By Bill W, Mike Campbell photo
August 9, 2010 – Sammy Swindell drove to his second straight win in the 14th Annual Musco Lighting Front Row Challenge Monday night at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa. The veteran had a pass for the lead negated by a caution before he took advantage of leader Tyler Walker’s blown left rear tire on the 22nd lap. The win in the Big Game Treestands #1s was worth $10,000 to the Germantown, Tennessee resident.
Vienna, West Virginia’s Cale Conley set a new one lap track record on the 1/2 mile oval with a circuit of 15.222 seconds. Swindell, Fred Rahmer and Cap Henry enjoyed contingencies from HRP Wings, Keizer Wheels and Hubs, Sander Wheels and Butlerbuilt for heat race wins. The top eight qualifiers making it through their heat races participated in match races dubbed the “King of the Hill”. In the finale, Walker and Joey Saldana raced side by side for two laps with Saldana nipping Walker at the line for the title. Jonathan Allard scored a set of headers from Schoenfeld for his win in the B main.
Saldana was given the choice to go to take the Front Row Challenge, but needed the pot sweetened to do so. McTwo Promotions, Terry McCarl, offered a $5,000 bonus if Saldana went to the back and finished in the top three. Saldana accepted the challenge and a packed house erupted.
Walker and Swindell started in row one, and it was Walker getting the jump at the outset, as he had done in beating Swindell in one of the Match Races. When Daryn Pittman came to a stop with three laps in the books, eyes were on Saldana, who had already worked his way forward to 11th.
Walker continued to lead the next eight laps, but Swindell shot by him on lap twelve. The move was called back when Jonathan Allard spun and the caution was thrown. Saldana had progressed to eighth at that point. On the restart, traffic in front of Saldana did not take off and he made contact with Conley and spun. Saldana took his car and the Front Row Challenge pitside.
Walker led Swindell, David Gravel, Paul McMahan and Brad Sweet back to green flag racing. McMahan moved by Gravel for third on the restart, as Walker continued to set the pace. On lap 21, Walker blew his left rear tire, handing the lead to Swindell. Sammy cruised from there, winning his second Front Row Challenge in a row. Bob Weuve received a KSE Power Steering Pump for winning hard-charger honors in the event.
14th Annual Musco Lighting Front Row Challenge Results
A main (25 laps, started): 1. 1s, Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN (2) 2. 91, Paul McMahan, Nashville, TN (6) 3. 89G, David Gravel, Watertown, CT (4) 4. 49, Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA (5) 5. 98, Brooke Tatnell, Sans Souci, NSW, Aust. (8) 6. 3, Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust. (7) 7. 1, Bronson Maeschen, Pleasantville, IA (10) 8. 17, Tyler Walker, Los Angeles, CA (1) 9. 3c, Cale Conley, Vienna, WV (3) 10. 24H, Lee Jacobs, Dalton, OH (15) 11. 19, Bob Weuve, Newton, IA (22) 12. 7K, Robby Wolfgang, Sioux Falls, SD (14) 13. 12AU, Paul Jeffrey, Kellyville, NSW, Aust. (19) 14. 9, Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN (24) 15. 83, Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, PA (17) 16. 0, Jonathan Allard, Chico, CA (11) 17. w20, Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge, OH (16) 18. 51, Fred Rahmer, Salfordville, PA (13) 19. 77AU, Mitchell Dumesny, Nelson, NSW, Aust. (20) 20. 04, Cap Henry, Bellevue, OH (23) 21. 1m, Phillip Mock, Kenosha, WI (21) 22. 13P, Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK (9) 23. 13, Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks, ND (18) 24. 30c, Lance Dewease, Fayetteville, PA (12). Lap Leaders: Walker 1-21; Swindell 22-25. Hard Charger: Weuve.
Fast time: Cale Conley, 15.222 (New Track Record)
“King of the Hill” Match Race Winner: Joey Saldana
Heat one (8 laps, Top Six to A main): 1. Sammy Swindell (4) 2. Lance Dewease (2) 3. Cale Conley (6) 4. Joey Saldana (5) 5. Brooke Tatnell (3) 6. Tim Shaffer (7) / 7. 2K, Kevin Ingle, Huron, SD (8) 8. Lee Jacobs (1) DNS – 6, Bill Rose, Plainfield, IN, Bob Weuve, 2x, Josh Higday, Des Moines, IA
Heat two (8 laps, Top Six to A main): 1. Fred Rahmer (2) 2. Tyler Walker (4) 3. Daryn Pittman (3) 4. Greg Wilson (1) 5. Paul McMahan (6) 6. Mitchell Dumesny (8) / 7. Mark Dobmeier (7) 8. Jonathan Allard (5) DNS – 12, Jared Ridge, Snohomish, WA, 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD
Heat three (8 laps, Top Six to A main): 1. Cap Henry (1) 2. Kerry Madsen (4) 3. Robby Wolfgang (2) 4. Bronson Maeschen (3) 5. Brad Sweet (6) 6. David Gravel (5) / 7. Phillip Mock (8) 8. Paul Jeffrey (7) 9. 23m, Kim Mock, Kenosha, WI (9) DNS – 2, Dale Blaney, Hartford, OH
B main (12 laps, Top Six to A main): 1. Jonathan Allard (1) 2. Mark Dobmeier (3) 3. Paul Jeffrey (4) 4. Lee Jacobs (2) 5. Bob Weuve (5) 6. Phillip Mock (6) / 7. Kevin Ingle (10) 8. Kim Mock (7) 9. Jared Ridge (8) DNS – Bill Rose, Clint Garner, Dale Blaney, Josh Higday