Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Lebanon Ohio( Nov 15, 2019) California native Kody Swanson , as anticipated , learned quickly and impressed racing dignitaries in practice for the “The Classic “24 hrs of Daytona.

Kody Swanson is a 3 time winner of the prestigious Little 500 and 5 time USAC Silver Crown National Champion. The talented race driver and scholar has more wins than anyone in the history of USAC Silver Crown Racing with 29 wins and counting. He has dominated SC racing the past 5 years. The series ,that touts past champion names such as Foyt, Andretti and Tony Stewart ,is a training ground for future champions.

Kody will join veteran road racer Brad Jaeger in driving the iconic Ford GT entered by Doran Racing of Lebanon Ohio. Kevin Doran is well known and highly respected in the road racing community. He has engineered cars that have won at the Rolex 24 hrs of Daytona, 12 hours of Sebring and the Petite LeMans. The race starts Nov 16 and concludes on Nov 17.

Kody met numerous racing legends, but one in particular got everyone’s attention. Five time Le Mans and three time 24 hours of Daytona Derek Bell noticed Kody’s impressive first stints in the Ford GT and came to visit(picture). He knew of Kody’s USAC career and accomplishments. It was a great honor for Kody and the entire Doran Team.

Hopefully ,Kody will get his first night practice driving in the GT tonight, before the race starts tomorrow. A full report on Kody’s great adventure will follow after the race.

Contact
Tim Waechter
twbigt69@gmail.com

Absolutely kills me that it's 5 minutes away from my house and I can't go.

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Kody and Derek Bell swapping tips, taken by crew member

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

IndyCar and NACAR have missed the boat in a big way by not giving this guy a chance. A guy who knows how to win, win in long races and is a sponsor's dream.

I really hope he gets the chance to show what he can do in the 24.

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Derek Bell was one hell of a driver / road racer back in his hey day. Their where a few drivers back then who I though had a ton of talent and just needed a place to show it. So to get any type of props from someone of Derek's stature is awesome for Kody.

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Okay. I'll bite.

Why?

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Brad Jeager, Kody's team mate just turned the fastest lap ever for a Ford GT at Daytona.

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Kody Swanson will be in the car around midnight. Group F. F-3 class.
First race they won they're class, 8th of 42. Second Race, Won sixth overall. Beating several of the Prototypes and all the Ferrari's.

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

This on tv, or do you need some sort of special pay per view?

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Race Monitor is carrying the timing. Plus Im texting with a team member from Doran.

https://www.race-monitor.com/Live/Race/91234

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Ok, thanks for the updates.

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That would be Victory Lane, Kody finished the day turning a lap in which exceeded 200mph and was within a second of veteran team mate Brad Jaeger. Beat many prototypes as well.

SOrry, Picture next post

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next post, promiss :)

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Try again

For starters, this 50 degree weather is cold for us Florida folk. Lol. But also had some stuff to do for the kids.

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

What a great opportunity for Kody. I hope it can translate into some more road races for him....

Come on Indy car WAKE UP!!!

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Foyt needs a driver! lol...but we know that won't happen...AND (unfortunately), if Kody did make it to Indycar, it would ideally be with a better team...lol (I know Foyt is making a continued effort to improve...let's hope it shows on the track this season...)

Too bad there aren't more Indy Lights teams and $ out there to get SC@M guys in them...

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Anyone know what "and Scholar" means? Is he a teacher?

Just started listening and haven’t gotten to Kody yet but today’s installment of the fabulous Rip the Fence podcast has Kody as well as recently crowned sprint champ C.J. Leary. They said in the open they were going to ask him about his Daytona experience as well as his big car championship. Check it out

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

I am a part of the Doran team on occasion. I have been in Daytona and watched it all unfold from the start to end. On Wednesday Kody went out to practice. He had "0" laps in the GT. Unfortunately Brad was in California and could not get to the track until Thursday. Kody went out anyway..... no experience, no coach. He did fine stayed out of the way of faster cars etc. He was frustrated but determined to do better. He went out in the second session and turned in some average times..... nothing earth shattering.
Thursday morning Brad arrived and immediately took the data from the GT to go over it with Kody.... Then Brad went out and turned some lighting fast practice times. The engineer pulled the data from Brads run and began comparing with Kody's on the computer. The data shows top speed, braking, apex speed etc etc on every corner and the mph on the straightaway. A driver cannot bull$hit about his run...... the computer knows everything. There are also cameras front and rear and in the cockpit that don't lie. After these are compared with the data you can easily figure out why and sped up of slowed down. Thursdays night practice was cancelled because of rain...... no track time.
Friday morning the track was still damp so Brad ran the car in a heat race and won it. Friday was still wet so no practice for Kody. Brad ran a heat race and won it later in the day.
Kody only got a few practice laps. Saturday they had a special race for group F cars. Kevin decided that Kody will race it for the experience. He came from the back and won his class GT2A. Now the field is set for the big one. Kody is feeling pretty good and smiling. It's go time. Brad ran the first session of the race. The track was damp and Brad stayed out of trouble and kept the GT in the top 10. It's 12:00 am and Kody's turn to take over the car. He immediately fell back to around 14th. Remember now that he had "0" practice at night, the track was damp because of mist coming in off the ocean and your out there with extremely fast LMP2 rocket ships ( LeMan's Prototype with 900hp ) cars. He ran very consistent laps and dodged the wrecks and spins. His last 2 laps were very quick. 6:00AM Brad takes over and drives the $hit out of the GT to 6th overall the only cars in front of him are 5 LMP2
rockets. It's Kody time for the last leg. He started 6th on the restart and let a few LMP2's get by and 2 GT Porsche's. On the second lap there was a 2 car crash. Keven called him in for a mandatory pit stop. Kody got out of the pits and joined the rear of the field of 36 cars. He did not loose a lap. Brilliant move by Kevin Doran. Kevin radios Kody that it is time to go... and go he did. He was picking of cars like they were standing still and it was fun as hell watching him do it. He had some blistering laps. Now all of a sudden he is back in front of the GT cars and several LMP rockets. With time winding down he made his first and only mistake of the week...... he spun the GT in the horseshoe. I watched it happen. I felt bad for him. But just like he has done before he got the GT pointed in the right direction and took off. Now he is turning laps as fast as Brad and Memo Gidley (former Indy car driver) who drove the car 2 years ago. Now Kody is on fire. It was just like watching him run down the leaders in the Little 500. He was back within striking distance of the Porsches and would have passed them but the checkered flag flew and the race was over. He still won the class and was 3rd over all in GT our of 35+ cars. I will check tomorrow but I am pretty sure he turned in a lap as fast as Brad's best. All this on old tires. He took the GT to victory lane and we had a blast. Kody's interview was cool. He explained that he has never been in a road race car until he got here 5 days. All the people in victory lane were left looking at each ..... "is that for real ??" He thanked everyone then accepted his trophy and Champaign..... and in Kody's style thanked everyone except the construction works across the street. There is no one and I mean no one that could have accomplished what he did over the weekend.
Cody plans on racing for Kevin Doran a few times in 2020 when his schedule allows. The Ford GT will most likely be retired. We will have a newer Ford GT for 2020 and yes, Kody had agreed to drive it. Keep in mind that Kody just got done racing against professional drivers, 15 teams from 15 different country's, 200 plus entries and Ford factory drivers who recently won the IMSA championship including LeMans.
Kody and his wife Jordan are amazing people. Kody is true ambassador for all of you sprint car drivers and fans. I'm looking forward to the next race with Kody and Jordan.
Sorry for all mistakes in this. I have had very little sleep the past 6 days.... Cincy Ken

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Thanks for that Ken, When you mentioned Kody to me almost a year ago, I said "I could think of nobody better. He finds the edge and can hit it every lap.

Now go watch Ford Vs. Ferrari. Darn good movie, even if it's a little long. :)

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Just a minor correction. I'm reading this thread as a result of a post on another board ('haven't read the rules in fullest so shan't post it).
I have become a Swanson fan, and hope he finds himself a ride somewhere up the ladder. However, having been down this road myself, and not succeeding (lack of $$$, not knowledge and skill), it must be noted that it is not incumbent on a sanctioning body to secure drivers seats. :)

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Again, 'same.

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Hi Chris. You are 100% correct. Its not Indy Car or NASCAR that hires the drivers, it is the teams. Teams need financial backing to race. If a driver comes to a team owner with a million bucks he is going to get serious consideration before another driver who may be much better but has no $$ to bring to the table. That sucks but it is reality. Kody needs to keep winning, selling himself to potential sponsors. On a rare occasion there might be a team that has the funding but only middle of the pack drivers that might consider giving him a test. Lets hope that owner, sponsor or team steps up.

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Absolutely. I earned (by working in their shop) a ride (small family team, GTU 911) in two 24 of Daytonas ('broke both years, half way'ish through) 40ish years ago. That lucked me into a chance to warm up (literally just a warmup, 5 laps, 5G rev limit requested.....I jumped on it) a March 83G/Chevy when the driver was running late for the practice session and they wanted it warmed and leak checked when he got there.

As in any racing situation, "How fast 'you want to go? How much you got?", 'pretty much applies to getting noticed and signed with some team...."How much do you have to get you there....?". ;)

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Hey Chris..... was your Dad the Formula 1 driver that won a ton of races back in the late 60's and 70's? He was a hell of a great driver!

That’s meant to be taken in a general term as in all the teams wake up not indy car totally understand a sanctioning body does not put drivers in cars , I think most people definitely understood what I meant 🙄

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Aiy yi-yi. No. 'Just a screename. :)
I did have the opportunity to see Chris drive his Ferrari 612P in a Can Am race at Bridgehampton, NY, 1969 (2 other slot car racers and one's dad that drove us out there from NYC). Boy that 6 litre V12 sounded great! Having qualified 3rd to the Bruce and Denny Show, sorrowfully, his bad luck kicked in, and he broke only three laps in.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...46812c65d3.jpg

More importantly, poor Chris ('passed a couple or three years ago) is widely known as one of, if not THE, best F1 drivers to never have won a World Championship race.
He did, in 1969, win a Tasman Series Championship (a series for mostly Formula One chassis with 2.5 litre engines as opposed to 3.0 litres in F1, run in Australia and New Zealand during the F1 off-season).

Chris
http://www.connectingrod.it/public/a....Amon%2022.jpg

You might enjoy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasman_Series

The driver photo in this one is Bruce McLaren
https://www.mclaren.com/racing/blog/...-championship/

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Okay....no need for defensiveness....there are ignorants online that do need guidance, that's all. :9: :17:
('Notice how CincyKen took it? No insecurity there. ;))

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Ford GT ripping the Daytona 24 course.

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Warning, This video will spoil it if you watch before watching the Movie Ford Vs Ferrari
Documentary on the Ford GT.

Re: Kody Swanson at Daytona
 

Sorry for going off topic, a bit, but we went to see Ford vs. Ferrari last night and was quite pleased to see that the development and racing content of the movie followed factual history rather closely. I refreshed my memory recently when we had decided to go see this movie by reading up on the chronological events that took place leading up to, and throughout, the whole Ford/Shelby/Miles Le Mans saga. I, as many others, feared that Hollywood would leave some things out and/or add some drama to add some entertainment value. I'm sure there were some things in the personal lives and interaction of the main characters that are non-factually dramatized but that is probably needed and to be accepted.

We would heartily recommend this movie to anyone interested in the plot line. It's one of the better racing movies we've ever seen, however, that generally isn't saying much!

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I agree, It was well done and even the look and accents of Shelby and Miles were spot on.