SALEM, Ind. – Ken Schrader and Kody Swanson are no strangers to the high banks of Salem Speedway.
The former USAC Silver Crown Series champions will add another experience to their history at the .555-mile oval as Schrader and Swanson enter this Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200, the series’ final race of the season.
For Schrader, he returns to the site of his 18th and latest ARCA Menards Series victory.
Swanson, meanwhile, takes up an opportunity to run with GMS Racing, combining his talents that have won five straight USAC Silver Crown races at Salem with the successful team.
“I am really excited and grateful to have an opportunity to race with GMS Racing, and to continue pursuing different avenues with my career,” Swanson said.
“This whole deal started with the opportunity to compete in the SRX Series earlier this year,” Swanson added. “I was invited to race at Eldora Speedway as the local all-star for the event, and that was where I met [GMS president] Mike Beam. We were paired together by the series, and he would be my crew chief for the race.
“I felt like we got along really well, and worked together with the same intensity, both willing to put in the extra effort and what it takes to win,” Swanson continued. “We ended up just one spot short that night, but it started a conversation and relationship that has led to an opportunity like this.”
Saturday will be Swanson’s second start in an ARCA car. He finished eighth last year at Iowa Speedway.
Chad Bryant, a 2016 ARCA champion, will act as Swanson’s crew chief.
As for Schrader, he returns to the ARCA scene for the second time this year, his most races in the series since 2016. The 66-year-old will again drive for 1995 series champion Andy Hillenburg.
Schrader’s most recent ARCA victory came at Salem in 2015 and finished third in Hillenburg’s race machine at DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds on Sept. 5.
Ty Gibbs maintains a 17-point lead in the series standings over Corey Heim heading into Saturday’s 200-lapper.
Gibbs was the winner the last time the series raced at Salem in 2019, leading 196 of the race’s 200 laps on his way for his second career series win.