Young Racers Club Winner June 2008 - Cody Swanson

Click here for the Young Racers Club entry form and either mail it to Young Racers Club, 9036 Brittany Way, Tampa, FL 33619 or submit via e-mail at yrc@sourceinterlink.com. Please include a picture of the car and a picture of yourself when sending the entry form. Pictures cannot be returned.

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This month's lucky YRC Winner receives a $250 SAFE-QUIP Gift Certifi cate.

Cody Swanson, Norco, CaliforniaSeventeen-year-old Cody Swanson hails from Norco, California, and is this month's Young Racers Club winner. Cody's family has been involved in many forms of racing, dating back to when his grandfather raced the local dirt tracks of Minnesota as a youngster. So there was no doubt this California kid would someday end up behind the wheel of a race car.

It all started with go-karts where, up until the end of the '06 racing season, Cody raced in the International Karting Federations Region 7. He placed a solid Fifth in the '06 IKF Grand Nationals in his first attempt racing in the HPV 3 class. Later that same year, he won the California state championship race in the Yamaha F200 class driving for the BURRIS racing team.

Last year brought a new challenge, as Cody was invited to race a Legends car for the Speed Wong racing team at Irwindale Speedway. In his debut race at Irwindale, he finished Sixth. Not too shabby when you consider it was his first-ever start on an oval. His best finish in the 14 event season was a Fourth. "I let a couple of wins slip through my fingers," admitted Swanson, "but I'm confident that with what I've learned and the awesome Speed Wong team behind me, we'll be taking our share of wins in 2008."

Despite not winning a race, Swanson's solid performance earned him '07 Rookie of the Year honors. He also was the highest finishing Semipro driver in 10 of the 14 events. Since Irwindale does not separate the Semipro, Pro, and Master divisions, 600 Racing counted each of Cody's top finishes as a Semipro win and promoted him to the Pro division for 2008!

Like many YRC winners, Cody's racing goals have him competing in NASCAR someday. However, Cody may just be the first YRC winner who says he'd love to race in the Grand Am and ALMS series as well.

As June's YRC winner Cody walks away with a $250 gift certificate from SafeQuip. No doubt that extra safety equipment will come in handy as Cody climbs the ladder toward racing greatness.