ANDERSON, Ind. – For the second consecutive year, misfortune for Kody Swanson spelled victory for Tyler Roahrig in the Tony Elliott Classic at Anderson Speedway.
A year ago Swanson was comfortably leading the classic for non-winged sprint cars when he made contact with a slower car on lap 72 and his night ended against the turn two wall.
During Saturday’s Paint the Night Pink night sponsored by Carter Express, it was almost a repeat of the 2018 race.
Roahrig set fast time during qualifications and led the first lap, but Swanson used the outside racing line on the second circuit to claim the lead coming off the fourth corner.
From there Swanson pulled away from Roahrig with Nick Hamilton, Caleb Armstrong, Chris Neuenschwander and Shane Hollingsworth battling for the third spot.
On lap 66 Swanson’s car made contact with a slower car entering turn three, jumped the rear tire of the other car and ended up against the turn four wall.
That put Roahrig on the point chased by Neuenschwander and Hamilton.
Roahrig drove away from the competition when the second caution flag waved on lap 105 for a Hollingsworth spin on the front straight.
The driver on the move was Bobby Santos III who passed Armstrong on lap 109 and Hamilton on lap 115 to be running third after starting 11th in the field.
A green-white-checker finish was created when Hamilton and Kyle O’Gara tangled in turn four.
Santos passed Neuenschwander for the second spot with an inside move entering turn one but finished .522 seconds behind Roahrig.
Neuenschwander held on to finish third ahead of Armstrong and Hollingsworth.
Roahrig becomes the first two-time winner of the Tony Elliott Classic and last month won the Glen Niebel Classic at Anderson Speedway.
“It’s unfortunate what happened to Kody (Swanson),” Roahrig said in the Star Financial Victory Lane. “His car was the class of the field and I wouldn’t have minded finishing second to a five-time Silver Crown champion.
“The crew gave me a really good car here again, but I didn’t want to see the restarts at the end,” he said. “I knew Bobby (Santos) was coming through the field.”
Santos said his poor qualifying run but him in a difficult position for the victory.
“We missed the set-up,” Santos said. “We made some changes for the race, but the racing was really close and it was tough to gain positions.”
Neuenschwander said team owner Jerry Powell gave him a good race car, but the engine was loading up on fuel and not responding.
“I appreciate the opportunity,” he said. “I’m not sure we really had anything for Kody (Swanson) or Tyler (Roahrig).”
The finish:
Tyler Roahrig, Bobby Santos, Chris Neuenschwander, Caleb Armstrong, Shane Hollingsworth, John Inman, Kyle O’Gara, Travis Welpott, Derek Bischak, Dakoda Armstrong, Brian Vaughn, Nick Hamilton, Johnny Gilbertson, Kody Swanson, Brian Tyler, Christian Koehler, Johnny Petrozelle, Chris Jagger, Shane Butler.