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Kody Swanson, A Fast-Moving Californian

California has produced many racing greats and 23-year old Kody Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, is among the up-and-coming hopefuls with a strong chance of making it to the top. In USAC circles, the young driver has already arrived, having scored victories in midgets, sprint cars and in Silver Crown action.

    Kody Swanson races his Toyota Scion at Long Beach. [Joe Jennings Photo]


While totally focused on oval-track racing, Swanson added another element to his resume when he was selected to race through the streets of Long Beach in the high-profile Toyota Pro/Celebrity race, one of the many events during the Toyota Grand Prix weekend. Swanson was one of three pro drivers competing against 15 celebrity drivers.

The pro-celebrity drivers raced specially prepared Toyota Scion tCs powered by four-cylinder, 215 horsepower engines.

Swanson was thrilled to receive the invitation and was hopeful of joining the list of professional race winners, to include the likes of Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Scott Pruett, Mike Skinner, Jimmy Vasser and Al Unser Sr. and Jr. To show how determination of the drivers, actor Stephen Moyer rolled his Scion moments after grabbing the pole position.

“Being invited to participate hasn’t sunk in yet,” the articulate Swanson said. “I have never shifted a race car before, so I have tried to keep focused and learn the street-course style of racing. My anxieties and nerves have been working overtime as I have tried to figure this out.”

Swanson and his companions trained with the FAST LANE Racing School staff, receiving classroom and on-track schooling at the Willow Springs course. “Our instructors rode with us, giving us tips along the way,” the driver said. “My biggest challenges were in shifting and learning the approaches to corners. It is different from ovals and I had to learn how to slow down and turn-in before the corners.”

For the race, Swanson did well for his debut on a street course. “It was an okay race,” he said after climbing from his Toyota. “It was fun but the outcome wasn’t what I wanted although I learned a lot. Overall, it was a great experience.”

    Kody and Tanner Swanson come up winners at Lucas Oil Park in 2010. [Joe Jennings Photo]


Swanson comes from a racing family and he attended his first race when just three weeks old. Mike Swanson, his father, raced jalopies, supermodifieds and late models for years, and Kody and his younger brother, Tanner, watched from the stands along with their mother, Darla. “My dad pretty much won in everything he raced,” his eldest son said.” When Mike retired in 2003, Kody took jumped into the car and he’s continued with the family’s winning ways.

When not racing, the Swanson family runs a small farm in the Kingsburg area. “I grew up driving a tractor,” Kody Swanson said.

Swanson’s parents placed an emphasis on education and Kody not only raced but went to Fresno State University on a scholarship, graduating with a degree in agriculture economics. And he did so with a 4.0 GPA while mixing college and racing. “I am using my education to help me with racing,” Kody Swanson said. “The things I learned in college have allowed me to become a better person.”

Kody and Tanner Swanson commute from their California home to Indianapolis on a regular basis, so they can compete in the Midwest against USAC’s finest drivers. The two often battle each other for wins, and according to the older brother, they make each other better. “I know many of his tricks and he knows many of mine. Tanner is difficult to beat, but he makes me perform at my absolute best,” he said.

Kody and Tanner race USAC Silver Crown cars for the Team 6-R Toyota team and for the 2011 season, Kody will be racing in the USAC National Midget Series for Wilke-Pak Motorsports, also a Toyota-powered operation. Kody has won in a Toyota for four teams and with his victory at DuQuoin in 2010, he became the first driver using Toyota power to win in USAC’s three divisions in a single year.

Like all up-and-coming drivers, Kody Swanson aspires to move up to the main stage of racing, either with the IZOD IndyCar Series or with NASCAR. “I would love to make it to that stage and it doesn’t make any difference which one. I am not picky,” he said.

Being determined, fast, educated, and skillful, Swanson seems to have all the tools necessary to race his way to the top of the racing mountain. He just needs time to make it happen, but it shouldn’t take long.

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