Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I am doing some research for a project and im interested in finding any or what ever infiormation ic an about the old time fed sponsored sprint car.

looking for information such as

owner driver
was it a corporate sponsor?
any idea on the amount of sponsorship?
how long did the sponsorship last?

same goes for any fedex related info on the indy/champcar series.

thanks

Sammy Swindell drove the Federal Express sprint car at one point. I remember seeing it race along side Doug Wolfgang and the late Roger Larson at Hartford Speedway in South Dakota. I remember it well because he came out for qualifying last and was about 1 second quicker than everyone else. He didn't win. I think it Wolfgang won it, then Larson and Kinser. It was a long time ago, maybe 25-26yrs ago. Anybody remember the old Hartford 1/2 mile and the have a better idea of the date?

1979 looks like Knoxville

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Sammy 1980

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

"A very young Sammy Swindell. Out of the final program from West Capital Raceway - Sacramento, CA."

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Sammy and the FedEx car make up one of the most interesting stories in Knoxville Nationals history. I don't know what the year was (I would've been too young), but Sammy had the car qualified for the A-Main when something happened between he and the team. Sammy quit the car before the race was even run, right in the middle of the Nationals! I'm sure there will be some that can fill in my lack of detail (along with those that will just want to bash Sammy).

Signature here.

I believe current ASCS car owner Bobby Sparks was the owner of the FED EX #91 and I think it was a corporate deal. If I am wrong I am sure somebody will correct me.

And Jake, somebody bash Sammy on here? No way!!

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

Sammy Swindell drove the Federal Express #91 from 1978-1980. It was owned by the Jeffries brothers out of Memphis, TN. Both Jeffries brothers worked for Federal Express, and I think this was a corporate sponsorship. I have no idea how much this sponsorship was valued at, but this was one of the premier teams on the WoO circuit. Sammy had a falling-out with the Jeffries at the 1980 Knoxville Nationals, and quit the team right before the A-main. One of the Jeffries brothers said something unsavory to Sammy's then girlfriend, Amy Gray (now his wife), and Sammy quit them on the spot. He finished-out 1980 in the LaVerne Nance #1n out of Wichita, KS. Sammy would pilot this ride to the WoO championships in 1981 & 82. I loved the FedEx #91 car! It had a beautiful pearl-white paint job that would just glow under the lights. I really miss seeing that car on the track.

Hope this helps in your investigation to the history of the Federal Express #91, Stanton sprinter.

I didn't realize he could smile until I seen those old pictures! He must have been happier back then.

Sammy drove for Bobby Sparks from 1970-1974

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I knew Jackhole was a closet Sammy fan !

When you're bartending and get off at 2:30 in the morning you got nothing better to do. I remembered a few sites where I saw some Old Sammy Pics. I might not like him but the SOB is part of the great history of Sprints I love.

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

thanks guys. project went great.

It all started over, Amy not making one of the Jeffries brother a sandwich. When they ask her. Then the pissing match started. Some things was said, about her being in the way, and need to do something. Looking back over his Knoxville record. That might have been a very good opportunity pissed away.

Is 11 years 8 months a new record between posts?

Sammy drove a Late Model owned by the

Jeffries mostly at West Memphis in 1978

won Sprint car Feature B car Feature and Late 

model feature in one night. Did that twice that 

year. MA Brown 44 was sprint car B car was 91

his. Late Model was93

That's the story I've heard about Knoxville and Sammy leaving the ride.  And that was absolutely a missed opportunity for a Nationals win as you say.  But what I've wondered all these years - although Sammy never drove the Fedex car again (and I don't think they ran it after that season...) did things get patched up somewhat between the two parties?  Amy Gray's brother Terry drove the Fedex car to a WoO win at West Memphis later that season and I can't imagine him getting the ride under those circumstances...

Sammy Swindell & Denny Hamlin Hmmmm LOL Fed Ex has to have one of the most boringm but most recognizable paint schemes in Motorsports.

I forgot about Terry, running the car. That is about when Terry, put his driving stuff away, and went on the road with Sammy in the Nance deal.