PALMETTO, Fla. – One week after making a winning debut on the Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires, USAC Silver Crown Series star Kody Swanson will return to action with Legacy Autosport team on Aug. 29 at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Swanson will contest the Indy Pro 2000 Oval Challenge of St. Louis presented by Cooper Tires, with the team, marking his second start in the Indy Pro 2000 Championship presented by Cooper Tires.
The series has seen five different drivers visit victory lane in the first six races of 2020.
The most successful driver in the storied history of the Silver Crown Series, with 30 race wins and five championships to his credit, Swanson had never raced a rear-engined open-wheel car prior to lining up on the grid last Friday night.
The deal was finalized late, only a couple of days before the race, but Swanson proved a quick study by qualifying second and eventually romping to the victory.
It rekindled his hopes of perhaps one day achieving his ultimate ambition: to compete in – and win – the Indianapolis 500.
“I was familiar with the Road to Indy,” relayed Swanson, “and while I’ve known people in the sport and in the series, it was never intimately enough to make a break to drive in it myself. But I know how the ladder system works, that it is a path to Indianapolis for someone like me.
“Although I’ve been to World Wide Technology Raceway before, the Legacy (Autosport) guys have talked to me about the importance of the draft – and while the Silver Crown cars can draft there and I’m familiar with the idea, it’s not to the level that it’ll play in these cars,” Swanson added. “I obviously have more experience now, I know a little bit about how the car reacts, but still, it’s a whole new set of challenges to learn and a bunch of good drivers and experienced teams to try to have to learn that against. I’m looking forward to the challenge and finding out where we stack up.
“We had a great night last week and while there’s still pressure to perform this weekend, I’m just focusing on the opportunity to gain more experience at a new speed and a new type of race track, and continue to move forward.”