GERMANTOWN, Tenn. – Sammy Swindell is 63 and while many people his age are either retired or closing in on retirement from the workforce, the wily veteran is still showing up to race tracks across the country.
Swindell kicks off his winged sprint car season this Friday and Saturday at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, during the 46th annual ASCS Spring Nationals with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour.
His goal is simple: to win, which would extend his winning streak to 49 consecutive years.
“Trying to stay in pretty good shape and the experience that I have definitely helps out,” he said. “Each year we try to come out with a few little tweaks or some new things or whatever we can that we think of over the winter. You can’t wait to get out there and see if everything worked out the way you planned.”
Swindell has been strong at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, where he’s won in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He has captured a trio of ASCS National Tour wins at the half-mile oval, including two in 1995 and most recently in 2010. Swindell has also earned a dozen World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series triumphs at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
“It’s one of those tracks that’s been pretty consistent for the most part,” he said. “The way they prepare it’s usually the same so you kind of know what to expect. The weather can change it some, but that’s something you have to learn to deal with.
“We’ve run good whether we’ve started up front or come out of a B Main. Sometimes the race makes a difference where you start as to where you can finish, but we’ve had some top threes and top fives starting in the back of the A Main. I just don’t want to have to work that hard. You hope you can be in the right place and everything goes your way and you can start at the front.”
Swindell, who will be driving for A.G. Rains, powered from 14th to a sixth-place outing during this event last year and the duo scored a runner-up result at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in the Speedweek show last year.