O’FALLON, MO (Apr. 22, 2009)—Travis Swearingen is about to find out what it feels like to turn left—fast!
The National Guard American Drag Racing League (ADRL) star is on his way this weekend to visit with IndyCar Series driver Dan Wheldon and take a few laps around Kansas Speedway.
“They’ve got this special, two-seater car and I’m scheduled to take a ride in it on Friday morning,” Swearingen said. “It’s pretty exciting because I’ve never even been to an IndyCar event before.”
Both Swearingen and Wheldon, who has won the last two IndyCar races at the 1.5-mile oval near Kansas City, are sponsored by the National Guard and will be participating in an orientation flight in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter Thursday morning to the KS National Guard Headquarters where they will tour the facility and sign autographs for troops stationed there.
“I’m looking forward to the helicopter ride as much as anything,” Swearingen continued. “I’ve been in a lot of small planes, but never in a helicopter before, and to take my first ride with the National Guard is really an honor.”
The two drivers also will sign autographs for fans on Friday at Cabelas, a large outdoorsman store near the track.
Unfortunately, Swearingen will not be able to watch Wheldon defend his race title in the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 on Sunday, as he and his team will be in Tulsa, Oklahoma, testing their 3,000-horsepower Pro Extreme 1941 Willys in preparation for the ADRL’s next national event, May 22-23 at Memphis Motorsports Park in Millington, Tennessee.
“We didn’t have a good outing at our last race,” Swearingen admitted. “I think I had the car just too hopped up trying to run a big number. So we’re going to go back to our old set-up on Sunday, but then my dad (Alan, crew chief) wants to try some new things on Monday. I can’t say what they are yet, but we were talking and agreed that we have to keep trying new stuff because nobody’s going to wait up for you around here.”
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