Nice to see Jeff Swindell back.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Two time Hoosier Hundred winner Jeff Swindell will try to make it four wins at the historic Indiana State Fairgrounds Friday night driving for Carl Edwards/ RE Technologies Racing.

“It is awesome to be coming back for the Hoosier Hundred,” said Jeff Swindell. I have always had good luck there with the Silver Crown cars.”

Swindell won his first Silver Crown™ race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in 1987. He won the Hoosier Hundred in 1991 and 1993. The Memphis native credits his first Silver Crown win to A.J. Foyt.

“I had just met A.J. earlier that month,” said Swindell. “Gary Bettenhausen at the time had made the Indianapolis 500 and his car owner for the 500 didn’t want him to run the race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The owner of his Silver Crown car was talking to A.J. Foyt on the phone and Foyt said “Well, I have got your driver right here.”

Jeff Swindell says at first Bettenhausen’s Silver Crown car owner was tentative about putting the inexperienced big car driver in a car. Swindell proved that A.J. Foyt and the car owners had made the right decision. Starting in the rear of the field, Jeff Swindell moved through his way up to the front, winning the 60-lap race. In the process, Swindell set a new track record for the 60-lap race, of 34:31.26 at a speed of 104.284 mph, which still stands to this day.

“That makes the Indy is more special to me because it was the way I got started running Silver Crown cars.”

Jeff Swindell would go on to win the Ted Horn 100, at DuQuoin in 1990 and the Hoosier Hundred in 1991 and 1993. He also finished third in points in 1987 and second in points in 1992. Swindell will pilot the No. 199 Roush / Yates Ford entry for the rest of the dirt races in the 2010 season. The Memphis, Tenn. native will be joined by teammates Justin Carver in the No. 991 Memphis Fence / Dyno Tech Racing Engines entry and Derek Hagar who will pilot the No. 91 Conrad Sand and Gravel / Dyno Tech car.

“It is good to be a teammate with a three time winner at the track,” said Hagar. “Hopefully I will be able to learn a lot from him and maybe even beat him to victory lane.”

“Ever since I was a child, I have watched the Indianapolis 500,” added Carver. “It is exciting to know you are running the same track on the championship car circuit as they were at one time.”

This year celebrates the 50th anniversary of A.J. Foyt’s initial Hoosier Hundred victory in 1960. Foyt has won the race a record six times.