2006 season, winning three events.
Saturday night will be the first time Swindell has competed at Placerville Speedway since 1991, the final year area race fans enjoyed a World of Outlaws event. Today the series requires extraordinary sanction fees that can not be recovered by tracks such as Placerville Speedway where seating, parking and pit area logistics are limited.
Prior to visiting Placerville Speedway Saturday night, Swindell will be in competition on Friday night at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico. The team will change to their 360 cubic motor prior to Saturday night to compete in Placerville Speedway’s weekly series with the likes of point leader Colby Wiesz, Scott Russell, Jimmy Trulli, James Sweeney, Justin Johnson and more.
Four divisions will be on hand Saturday night, Pro Stocks and Pure Stocks will join the racing program along with the always entertaining Nor Cal Dwarf Cars. The front gates will open at with qualifying at . For additional information visit the track website at www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com.
PRESS PHOTO ATTACHED/ Photo by Graphx Design, Steve Cox
Three time World of Outlaws Champion Sammy Swindell of Bartlett, TN will make a rare appearance at Placerville Speedway this Saturday night for the penultimate championship point race of the season.
