#39 - Kevin Swindell (Germantown, TN)

Chili Bowl Rookie

Part of a potent five-car team that includes his father (Sammy Swindell) and Tony Stewart, the 16-year-old, third-generation shoe will be a top contender for 2006 Chili Bowl Rookie honors.

Making the move from micros to get his feet wet in sprint cars at the end of the 2004 season, Kevin then competed in a wide variety of sprint car events in 2005.  Along the way, the youngster scored a handful of pavement wins and netted both National 360-ci and 410-ci Sprint Car Rookie of the Year honors.

Kevin closed out the year with a strong dirt track runner-up finish against a stout 91-car Short Track Nationals field at Little Rock's I-30 Speedway in late October.

Car Owner:  Venture Racing

Chassis:  Spike Chassis

Engine:  Esslinger

Sponsors:  United States Technologies Inc., Super Shox, Sanders Engineering

Photo:  Kevin Swindell celebrates his first Sprint Car feature win at Mobile International Speedway.  (Photo courtesy of Gerald Hodges)