Tanner Swanson WINS "Vukovich Classic" at Madera Speedway

The Winner's Circle: Tanner Swanson enjoys Madera Speedway Victory Lane after the "Vukovich Classic." M&M Photo

On Saturday May 5th, TK Motorsports’ Tanner Swanson entered the Vukovich Classic at Madera Speedway set to take on 3 different divisions of open-wheeled racers, on the same day. Tanner would drive Tom Joyce's #56 SuperModified, Ted Finkenbinder's #3f Sprint car, and Bob Rosen's #4.

Tanner qualified 2nd (Sprint), 3rd (Midget) and 3rd (SuperMod), and finished 2nd (Midget) and 4th (Sprint) in his preliminary heat races.

In the Sprint Car Feature, Tanner drove from his 5th place starting spot up to the 3rd position before his left rear tire went flat and ended his run.

In the SuperModified Feature, Tanner was behind by as much as 4 seconds before tracking down the early race leader and taking over the top spot with just 10 laps to go to win his 1st SuperModified feature in just his 2nd start!

In the Midget feature, Tanner started 2nd and finished there after the 30-lap feature concluded. He had closed to within a .25 second of the race leader when a caution flag flew with 5 laps to go. Nichols was too strong on the restart and won the feature with Tanner in 2nd.

Tanner Swanson WINS Night #1 of the Royal Oak Southern Shootout

The Inside Track: Episode 3- Must See Racing's Southern Shootout

On Friday, April 13th, TK Motorsports’ Swanson brothers set out to make their first career starts with the Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint series, and their first ever laps behind the wheel of a Winged Pavement Sprint car.
Of the 25 qualifiers, the duo timed in 6th & 8th, but less than 1/10th of a second behind 2nd quick time. They each transferred through their preliminary heat race, and prepared themselves for the 30-lap Feature event around the half-mile Five Flags Speedway. After that- it was a roll of the dice, literally. The Must See Racing series determines their feature line-up invert (a 6, 8, or 10) off of a dice roll from the night’s fastest qualifier. A 6, and Tanner starts on the pole, with Kody 8th. An 8, and Kody starts on the pole with Tanner 3rd. A 10, and the brothers start 3rd & 5th. Jason Cox rolled a 6, and Tanner Swanson would lead the field to green while his brother started deep in the pack. As Tanner led the field into turn 1, fast qualifier Jason Cox spun in front of Kody, pushing him into the outside wall and bringing damage to his #19. Kody came to the pits, and restarted at the tail of the field only to get collected in another lap 1 incident and retire for the evening. Tanner restarted the field a 3rd time, and ran away to a huge lead before another caution flag flew. Time and time again, Tanner restarted the field and continued his lead. As the laps wore down, Tanner had to fight off a valiant charge from Jimmy McCune on the final lap. But- driving Suellen & Don Wilshe’s BioBased.US #23, Tanner held on to pick up the win in just his first ever start with the Must See Racing series, and first attempt in a winged pavement sprint car.

All Smiles: Tanner Swanson & Co. enjoy the photos from Five Flags Speedway Victory Lane. Richard Golardi Photo

With Tanner fresh off of a Feature Win, and Kody looking to make-up for a night that crashed him out of the feature race, both of the Swanson brothers we’re looking forward to tackling the high-speeds of Mobile International Speedway.
In qualifying, both brothers lapped the .55 mile Speedway in under 14.5 seconds, and averaging over 136mph. It was another tight field, Tanner ended up 3rd on the charts, with Kody in 7th. Again, the brothers transferred through their preliminary heat races and waited for the “dice-roll” to set the feature line-up. Kody needed an 8 to start on the front row- but again a #6 popped up, and the duo would start 4th & 7th.
As the field entered turn 1 on the start of the 30-lapper, Kody dove to the bottom of the racetrack, three-wide with the cars in front of him and went from 7th to 5th in the opening corner. Tanner and Kody ran 4th and 5th for much of the race, and caught the top 3 as the lead pack entered heavy lapped traffic near the half-way point. The brothers began splitting lapped cars, running high and low trying to advance their position. As the race wore on, Kody’s motor began to lose power, as the engine timing magneto began to fail. He held on to finish in the 7th position. Tanner continued his battle among the frontrunners, passing up to 3rd in lapped traffic before being shuffled back, and ended up falling to 6th after a late-race restart. Still, not a bad weekend for the brothers’ debut with a new team, new cars and new series. Tanner & Kody will return to the Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint series when it travels to Winchester, Indiana on May 20th.

"Royal Oak Southern Shootout" for Must See Racing Xtreme Sprints up next!

Too Far to Go: Swanson runs out of laps in run from 15th to 7th

Must See Racing News- Must See Racing to televise 10 events on FOX Sports Net

Must See Racing News- Tanner Swanson to Compete in Must See Racing

Featured Video: Tanner and Kody Swanson go 1-2 in "Turkey Night" Sprints

Tanner Swanson WINS USAC Sprints at Turkey Night

(November 24, 2011) In 2008 & 2009, Tanner Swanson won a number of USAC Western Sprint car races and back-to-back championships. But, he never won on Turkey Night. In 2010 and 2011, Tanner focused his attention to the USAC National series, but came back to run the USAC Western Sprints on Turkey Night. In 2010, Tanner set a new track record and moved from 6th to 2nd in the early stages of the race before his motor failed and sidelined him for the event. With unfinished business left to settle in 2011, Tanner finally found his way to Victory Lane at Irwindale, but not without turning heads.

After qualifying in the 5th position, Tanner Swanson lined up his TK Motorsports #17 on the outside of the front row for the 40-lapper. As the field came to green, both Tanner and his brother Kody lost their racecars out from underneath them, as both of them spun off of turn 4. With Kody starting inside row 2, he spun toward the infield and out of the fray. However, with Tanner starting at the top of the racetrack, he had only one way out: forward. Tanner quickly whipped his #17 back around, and continued forward on the 1/2 mile oval. Back in the pack, cars ran into eachother on the front-stretch bringing out the red flag. When the field returned to green, Tanner shot from his front row starting position to the lead, and quickly began distancing himself from the field. It was not long before Tanner was into lapped traffic, as he continued to pull-away from his competition. With leads as large as a full-straightaway, Tanner lapped all the way into the Top 10 as the 40-lap race went non-stop to the finish. At the checkers, Tanner picked up his first USAC Sprint car win at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, and his first "Turkey Night" Sprint win.

Strong Run in "Rollie Beale 150" Forced to End Early

(October 15, 2011) At one point in 2011, Tanner Swanson was tied for the USAC Silver Crown points lead. Since then, he'd had a broken oil fitting and two "Top 10" finishes. Saturday, Tanner added an ailing engine to that list.

After qualifying in the 5th position, Tanner Swanson made it clear that he was more than just a 5th place car. In the opening laps, Tanner moved into the 4th position, and set his sights on the Top 3. Before 15 laps were complete, Tanner had moved into the 3rd position, and a caution put him on the back bumper of the leaders. When the field went back to green, Tanner closed to the back of the 2nd place runner, and continued to apply pressure running his own pace. Knowing he had over 100 laps left, Tanner settled in, setting himself a comfortable pace in the 3rd position. But before Tanner could even start his charge toward the top spot, the powerplant on his Team 6R Racing #23 started to puff oil, a sign of bigger problems from under the hood. Before lap 50, Tanner was forced to retire from the 3rd position, ending his race and his USAC Silver Crown season. Tanner finished 7th in the final series standings.

Tanner will be on display with his TK Motorsports #17 Sprintcar at the National FFA Convention Career Expo in Indianapolis from Wednesday through Friday. A recipient of the American FFA Degree, Kody will be on hand to meet with nearly 54,000 FFA Members and guests during the Convention.

TK Motorsports to be on display at Indianapolis' National FFA Convention

(October 14, 2011) In October of 2010, Tanner Swanson received his American FFA Degree at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. Just three years earlier, older brother Kody accomplished the same feat. This October 19-21, Tanner and Kody Swanson will be at the National FFA Convention, but this time on display with their own TK Motorsports in the Career Show Expo.

The Career Expo will go from 12:30-5pm on Wednesday the 19th, and from 8am-4pm on Thursday and Friday, the 20th and 21st.

Tanner and Kody will have their #17 TK Motorsports Pavement Sprint car on display, as well as the #19 Team 6R Racing Silver Crown car featuring Kroger and Wawona Packing. The brothers will be available to answer questions about their careers in motorsports, sign autographs, and talk about the impact that the FFA Organization has had on their lives.

For more information on the event, please visit: www.ffa.org

USAC Silver Crown season finale this Saturday at Toledo Speedway

(October 11, 2011) Last year, Tanner took the lead with 50 laps to go in the "Great Lakes 150" and held on to win his first career USAC Silver Crown race. Thus far in 2011, Tanner Swanson has continued to run strong on the pavement. At the Milwaukee Mile, he led 50+ laps before fading handling landed him a 3rd place finish. At Iowa Speedway, he led laps before a flattening Right Rear tire forced him to fall to 4th. At Lucas Oil Raceway, he fell as far as 8th before driving a loose racecar to a 3rd place finish.

Coming off of 3-straight "Top 5" pavement finishes in the Silver Crown division, Tanner will be in search of Victory Lane during the series finale "Rollie Beale 150" this weekend. Tanner will be driving his Team 6R Racing, powered by Toyota #23. For more information on the event, please visit: www.toledospeedway.com

Tough Runnin' at the "Gold Crown" Midget Nationals

(October 8, 2011) The "Gold Crown" Midget Nationals has quickly earned a reputation for fierce competition and some of the season's best Midget racing. At Kevin & Tammy Gundaker's 3/8 mile Tri-City Speedway, the USAC National Midgets put on a whale of a show. With preliminary nights on Thursday and Friday, Saturday night caps off the weekend with a $10,000 to win 50-lap affair. While this event is a draw for race fans, it certainly attracts competitors too, with 55 Midgets competing each night.

Night One- Tanner started 3rd and was running 4th when he spun in his preliminary heat race. After going to the tail, Tanner made it back to finish in the 7th position, but the passing points system placed him in the C-main event. Tanner finished 2nd in the C-Main to transfer to the B-Main, but after starting 19th, he failed to make the transfer to the A-Main. Using a provisional, Tanner started the A-Main in 25th, and made it as high as 16th before a blown engine ended his night.

Night Two-Tanner started 2nd and finished 4th in his heat race, scoring enough points through the passing system to line up 12th in the night's B-Main event. Tanner made it as high as 7th in the B before eventually fading to finish 13th. He did not start the feature.

Night Three- By virtue of the points he collected Thursday and Friday, Tanner started on the pole of the night's C-Main event. Leading all 12 laps, Tanner won the C and transferred to start 13th in one of Saturday night's twin B-Main events. Needing a top 8 finish to transfer into the A-Main finale, Tanner got just that, finishing 8th to make the "Gold Crown Nationals" A-Main event. Starting 21st, Tanner fell to 25th before climbing into the Top 15 late in the race. However, a spin with just a few laps remaining put Tanner to the tail, and he came back to finish 19th.

Tanner will head to Southern California next for season finale "Turkey Night Grand Prix" at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale on Thanksgiving night, where he will be driving the RFMS Racing #3f.

Tanner Swanson drives from 24th to 7th in Eldora Speedway's "4-Crown" Nationals

(September 24, 2011) The "Big E" of Eldora Speedway is the home of USAC's "4-Crown" Nationals every September. Pulling double-duty for Team 6R Racing was Tanner Swanson in the Silver Crown #23 and National Midget #19.

Tanner started his day by posting the 3rd fastest time in Silver Crown practice! However, a miscue in qualifying put Tanner in the wall, and at the back of the field for the night's 50-lap Silver Crown feature. In the meantime, Tanner drove to a National Midget heat race win, and to a solid 9th place finish in the Midget feature. After 50-laps of Silver Crown action, Tanner drove his Team 6R Racing #23 from his 24th starting spot to a 7th place finish and earned the night's "Hard-Charger" award!

The finish moves Tanner into 4th in the series standings heading into the USAC Silver Crown season finale "Rollie Beale 150" at Toledo Speedway in Toledo, Ohio on October 15th.

Tanner Swanson drives from tail to STARS Feature Win

(September 17, 2011) Tanner Swanson entered the "Anderson-Carter Classic" looking for his first feature win of the 2011 season. After finishing on the podium of Silver Crown, Sprint Car and Midget races through-out the course of the year, Tanner was still looking for his first career win in the RFMS Racing #3f.

Tanner started by setting Quick Time in Qualifying for the STARS series event, and drove from the tail of his heat race to 2nd in a photo-finish. For the special 36-lap feature event, Tanner would line up to start in the 6th position.

In the opening lap, Tanner held his ground on the outside of the 1/3 mile paved oval, hoping to crack into the Top 5. However, on the 2nd lap the inside car slid high into Tanner, and the contact sent the duo spinning through the infield. The caution flag flew, and Tanner restarted with his #3f at the tail of the 18 car field. Tanner quickly began working his way through traffic, passing both high and low on his charge back toward the front. As the race neared halfway, Tanner had already made it back into the Top 5, and had set his sights on the lead cars. By lap 22, Tanner had moved into the 2nd position, and started his chase of race leader, and series point-leader, Jim Anderson. A mid-race caution allowed Tanner to close to the back bumper of the leader for the restart, and make his bid for the lead. By lap 26, Tanner had taken over the top spot, and led the final ten laps to earn his first feature win of 2011, with an impressive drive from 18th to 1st.

Tanner will return to the RFMS Racing #3f for the USAC National Midget season finale "Turkey Night Grand Prix" at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, California.

Top Ten in DuQuoin's "Ted Horn 100"

(September 4, 2011) Tanner Swanson entered the "Ted Horn 100" in DuQuoin looking for a solid feature finish. After propelling himself to a tie for the points lead, Tanner was coming off of a long day in Springfield, and found himself 4th in points.

Tanner jumped from 11th in practice to qualify 8th best, and line himself up outside of Row 4 for the night's 100-lap event.

Tanner made his way forward, climbing as high as 6th in the early going. As the track wore in, Tanner had fallen to 8th by the half-way mark. After making a few adjustments, Tanner set out to improve his position over the final 50 miles. Tanner battled among the Top 10 for the remainder of the race before spinning with just 10 laps to go. After getting refired, Tanner rejoined the field and passed as many cars as he could in the few laps remaining. When the checkers fell, Tanner had made it all the way back to 10th, and turned in a solid night in DuQuoin.

Tanner and the USAC Silver Crown series will return to action on September 24th as part of Eldora Speedway's 4-Crown Nationals.

Bringing Home a Solid 7th from Sun Prairie

(August 21, 2011) Tanner Swanson returned to USAC National Midget series action from behind the wheel of Team 6R Racing/TK Motorsports #19 for the first time since Indiana Midget Week in June. The young driver proved he could pick up where he left off, qualifying 6th out of the 27 cars entered at the fast 1/3 mile Angell Park Speedway.

Lining up 5th in his preliminary heat race, Tanner fell to 7th before making his drive toward the front. On late race restart, Tanner was up to 3rd when he got into turn 1 just a little too aggressively, and fell to 5th place, forcing him to the night's semi-main event. Starting 2nd, Tanner jumped in line behind leader Tracy Hines, staying very close with the series veteran over the course of the race, and transferring to the night's 30-lap "Cornfest" Main Event.

Starting 7th, Tanner found himself among a strong contingent of National Midgets, all aiming toward a charge to the front. With racing 3 and 4 cars wide, Tanner held his own, and found himself as high as 6th, looking to break into the top 5 over the first half of the race. However, a very tricky entrace to turn 3, and one big bicycle later, and Tanner was all the way back to the 11th position. After regaining control and composure, Tanner resumed his march toward the front. Moving both high and low on the racetrack, Tanner moved himself into the Top Ten, then Top 8, and made a last lap, last corner pass to finish in the 7th position.

Tanner will take on the USAC National Midgets again on September 2nd at LaSalle, Illinois and then back to Angell Park Speedway on September 3rd for the Firemen's Nationals 50-lapper!

Runnin' Rough in Springfield

(August 20, 2011) Tanner Swanson entered the "Tony Bettenhausen 100" off of a 3rd place Silver Crown finish at Lucas Oil Raceway, and tied for the series points' lead. When the young driver left Springfield, he was leaving with a 25th place DNF and had slid to 4th in the points with just 3 races remaining. However, those facts don't really tell the story of Tanner Swanson's run on the Springfield mile.

After practicing in the Top 15 of the 28 cars entered, Tanner Swanson had a tough qualifying experience. Making slight bobbles on each lap, Tanner qualified 23rd, and would start deep in the field for the 100-lapper. The 20-year old proved he was better than a 23rd place car, and immediately began moving forward from the drop of the green. It wasn't long and he was in the Top 20, and working his way toward the Top 15. As the race neared the halfway mark, Tanner had moved into the Top 12, and passed the likes of Indiana Sprint Week Champ Chris Windom, USAC Triple Crown Champ Dave Darland, and USAC Midget points leader Darren Hagen. Unfortunately, that's when Tanner's day got just a little bit tougher. An oil fitting on his Toyota powerplant broke, causing Tanner to get black flagged and lose a few laps before the half-way mark. Ten minutes and One frantic fix later, and Tanner was back on the track. Tanner quickly made up ground to the pack, and began passing cars again. Yet on lap 75, Tanner got hung out on the outside of a slower car, and slid out of the groove and into the fence. Although it was a tough day, Tanner proved that a little luck and experience goes his way, and he'll be back fighting for the top of the heap.

Tanner will continue his pursuit of the USAC Silver Crown Championship when the series returns toDuQuoin, Illinois' Magic Mile for the "Ted Horn 100" on Sunday evening, September 4th.

On the Podium at Lucas Oil Raceway.... Again.

(August 18, 2011) Tanner Swanson returned to Lucas Oil Raceway with something to prove. After finishing 2nd in the first Thursday Night Thunder, then 3rd in the USAC Silver Crown event, Tanner was ready to find Victory Lane. After being the fastest car in final practice, Tanner laid down the fastest lap in qualifying. Then, he came from starting 6th to win his preliminary heat race in convincing fashion. However, the toughest race was yet to come. Starting 6th in the 30-lap feature would make getting to the front no easy task. At the drop of the green, the crowded racetrack shuffled Tanner back a few spots. From there, it was all forward progress, as the youngster began picking off cars, moving into the Top 5 and up to 4th by a lap 17 caution. On the ensuing restart, Tanner picked off another position, moving himself onto the night's podium. As the laps wound down, that's where Tanner would end up. A solid 3rd place podium finish, and Tanner is just 6 points out of the lead in the Championship standings with 3 races remaining.

Tanner and the USAC Pavement Sprint cars will return to Lucas Oil Raceway for Thursday Night Thunder on September 8th, with just 4 events remaining on their 2011 series calendar.

Tanner Swanson finishes 3rd at Lucas Oil Raceway, Now Tied for Points Lead!

(July 29, 2011) Tanner Swanson continued his run of consistent finishes during Thursday's Kroger Speedfest at Lucas Oil Raceway. Driving for Team 6R Racing, powered by Toyota and sponsored by Kroger and Wawona Packing, Tanner picked up his 3rd Top 4 finish in just 4 Silver Crown events this season.

After qualifying 5th, Tanner found himself among some stiff competition in the lead pack. The other 5 qualifiers in the Top 6 included: former USAC National Champion Tracy Hines, former USAC National Champion and Nationwide series driver Jason Leffler, former USAC National Champion Bobby East, former USAC National Champion Levi Jones, and his older brother. For the majority of the race, Tanner battled with those frontrunners and got himself into the 4th position, hoping to make a charge toward the top spot as the 100-lap event wore on. In the final 25 laps he passed defending Silver Crown Champ Levi Jones, and set his sights on the Top 2- Kody Swanson and Tracy Hines. While he was able to close in on the lead duo, Tanner was never able to fully challenge for the lead. However, his 3rd place finish, of the 30 car starting field, was enough to propel Tanner to a tie for the series point lead!

Team 6R Racing book-ended the podium, as Tanner's brother Kody put his #19 in Victory Lane, and helped Team 6R Racing regain the lead in All-Time Silver Crown series wins at 26.

Tanner and Kody will return to USAC Silver Crown series action when the schedule resumes at Springfield, Illinois' State Fair on August 20th.

Tanner Swanson resumes Silver Crown Title pursuit at Lucas Oil Raceway

"Kroger Speedfest" features USAC double-header with Silver Crown & National Midgets

TK Motorsports Release: (July 24, 2011)---This Thursday, Tanner Swanson will continue his pursuit of a USAC Silver Crown series Championship. In the first 3 events of the season, Tanner has finished 8th at the tricky Indy Mile for the "Hoosier 100," and has 3rd and 4th place finishes on the pavement at the Milwaukee Mile and Iowa Speedway. This week's "Kroger Speedfest" at Lucas Oil Raceway, features a track that Tanner Swanson is no stranger to. Last year, Tanner won his first ever event at the .686 mile oval, taking the "Night Before the 500" in dominant fashion. This year, he will compete in the USAC double-header for Team 6R Racing and RFMS Racing in the USAC Silver Crown and National Midget series. While Tanner only runs the pavement events for the RFMS Racing team, they are coming off of two-4th place feature finishes entering this event.

Thursday's events will start with qualifications in the afternoon, with USAC Racing to follow the ARCA series feature starting at 7pm. For ticket prices, please visit www.lucasoilraceway.com.

For LIVE updates from the Racetrack- like us on Facebook at Swanson Brothers-TK Motorsports, or follow us on Twitter @tswanson_racing and@KodySwanson!

Tanner Swanson comes home 4th in Casey's General Stores 100

(June 27, 2011) After solid runs for both Team 6R Racing drivers in Milwaukee, hopes were high that Tanner Swanson or Brian Tyler could bring home a win from the following week's event at Iowa Speedway. By race's end, no such luck was to be had.

The trip out to Iowa wasn't all doom and gloom, and for a while it seemed completely possible that Team 6R Racing would end up in Victory Lane. Young Tanner Swanson qualified his powered by Toyota #23 on the outside of the front row, for the 2nd week in a row. Brian Tyler qualified around the 15th spot, but everyone remembers his drives from the tail to win events like the "Tony Bettenhausen 100," and knows to never count him out. After the drop of the green, Tanner stalked race leader Brad Sweet, and made his move to take over the top spot on lap 25! Bobby East took the lead from Tanner just 10 laps later, and the duo continued to pull away from the field. However, nearing the end of the race, the handling seemed to continue to go away from Tanner's #23, and with just 10 laps to go in the non-stop affair, he fell to 4th. Coming through the final corners, his RR tire finally blew out, yet he limped to the line to keep his 4th finishing position. The Hoosier tire rep took a good look at the tire, and mentioned that it was probably going flat for some time, judging by the severe wear (to the cords) on both edges of the tire. Brian Tyler didn't seem to have any better luck, as he was never able to make a charge toward the front, and finished the event in 16th.

With 6 events remaining on the 2011 series schedule, Team 6R Racing is still within striking distance of their annual goal: the USAC Silver Crown championship. Drivers Tanner Swanson and Brian Tyler currently sit 3rd and 7th in the series standings. Coming up next for the USAC Traxxas Silver Crown series is the "Sumar Classic" at the Terre Haute Action Track this Sunday, July 3rd.

Tanner Swanson "On the Podium" in Milwaukee Mile Silver Crown 100

(June 19, 2011) Team 6R Racing returned to the Milwaukee Mile for the first time in 5 years, and racefans took notice. Tanner Swanson, in the Team 6R Racing, powered by Toyota #23 started outside the front row, and led the most laps during the feature. Teammate Brian Tyler started 13th, but made some big moves in the final laps of the event to come home in the 7th spot. Tanner took the lead in the Milwaukee 100 on lap 21, and pulled away to a considerable lead during the middle of the race. However, as the race wore on, Tanner's #23 got looser and looser, and the youngster was passed for the top spot on lap 75 by former USAC National Midget Champ Bobby East. Tanner continued to hold on to the runner-up position until lap 98 when 2008 USAC Silver Crown Champ Jerry Coons Jr was able to make the pass off of turn 4. Tanner held on to the 3rd spot over the final laps, and turned in a very good run for his first career start in Milwaukee. The run vaulted Tanner from 8th in the series standings to a tie for 2nd with defending Champ Levi Jones, and 3-Time Champ Bud Kaeding. All are chasing USAC Triple Crown Champ Jerry Coons Jr, who has turned in 1st and 2nd place finishes in the first two events. Team 6R Racing driver Brian Tyler is currently 5th in the standings, but just 6 points behind the tie for 2nd with 8 events remaining on the calendar. This weekend, Team 6R Racing and the USAC Silver Crown series will return to action at IOWA Speedway on a special Friday night race at the INDY Car event. For LIVE updates from the track in Iowa, follow Team 6R on Facebook at the Swanson Brothers-TK Motorsports page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Swanson-Brothers-TK-Motorsports/324571431778

Tanner Swanson to make 1st career start at the Milwaukee Mile in USAC Double-header

(June 14, 2011) One of USAC's "Most Improved Drivers" for 2010, young Tanner Swanson has already scored Feature Victories in each of USAC's National Divisions, including his first career Silver Crown series win in last year's "Great Lakes 150." Tanner's win in the Great Lakes 150, coupled with his brother Kody's 2nd place run, gave Team 6R Racing a One-Two Feature finish and marked the Swanson's as the first brothers in History to 'sweep' a USAC Silver Crown event. Tanner will be looking to complete the Milwaukee "double" in just his first career starts at the track, as he will also compete in the USAC National Midget series this weekend for Don Fike's RFMS Racing. To keep up with Tanner and his efforts at the Milwaukee Mile, check out LIVE posts from the track EACH NIGHT on the Swanson Brothers-TK Motorsports Facebook page.

Tanner Swanson set for 2011 "Indiana Midget Week"

(June 7, 2011) Tanner Swanson and the USAC National Midgets are set to do battle for 5-straight nights of hard-fought dirt Midget racing during 2011's "Indiana Midget Week." This special schedule features Indiana Midget action in Gas City, Putnamville, Bloomington, Lawrenceburg and Kokomo from Wednesday June 8 through Sunday June 12.

Tanner Swanson, the 2010 "Night Before the 500" Winner, will be competing in his first Indiana Midget Week. Tanner has made limited starts in the tricky dirt Midgets for TK Motorsports & Team 6R Racing since 2009, but has really increased his experience since the start of 2011. Coming off of solid runs in the "Duel in Dodge City" and "Hut 100," Tanner currently finds himself 10th in the National Midget standings, with a great opportunity to improve that this week.

To keep up with Tanner and the USAC National Midgets during Indiana Midget Week, check out LIVE posts from the track EACH NIGHT on the Swanson Brothers-TK Motorsports Facebook page

Swanson Brothers Sweep "Thursday Night Thunder" at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis

Kody Wins with Tanner 2nd in Indianapolis Thriller
TK Motorsports Release: (May 13, 2011)---Last night, TK Motorsports' Swanson Brothers and the USAC Pavement Sprint Cars headed to Lucas Oil Raceway for Night #1 of "Thursday Night Thunder."  After finishing 2nd and scoring the most points in the season opener at Anderson Speedway in April, driver Kody Swanson led the series to the event and was among "those to watch" in the 30-lap Sprint car feature.  Tanner Swanson was also mentioned prior to the event as a threat to win, as many remember the youngster stealing the show by winning last year's "Night Before the 500" in just his first attempt!

When the night's time trials came to a close, the results showed Kody then Tanner in the 3rd and 4th positions.  With both brothers driving for their family owned TK Motorsports team, many knew that at least one of them should have a chance to end up in Victory Lane.  Before that could happen, both drivers needed to finish in the Top 4 of their respective heat races to earn a spot in the night's feature event, and both did just that.  Tanner drove from 5th to 4th in his heat race, while Kody moved from his 6th place starting spot to finish 2nd in his.  After an invert of the 6 fastest qualifiers, and factoring in who transferred through their heat races, Tanner and Kody would line up 4th and 5th for the 30-lap feature.  At the drop of the green flag, Tanner quickly moved from 4th into 3rd, and began his pursuit of the race lead, while Kody got shuffled back to the 6th position.  In the early going, Kody raced his way past a few cars and into the 4th position, but not before Tanner had moved into 2nd, and nearly a straight-away ahead of Kody in 4th!  While Tanner and two other cars battled for the lead, Kody quickly began closing the gap to the leaders, hoping to join the fray.  By the half-way point, Jacob Wilson had got to the lead, with Tanner in tow, and Kody moving past early leader Tracy Hines into the 3rd spot.  Tanner immediately began pressuring the #07 for the top spot, and after Kody got to Tanner's bumper, a three-way battle for the lead ensued with just 10-laps to go!  With no cautions to be had, the non-stop affair produced some lapped traffic, and heightened the intense battle for the lead.  While Tanner began working the low line under the leader, older brother Kody began working the outside to get beside Tanner for 2nd.  With just three laps remaining, Kody finally got to the outside of Tanner in turns three and four, and had a big run on the leader coming down the front-stretch.  With no time left to waste, Kody immediately dove to the inside of the #07 entering turn one, taking the lead off of turn two and completing his move from 3rd to 1st in less than 1 lap!  Tanner was able to get by Wilson in the next lap, and began his pursuit of his older brother with just under two laps to go.  The duo negotiated lapped traffic on the final lap, but the order stayed the same, with Kody taking the Feature Win and Tanner in 2nd to complete the Swanson Brothers One-Two finish!

While it is very exciting to have TK Motorsports finish One-Two in the first race of the return of "Thursday Night Thunder," they will also go down in the record books as the first to win at the newly renamed Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis (formerly O'Reilly Raceway Park and Indianapolis Raceway Park)!  After becoming the first brothers in history to "sweep" a USAC Silver Crown Feature One-Two in August of last year, the Swanson Brothers have now completed One-Two Feature Event sweeps in each of the USAC Pavement Sprint Car series, USAC Silver Crown series, and USAC Western Sprint Car series.  The brothers have also finished a combination of 1st & 3rd in both USAC National Midget series and USAC Western Midget series events, including last year's "Night Before the 500!"  After Tanner and Kody each picked up wins in National Midgets and their first career Silver Crown victories last year, both were named USAC's "Most Improved Drivers" in 2010.

TK Motorsports prepares to “kick-off” 2011 at Silver Dollar Speedway's “John Padjen Classic”

(March 9, 2011) TK Motorsports' Swanson brothers will kick-off a year's worth of racing action at this weekend's “John Padjen Classic” at Chico, California's Silver Dollar Speedway.  Based upon current schedules, Tanner and Kody will combine for nearly 100 events in 2011 USAC Silver Crown, Sprint car and Midget competition.  Kody will also have a special opportunity this season, as he has been invited to compete in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 16th.

This year, Kody and Tanner will return to the USAC National Silver Crown series driving for Team 6R Racing, of Zionsville, Indiana.  Last year, the duo became the “first brothers in History to 'sweep' a USAC Silver Crown Feature Event 1st & 2nd” when Tanner scored his first career Silver Crown win in the “Great Lakes 150.” Kody scored his first career Silver Crown win in the “Ted Horn 100” and lead the series in “Top 2” and “Top 5” feature finishes on his way to 3rd Place finish in the Series' Championship standings.

TK Motorsports and the brothers Swanson will return to the USAC Pavement Sprint car series in 2011, set to take on 10 races on Indiana ovals, including 6 at the recently renamed “Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis.”

The only USAC series the brothers will differ in is the National Midget series.  While Kody will return to the series full-time behind the wheel of the Wilke-PAK Motorsports #11, Tanner will stick to the pavement races only in one of Don Fike's RFMS Racing entries.  The brothers each had great success in limited starts with their respective teams in 2010, and look forward to the opportunities ahead.  In the meantime, Tanner will look to gain valuable experience in National Dirt Midget competition from behind the wheel of the TK Motorsports/Team 6R Racing #19.

While the Swanson brothers aren't traveling from coast to coast on the USAC National tour, they will return to the West Coast for some additional racing events.  Both brothers will continue to add races in the USAC Western Sprint car series from behind the wheel of the Mott-Bolding Motorsports #15, while Kody will return to the Tatro Racing SuperModified for the “Vukovich Classic” at Madera Speedway.  Tanner and Kody both plan to release more about their 2011 Western States racing schedules as details are confirmed. 

TK Motorsports’ 2011 Upcoming Events:
USAC Western Midgets at Silver Dollar Speedway – March 11th: Tanner & Kody Swanson will get things started on the dirt in 2011 from behind the wheel of the TK Motorsports/Team 6R Racing #19 & #23.  The “John Padjen Classic” is a special Friday night event. 
USAC Western Midgets at Ventura Raceway – March 19th: Tanner Swanson will be the sole TK Motorsports representative when the USAC Western Midgets travel to Ventura Raceway’s 1/5 mile dirt oval.  Kody will be unavailable due to a scheduling conflict.
USAC Pavement Sprint Cars at Anderson Speedway – April 3rd: Tanner & Kody Swanson will travel to Indiana with TK Motorsports’ #17 & #75 for the “Glen Niebel Classic,” which Tanner won in 2008 in the RAM #50m.  This year’s edition is a special Sunday afternoon event. 
Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach – April 15-16th: Kody Swanson will make his road course debut from behind the wheel of a Toyota Scion tC in this year’s Pro/Celebrity Race.  This Charity Event is held annually at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.
USAC National Midgets at Dodge City Raceway Park – April 22-23rd: Tanner & Kody Swanson will get their 2011 USAC National season started with the “Duel in Dodge City” double-header.  Kody will  be behind the wheel of the Wilke-PAK Motorsports #11, while Tanner will take control of the TK  Motorsports/Team 6R Racing #19.

Would you like to stay updated as TK Motorsports’ Swanson Brothers tour the US? Know someone else who might? Sign up for the Official TK Motorsports Newsletter and get reminders on Upcoming Events as well as all of the latest Race Results, News and Photos.  Make sure to “like” us on Facebook at Swanson Brothers-TK Motorsports, to get Race Day Results and Updates!  

TK Motorsports on display at the 2011 “World Ag Expo” at the International Agri-Center

TK Motorsports' #17 Sprint Car on display at the World Ag Expo Registration Center

When the “World Ag Expo” began in 1968 at the Tulare (California) County Fairgrounds, it featured over 150 exhibitors and over 28,000 attendees.  Since then, the three-day event has grown to cover 2.6 million square feet at the International Agri-Center in Tulare, and averages over 100,000 attendees to view displays from over 1,600 exhibitors each year.  Statistics like these make the World Ag Expo the world’s largest annual Agriculture Exposition, and this year, TK Motorsports is there. 

With drivers Kody & Tanner Swanson, who each served as their High School FFA Chapter President and received their American FFA Degrees, TK Motorsports and the Swanson brothers have been a great fit to promote the value of Agriculture Education beyond the role of farming and to occupations as extreme as professional racecar driving.  Their role at this year’s World Ag Expo has included the display of the TK Motorsports #17 USAC Pavement Sprint Car, which set a “New Track Record” in its last outing at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, California, as well as being on site to visit with attendees and exhibitors.  The brothers will be on hand to answer questions and tell their story tomorrow and Thursday at the Expo, next to their car on display at the World Ag Expo Registration Center at the corner of Median & J Streets, booth J30.

Racefans and Agriculturalists alike, come on out to the International Agri-Center in Tulare to check out the TK Motorsports Sprint Car on display and see just what the “World Ag Expo” has to offer!

For more information on the World Ag Expo- please visit www.worldagexpo.com

Tanner Swanson hired to Drive for RFMS in 2011 USAC Midget Series!

RFMS Racing has hired Tanner Swanson
01/13/2011

RFMS Racing has hired Tanner Swanson to drive in the USAC Mopar National Midget series in 2011.  Tanner, 19, hails from Kingsburg, California, and will run the entire pavement schedule.

Tanner’s accomplishments in racing are many: He was voted the 2010 USAC Most Improved Driver and he won the prestigious “Night Before the 500,” adding his name to a long list of open-wheel greats who have won this event. He has also won in all three National USAC Divisions.

“I am thrilled to join RFMS Racing and I feel that I can win races and further my career” said Tanner recently. “Team ownership and racing crew members make RFMS one of the most attractive rides in the country and I can’t wait for the 2011 season to start!”

Don Fike, RFMS team owner, added, “The entire race team is pleased to add Tanner to our list of drivers, which includes A.J. Fike and Darren Hagen.” “He is a great addition.”

K&N News- TK Motorsports' Swanson Brothers on Winning, Setting Records and Pleasing Fans

Kody and Tanner are each other's greatest rivals and supporters, it's clearly a winning combination.

For the Rest of the Story, please visit the link through K&N News .....................Tom DeVette Photo

Tanner Swanson sets Sprint Car Track Record at "Turkey Night!"

On Thanksgiving night at the 70th running of the "Turkey Night Grand Prix" at Irwindale's Toyota Speedway, TK Motorsports Swanson Brothers stole the show. The event featured both Kody and Tanner pulling double-duty in the USAC Western Sprint and National Midget divisions, driving their own TK Motorsports sprint cars and the Midget teams of Wilke-Pak Motorsports and Don Fike's RFMS Racing. The show really got started in Western Sprint qualifying, when Kody Swanson broke the 16.37 second track record set in 2003 with a lap 16.17 seconds! However, always prepared to steal the spotlight, Tanner Swanson put his #17 at the top of the board and broke Kody's new track record with his own lap of 16.13 seconds! Next up in National Midget qualifying, Tanner was the first of the brothers to go out in his Don Fike owned #3, and he tied the track record set just a few cars before him with a lap of 16.52 seconds. One of the last cars to go out, Kody put his Wilke-Pak #11 on the pole with a lap of 16.47 seconds and a new track record!

Qualifying Recap: Tanner sets and holds Toyota Speedway NEW TRACK RECORD in USAC Western Sprintcars at 16.13 seconds. Kody sets and holds Toyota Speedway NEW TRACK RECORD in USAC National Midgets at 16.47 seconds.

Race Time: In the USAC Western Sprint feature, Kody and Tanner lined up 5th and 6th after a 6-car invert of the fastest qualifiers. At the drop of the green, the brothers quickly moved through the pack, with Kody taking the lead and Tanner in 2nd on lap 6. Just before the half-way point, Tanner had a mechanical failure under the hood of the #17, and fell out after running a close 2nd and pressuring for the lead during the early part of the race. Kody held on to a dominant win, after Tanner's misfortune, to score the first "Turkey Night" feature win for him and his TK Motorsports team! The USAC National Midget feature had the Swanson brothers lined up 1st and 3rd after their qualifying efforts, set to take on the 1/2 mile track for the 98-lap event. At the drop of the green, Kody shot to the lead, with Tanner also toward the front until his streak of bad luck continued, as another engine failure ended his night in the #3. Kody continued to battle among the Top 5 competitors with a tire going down for the first 40-laps, before the Right Rear tire finally blew out and ended his night. Although the National Midget feature didn't finish as planned, the Swanson brothers still made a huge impression on the fans at the "Turkey Night Grand Prix." Thanks for your interest in TK Motorsports, and look for the final 2010 newsletter to come out soon!

"Turkey Night" Remains in 2010 Racing Action

Tanner Swanson will compete in the 70th running of the "Turkey Night Grand Prix" at TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale on Thanksgiving night to cap off the 2010 USAC Racing season. Tanner will be driving the Don Fike owned, RFMS Liberty Village #3 in the USAC National Midget Event, while he will return to the USAC Western Sprintcar Series behind the wheel of his very own TK Motorsports #17.

Special Announcement from TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale:

From Now until November 14th, you can order tickets for the 70th Running of the "Turkey Night Grand Prix" for just $10! Normally $20, these half-off tickets are available for purchase online at the track's website: www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com

USAC Silver Crown "Rollie Beale 150" at Toledo Speedway----October 16

The Swanson brothers entered the "Rollie Beale 150" each with one goal in mind: "to win this race." Tanner was looking to back up his first career win from Marne, Michigan's "Great Lakes 150," while Kody was looking for his first pavement Silver Crown win and the chance to steal away the series Championship. The brothers qualified their Team 6R Racing cars in 5th and 9th, Kody then Tanner, and set the stage for the big 150-lap feature around Toledo's half-mile speedway. With such a long race, and tire management a serious factor, the brothers began methodically working their way to what they hoped would land them in Victory Lane. Kody moved from 5th to 4th in the early laps, and took over 3rd by lap 20, and set his sights on the leaders. Tanner was amongst a heated battle that featured 5th through 12th, trying to work his way to the front. After a short caution, Kody began stalking the two leaders, waiting to make his move. On lap 58, leader Jacob Wilson, suffered a mechanical issue, bringing out the caution and ending his night. Kody moved to 2nd as result, and began his pursuit of leader Jerry Coons Jr. Several times, the two would enter lapped traffic, and as Kody was making his move for the lead the caution would come out and negate the attempt. This was the most evident on lap 123, when Kody had a run to the inside of the leader when the red-flag came out. Tanner had been the victim of some hard-racing by his competitors, and when the two others collided, it sent Tanner hard into the wall, merely a victim of their circumstances. Tanner was ok, but his #23 and his chances of winning had met their end. Kody continued his pursuit of the leader, and made a valiant late-race attempt in lapped traffic to no avail, as the older Swanson brought his #19 home in the 2nd position for the 3rd time in only 9 races! The finish earned Kody 3rd in the final championship standings, just 11 out of the lead in one of the tightest championship battles in Silver Crown history!

USAC Silver Crown at Terre Haute's Action Track----October 9

The Swanson brothers headed to Terre Haute, Indiana for the last dirt race on the 2010 Silver Crown schedule. The 100-lap "Sumar Classic" would be the first career start for both Kody and Tanner in the Silver Crown cars at the famous 1/2 mile. After qualifying 21st and 24th, Tanner then Kody, the brothers would have a long road to the front in the 100-lapper. At the drop of the green, the duo began making their way through the field, Tanner leading Kody, and by half-way had made it up to 14th and 15th. Kody got around Tanner on a restart as the two moved to 13th & 14th, when Tanner got a flat RR tire a few laps later. Tanner returned with a fresh tire, but a few laps down. Kody continued toward the front, and with caution laps ceasing to count after lap 70, Kody was able to gain a number of positions as some of the front-runners got impatient and crashed out. As the checkered flags flew, Kody had made it all the way to the 5th position! Although it was a long road getting there, a solid "Top 5" finish kept Kody in Championship contention, just 27 points out of the lead with one race remaining! Tanner came back from his flat tire to a 13th place finish, as the younger Swanson continues to impress as he battles adversity to make some strong performances.

USAC Silver Crown "4-Crown Nationals" at Eldora Speedway----September 25

The Swanson brothers entered the "4-Crown Nationals" at Eldora Speedway each looking for a strong run. Tanner was looking to gain valuable experience in his first trip to the famed 1/2 mile, while Kody was looking to keep himself in Championship contention in the USAC Silver Crown series. After qualifying 17th and 24th, Tanner then Kody, the brothers had a lot of racing to do in a short amount of time to salvage some good finishes. In the semi-main, Kody moved from 12th to 6th, while Tanner held on to his 5th position to earn them both spots in the feature event. Starting together in Row 9, 17th and 18th, the brothers began moving forward in the 50-lapper. Tanner impressively began putting slide-jobs on the competition, moving up a handful of positions in a short amount of time and looking like a veteran. By lap 9, Tanner had moved toward the top 12 when he got into trouble in turn two, and when another car got into him, he broke a rear end and ended what was impressive run for the series rookie. Kody continued on, picking up where Tanner left off, and moved himself toward the top 12. As the race wound down, Kody made an attempt to pass into the top 10, and gave up his 11th position to finish a solid 12th after battling from a 24th place qualifying effort. Although it wasn't quite the results the brothers wanted, their Eldora experience was still positive with two races remaining on the the Silver Crown schedule.

Tanner Swanson visits "Harvest Classic" Victory Lane!

BCRA Midgets at Madera Speedway----September 18

In the Bay Cities Racing Association 30-lap midget event, Tanner Swanson brought home the victory for Paul Eskesen in his red #10c. After setting the fastest time in qualifying, Tanner finished 2nd in both the trophy dash and the heat race before lining up for the feature event. By virtue of his fastest qualifying effort, Tanner would start outside row two in the 4th position for the 30-lapper. Tanner wasted no time driving forward, moving to 3rd by the end of lap 1 and 2nd by lap 7. However, race leader Chad Nichols had opened up a decent margin on the young Swanson as he navigated traffic. Once out in "clean air," Tanner turned up the wick on the #10 machine and quickly began erasing his deficit. In less than 10 laps, Tanner had completely depleted the gap to the leader, pulling to the back-bumper of the Nichols #17 by lap 13. For the next few laps Tanner hounded the leader, looking high and low, preparing the critical pass for the lead before making the move. Yet on lap 19, mechanical woes retired the Nichols machine and ended the battle for the top spot, as Tanner took over a commanding lead on the rest of the field. For the next 11 laps, Tanner continued to pull away, finishing a full lap ahead of the 3rd place finisher, and scored his first victory for Paul Eskesen in his Rescino Performance powered #10c.

SMRA SuperModifieds at Madera Speedway----September 18

The 2010 Harvest Classic was the first Super race at the historic speedway to ever feature TWO Swansons, as young Tanner was making his SuperModified debut behind the wheel of Tom Joyce’s #56, while Kody returned for the season finale in Lance Tatro’s #72. Tanner picked up the new type of car like he’d been racing them all season, putting his #56 4th in the qualifying order, while Kody struggled and ended up 6th with the #72. With his effort, Tanner earned a spot in the trophy dash, and when a warm-up crash depleted another car from the line-up, Kody entered the event as an alternate and started from the tail. As the field quickly spread in the 4-lap dash, Kody shot to 2nd from 4th, with Tanner in 3rd for the entire event. The duo then finished 3rd and 4th in the heat race, Tanner then Kody, before preparing for the night’s 50-lap feature event. The field would line-up with Kody starting 5th, and Tanner 7th, as the 410 Supers would start inverted behind the field of 360 Supers. At the drop of the green, Kody shot to the inside went from 5th to the lead in the first lap! As Kody tried to build his lead, Tanner was quickly learning how to negotiate traffic in his first career start. The young Swanson made it look easy, moving from 7th to 4th in the first lap, to 3rd by lap 2 and 2nd by lap 3. From there, the chase was on, Kody leading Tanner as the Swanson brothers lead the SuperModifieds One-Two at Madera Speedway. The first 30 laps went caution free, and while the distance between Kody and Tanner fluctuated as the duo navigated lapped traffic, the order never changed among the leaders. A restart on lap 31 erased Kody’s lead margin, and put the younger Swanson in a position to challenge for the lead. Yet Kody again pulled away for a few laps before Tanner began erasing his lead. By lap 38, Tanner was within two-carlengths of Kody when the brothers entered lapped traffic. Kody quickly shot three-wide to the inside and cleared traffic when Tanner was clipped by a lapper on the front-stretch, spinning through the grass and ending his valiant run in the #56. One Swanson down, One to go. On the lap 39 restart, Kody quickly began building his lead, less than 10 laps from his first SuperModified win, when disaster struck on lap 41. Coming off of turn 4, the left rear axle on the #72 sheared off, sending Kody spinning down the front-straightaway and the Tatro Racing team out of the race, ending their run after 41 laps in the top spot. Two Swansons down. Even though the results will show that the Swansons finished the Harvest Classic in the infield, those in attendance will remember Tanner in the #56 and Kody in the #72 putting on a show in what could have, and probably should have, been another Swanson brothers One-Two.

Tanner Swanson scores 1st career Silver Crown win in "Great Lakes 150"

After disappointing circumstances left Tanner & Kody 20th and 23rd at the conclusion of the USAC Silver Crown event at O’Reilly Raceway Park, the Swanson brothers looked to turn their luck, and their season, around at Berlin Raceway on August 12th. In qualifying Tanner timed in 3rd, with Kody in 6th, setting the brothers up with great starting positions for the night’s 150-lap feature event. At the drop of the green, Tanner held his 3rd position, while Kody moved to the
5th spot. In the next few laps, Tanner fell to 4th in an effort to conserve his tires and racecar to last the duration of the event, setting up a strong run toward the end of the feature. Over the next 70 laps Tanner and Kody toured the Berlin Raceway oval, moving to 3rd and 4th and setting their sights on the race leaders. As the event approached the lap 95 mark, the brothers found themselves in a heated battle for the lead. The Top 4 racecars were nose-to-tail, for just about a lap before mayhem broke loose. Tanner went to the outside, while Kody went low, as the duo attempted to move three-wide for the 2nd position. Tanner came out with the upper-hand, took over 2nd and made the pass for the lead on lap 100! With Tanner out front, Kody was left alone to deal with the other two cars, and shot from 4th to 2nd in the same lap! With just under 50 laps remaining, Kody set his sights on his younger brother, hoping to take over the top spot for himself. The battle for the lead continued, as the brothers began to weave through lapped traffic, even splitting cars three-wide at times! However, as the laps wound down and the lapped cars changed, one thing remained the same: Tanner Swanson was leading the race. With two laps remaining, Kody pulled to the back bumper of his brother, only to have a lapped car deny the chance for a last lap pass attempt. Tanner Swanson, driving the Team 6R Racing #23, powered by Toyota, drove from 3rd to the lead in a matter of moments, then proceeded to hold off his older brother in the final laps to score his first career USAC Silver Crown victory! With Tanner in Victory Lane, and Kody in tow, the “Great Lakes 150” marked the first time in USAC Silver Crown history that brothers swept a feature event 1st & 2nd!

"Bad Luck" Drops younger Swanson out of "Ted Horn 100"

Fresh off of their 1st-2nd feature event “sweep” in Marne, Michigan, Tanner and Kody Swanson traveled to DuQuoin Illinois to compete for Team 6R Racing, powered by Toyota, in this year’s “Ted Horn 100.” This was Tanner’s first trip to DuQuoin, and Kody’s first time back in two years after last year’s event was rained out. In qualifying, Tanner and Kody proved to be very equal, qualifying 15th and 16th, Tanner then Kody. At the drop of the green for the 100-mile event, Tanner and Kody barreled into turn one, splitting the car in front of them three-wide, with Kody coming out of two with the advantage, and up to the 14th spot. In the race’s early laps the brothers moved up to 13th & 14th, when a spun cam drive ended young Tanner’s night on lap 13. As Kody continued, he was able to pass up to 11th by the race’s mandatory red flag at lap 51. During the stop, teams were allowed to add fuel and change tires, with those changing tires to start behind the teams that didn’t. Kody and his Team 6R team didn’t change tires, and restarted the race with the lead! The first car to change tires started directly behind in 3rd, leaving Kody with a 50-lap shootout against racecars with brand new tires. Kody held a lead of up to a dozen car-lengths, and was leading by about 4 lengths when the caution flew with 15 laps remaining, setting up a 10-lap dash to the finish. On the restart, Kody opened a small margin, but had it quickly erased by a hard-charging Jon Stanbrough. As the two continued to battle for the lead, the race hit a peak moment with a few laps remaining when Jon shot to the inside of Kody entering turn one. Jon drove past Kody into turn one, but couldn’t hold the line as his momentum carried him out to the second groove, allowing Kody to pass back by on the bottom and re-take the lead! For the final laps, Kody held a steady pace and held on to score his first career USAC Silver Crown victory! Ironically, Tanner and Kody scored their first career Silver Crown events in back-to-back races!

Joe James/Pat O'Connor Classic at Salem Speedway

After the USAC National Sprintcar series sat idle for over a month, TK Motorsports returned to action on the high-banks of Salem Speedway. With a 39 degree bank in turns 3 & 4, this half-mile racetrack can be extremely fast and intimidating. In qualifying, Kody spun sideways coming to the green flag, and while managing to keep it out of the fence, could only muster an 8th place effort on his 2nd lap. Being Tanner’s first career start at Salem Speedway, his 9th place qualifying run was a solid performance. After transferring through preliminary heat races for the night’s 50-lap Joe James/Pat O’Connor Classic, the Swanson brothers lined up 8th and 9th for the feature event. While positions shuffled about in the opening laps, Kody moved up to 7th, with Tanner running 10th on a very tricky racetrack. The brothers maintained their position until a lap 28 red flag reset the field with just 22 laps remaining. On the restart, Kody quickly moved
to the outside in hopes to take over 6th, when a 4-car battle broke out for the position. At one point, Kody fell all the way to 9th before making it back to 7th with a few laps remaining. By this time, Tanner’s #17 began to experience handling issues, and with fear of a tire going flat, he retired to the pits. Coming to the white flag, Kody was able to take over the 6th position, and hold on for a solid finish at the Salem Speedway.

Swanson battles in tough night at ORP

Kroger Speedfest at O’Reilly Raceway Park was stop #4 for the K&N USAC Silver Crown series tour for 2010, and is always a schedule favorite because of its proximity to the “Racing Capital of the World” and conjunction with NASCAR weekend in Indianapolis. The “JD Byrider 100” event would start straight-up after qualifying and start 30 Silver Crown cars for the 100-lap affair around the 0.686 mile oval. The Swanson brothers qualified their Team 6R Racing, powered by Toyota, entries to 4th and 6th place efforts, with Kody leading Tanner. Fresh off of his National Midget feature win, Kody would line up his #19 outside row two, with Tanner in the Armstrong Garage Doors #23 directly behind outside row three.
At the drop of the green flag, Kody held the high line to take over the 3rd position, and trailed NASCAR Star Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne Racing driver Brad Sweet for the opening lap. Tanner, however, was making his first start from the front of the Silver Crown field, and was continuing to battle for the 6th position. By lap 5, Kody had already used the bottom of the racetrack to pass Newman, then Sweet, and take the lead in his Toyota powered #19. Over the next few laps, Kody pulled away to an 8-car length margin, and continued to distance himself from the field with ease. After a brief caution period, Kody would lead the field back to green on lap 25, when disaster struck. Apparently small debris from the caution had cut the Right Rear tire on the #19, causing it to begin going flat while Kody was leading the race! Obviously, the #19 began to lose speed and Kody faded to the rear of the lineup before finally blowing the tire out on lap 44. The blow out warranted a caution, and Kody brought the #19 to pit lane for a used set of tires only to find that Tanner was having tires issues as well, as a leaking Right Rear tire brought him to pit road in his #23. Each a few laps down, the Swanson brothers began to make their charge back up through the field. Kody was up around the Top 10 in the running order when a Right Front wheel problem on lap 68 sidelined his #19 for the remainder of the event. Tanner continued his battle, and made it all the way to 9th in the running order by feature’s end, but being laps down relegated him to a 20th place finish. Although the results were disappointing, the Swanson brothers were extremely fast at O’Reilly Raceway Park, and will be in contention to win on the USAC Silver Crown trail.

Heartbreak for the Eskesen Racing #10 at Madera

The Swanson brothers entered Madera Speedway for their first midget event at the track in 2010 as heavy favorites to take home the hardware. In the 6 USAC/BCRA Midget events held at the 1/3 mile speedplant in 2009, TK Motorsports’ Swanson Brothers took home 5 trophies, as Kody picked up 2 wins and Tanner 3, leaving only 1 to the competition. On this hot summer day, it was Tanner who would set “fast time” in the Paul Eskesen Racing #10, while Kody timed his Neverlift Motorsports #15 in the 2nd position, setting up a long day of head-to-head competition between the two. However, in the trophy dash Nick Foster Jr. decided to show his strength, as he drove his #1 machine to the win, with Tanner 2nd and Kody 3rd. Kody picked up the win in his preliminary heat race, with Nick and Tanner in tow, setting up what was sure to be a 3-car battle for the feature win. With Nick, Kody and Tanner starting 4th, 5th, and 6th respectively, the race to the front sure was a good one. By the drop of the green the young brothers were dicing through the pack, and by lap 3 they were running 2nd and 3rd. Kody cleared Foster for the lead by lap 4, when Tanner began to experience mechanical issues. The #10 broke a throttle shaft, ending Tanner’s night before the real battle even got started.