By T.J. Buffenbarger
ROSSBURG, Ohio (July 20, 2019) – Brad Sweet continued his career best season to date winning the 36th annual Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car series. Sweet picked a good time to claim his second crown at Eldora with the winner’s share upped to $175,000, the largest winner’s share ever paid for a winged sprint car race.
Sweet, from Grass Valley, California, took the lead after an open red, driving by Logan Schuchart to take the lead. Even though the red flag setup Sweet’s winning pass, he didn’t necessarily want to see it happen at the time.
“Honestly I didn’t want to see the red. I felt like I just found the top in three and four and Logan (Schuchart) didn’t know about it and he was running across it,” said Sweet about the open red. “I think I found some speed there I was going to be able to make some moves with.”
Even with the chance to adjust during the car during the open red Sweet and his Kasey Kahne Racing team decided to leave the car alone.
“We didn’t touch the race car. We put five gallons of fuel in it. I got the restart so I would have clean air and I told my guys during the red I was just going to put in on the fence and go for it,” said Sweet. “The track just didn’t have grip off the cushion like it did the previous night. I figured if I could just make some good laps and get through the first couple of lapped cars I’d be alright.”
Sammy Swindell and Schatz started on the front row for the 40-lap finale. Swindell led the opening lap over Schatz, Kerry Madsen, Sweet, and Tim Shaffer. Schuchart made his presence felt during the opening laps moving up from 12th to 6th in opening two laps.
The first caution flag of the event occurred three laps into the main event when Tom Harris, the first driver from the United Kingdom to make the Kings Royal and a World of Outlaws main event, spun between turns three and four. Harris was able to restart.
During the restart the middle of the field was jumbled up, Swindell’s car did not take off, handing Brad Sweet the lead until the caution flag flew for Daryn Pittman rolling to a stop in turn two with a broken jacobs ladder. Pittman’s team was able to make repairs for him to rejoin the field.
Swindell caught a break and led the field to a single file restart and drove away from Schatz and Sweet, who had moved into third around Madsen during the restart.
Further back in the field Schuchart continued his charge diving under Kerry Madsen to take fourth spot on lap six. By lap nine Schuchart passed Sweet for the third spot and quickly closed on Schatz and Swindell. With one dive to the bottom of the track in turns three and four Schuchart drove by both Schatz and Swindell to take the lead on lap 11.
Schuchart drove away from the field while Schatz took second as Swindell’s car became extremely loose in turn three. Sweet and Swindell exchanged the third spot on lap 13 before Sweet took the position one lap later.
As the leaders started overtaking cars at the tail of the field Schatz was held on in traffic which allowed Sweet to drive into second position down the backstretch. At the same time Sheldon Haudenschild was moving up from ninth starting spot to fourth on lap 17. Two laps later Haudenschild moved Schatz back to fourth.
With Schuchart holding over a two second lead on Sweet the caution flag appeared for Aaron Reutzel blowing a right rear tire in turn two with 25 laps complete. That caution necessitated an open red fuel stop for the entire field.
During the restart following the open red Sweet immediately used his starting position on the high side of the track to take the lead. Sweet slowly opened a gap between himself and Sweet before entering slower traffic with eight laps to go.
Behind Sweet and Schuchart, Brent Marks stormed through the field into the top five passing Haudenschild and Schatz to move into third. With three laps to go Marks and Schuchart started to trade the second position and allowed Sweet to pull away for the victory. Schuchart held off Marks for second with Haudenschild and 11th starting David Gravel rounding out the top five.
Afterwards Sweet admittedly felt overjoyed, but also a sense of relief.
“Its intense all night long. I felt like I was going to puke all day. If you don’t win the race it’s just a missed opportunity and you only get so many opportunities. I’m just happy and want to cherish the moment.”
36th annual Kings Royal
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
Eldora Speedway
Rossburg, OH
Saturday July 20, 2019
Qualifying:
1. 92-Sye Lynch, 13.019;
2. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 13.127;
3. 84-Tom Harris, 13.148;
4. 18-Ian Madsen, 13.159;
5. 15-Donny Schatz, 13.160;
6. 83-Daryn Pittman, 13.191;
7. 41S-Gio Scelzi, 13.215;
8. 22-Cole Duncan, 13.217;
9. 71P-Parker Price-Miller, 13.225;
10. W20-Greg Wilson, 13.226;
11. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 13.228;
12. 7S-Tim Kaeding, 13.239;
13. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 13.244;
14. 70-Brock Zearfoss, 13.270;
15. 49X-Tim Shaffer, 13.273;
16. 19-Brent Marks, 13.284;
17. 24-Rico Abreu, 13.302;
18. 49-Brad Sweet, 13.302;
19. 5-Shane Stewart, 13.305;
20. 12N-Joey Saldana, 13.309;
21. 70X-Justin Peck, 13.321;
22. 2M-Kerry Madsen, 13.327;
23. 21-Brian Brown, 13.334;
24. 1A-Jacob Allen, 13.349;
25. 2-Carson Macedo, 13.360;
26. 81-Lee Jacobs, 13.367;
27. 11-Dale Blaney, 13.371;
28. 3-Jac Haudenschild, 13.380;
29. 19P-Paige Polyak, 13.383;
30. 13-Paul McMahan, 13.399;
31. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 13.404;
32. 39-Sammy Swindell, 13.420;
33. 26-Cory Eliason, 13.435;
34. 9-James McFadden, 13.441;
35. A79-Brandon Wimmer, 13.457;
36. 91-Cale Thomas, 13.463;
37. 7-Jason Sides, 13.474;
38. 4K-Chad Kemenah, 13.475;
39. 17B-Bill Balog, 13.495;
40. 5T-Travis Philo, 13.500;
41. 41-David Gravel, 13.502;
42. 98H-Dave Blaney, 13.512;
43. 1ST-Gary Taylor, 13.513;
44. 3C-Cale Conley, 13.537;
45. 23-Hunter Schuerenburg, 13.551;
46. 71M-Paul May, 13.588;
47. 85-Dustin Daggett, 13.595;
48. 17XL-Caleb Helms, 13.604;
49. 4-Cap Henry, 13.635;
50. 18J-R.J. Jacobs, 13.640;
51. 71-Ayrton Olson, 13.658;
52. 49D-Shawn Dancer, 13.673;
53. 11N-Buddy Kofoid, 13.708;
54. 2AU-Andrew Scheuerle, 13.721;
55. 2L-Landon Lalonde, 13.737;
56. 28-Brian Paulus, 13.743;
57. 64-Scotty Thiel, 13.752;
58. 99-Skylar Gee, 13.814;
59. 33W-Michael Walter, 13.847;
60. 14M-Marcus Dumesny, 14.059;
61. 25R-Mitchell Harble, 14.228;
62. 10P-Jim Perricone, 14.962;
Joust (8 Laps):
1. 83 – Daryn Pittman
2. 15 – Donny Schatz
3. 1S – Logan Schuchart
4. 18 – Ian Madsen
5. 92 – Sye Lynch
6. 84 – Tom Harris
(Finish determined order drivers picked where they wanted their respective heat race to run in the event order)
Heat Race #1 (10 Laps):
1. 49 – Brad Sweet
2. 91 – Cale Thomas
3. 83 – Daryn Pittman
4. 1A – Jacob Allen
5. 13 – Paul McMahan
6. 17XL – Shane Helms
7. 7S – Tim Kaeding
8. 98 – Dave Blaney
9. 14M – Marcus Dumesny
10. 2AU – Andrew Scheuerle
(First three finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #2 (10 Laps):
1. 26 – Cory Eliason
2. 49X – Tim Shaffer
3. 11 – Dale Blaney
4. 70X – Justin Peck
5. 71P – Parker Price-Miller
6. 17B – Bill Balog
7. 23 – Hunter Schuerenburg
8. 64 – Scotty Thiel
9. 84 – Tom Harris
10. 71 – Ayrton Olsen
(First three finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #3 (10 Laps):
1. 87 – Aaron Reutzel
2. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild
3. 41S – Gio Scelzi
4. 5 – Shane Stewart
5. 7 – Jason Sides
6. 4 – Cap Henry
7. 1ST – Gary Taylor
8. 2 – Carson Macedo
9. 2L – Landon Lalonde
10. 25R – Mitchell Harble
11. 92 – Sye Lynch
(First three finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #4 (10 Laps):
1. 2M – Kerry Madsen
2. 3 – Jac Haudenschild
3. 19 – Brent Marks
4. 18 – Ian Madsen
5. 9 – James McFadden
6. 99 – Skylar gee
7. W20 – Greg Wilson
8. 71M – Paul May
9. 5T – Travis Philo
10. 49D – Shawn Dancer
(First three finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #5 (10 Laps):
1. 15 – Donny Schatz
2. 41 – David Gravel
3. 24 – Rico Abreu
4. 19P – Paige Polyak
5. A79 – Brandon Wimmer
6. 21 – Brian Brown
7. 11K – Kraig Kinser
8. 85 – Dustin Daggett
(First three finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #6 (10 Laps):
1. 39 – Sammy Swindell
2. 1S – Logan Schuchart
3. 12N – Joey Saldana
4. 70 – Brock Zearfoss
5. 81 – Lee Jacobs
6. 22 – Cole Duncan
7. 3C – Cale Conley
8. K4 – Chad Kemenah
9. 18J – R.J. Jacobs
10. 28 – Brian Paulus
11. 10P – Jim Perricone
(First three finishers transferred to the A-Main)
C-Main (12 Laps):
1. 7S – Tim Kaeding
2. W20 – Greg Wilson
3. 3C – Cale Conley
4. 2 – Carson Macedo
5. 11K – Kraig Kinser
6. 23 – Hunter Schuerenburg
7. 14M – Marcus Dumesny
8. 25R – Mitchell Harble
9. 71 – Ayrton Olsen
10. 49D – Shawn Dancer
11. 85 – Dustin Daggett
12. 10P – Jim Perricone
13. 1ST – Gary Taylor
14. 71M – Paul May
15. 2L – Landon Lalonde
16. 98H – Dave Blaney
17. K4 – Chad Kemenah
18. 74 – Scotty Thiel
19. 5T – Travis Philo
20. 18J – R.J. Jacobs
21. 2AU – Andrew Scheuerle
22. 28 – Brian Paulus
23. 11N – Buddy Kofoid
24. 33W – Michael Walter
(First six finishers transferred to the B-Main)
B-Main (15 Laps):
1. 18 – Ian Madsen
2. 70X – Justin Peck
3. 70 – Brock Zearfoss
4. 5 – Shane Stewart
6. 1A – Jacob Allen
7. 17XL – Caleb Helms
8. 2 – Carson Macedo
9. 13 – Paul McMahan
10. 7S – Tim Kaeding
11. 4 – Cap Henry
12. W20 – Greg Wilson
13. 19P – Paige Polyak
14. 21 – Brian Brown
15. A79 – Brandon Wimmer
16. 3C – Cale Conley
17. 7 – Jason Sides
18. 17B – Bill Balog
19. 23 – Hunter Schuerenberg
20. 22 – Cole Duncan
21. 81 – Lee Jacobs
22. 99 – Skylar Gee
23. 71P – Parker Price-Miller
24. 11K – Kraig Kinser
(First four finishers transferred to the A-Main)
A-Main (40 Laps):
1. 49 – Brad Sweet
2. 1S – Logan Schuchart
3. 19 – Brent Marks
4. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild
5. 41 – David Gravel
6. 15 – Donny Schatz
7. 39 – Sammy Swindell
8. 3 – Jac Haudenschild
9. 49X – Tim Shaffer
10. 2M – Kerry Madsen
11. 12N – Joey Saldana
12. 41S – Gio Scelzi
13. 18 – Ian Madsen
14. 5 – Shane Stewart
15. 11 – Dale Blaney
16. 24 – Rico Abreu
17. 26 – Cory Eliason
18. 91 – Cale Thomas
19. 83 – Daryn Pittman
20. 70 – Brock Zearfoss
21. 92 – Sye Lynch
22. 70X – Justin Peck
23. 84 – Tom Harris
24. 87 – Aaron Reutzel
Lap Leaders: Swindell 1-10, Schuchart 11-25, Sweet 26-40