 “Crazy Train” Mike
Sweeney- 2009 Late Model Champion
Drivers’ endure a lot to be on top of his or her division and that
definitely proves true with Mike Sweeney, the 2009 Late Model
Champion.
Although he didn’t have a race winning car week in and out,
Sweeney stood tall and finished the best that he could with the set
up he had. Without tearing up his stuff, along with consistency,
Sweeney will be the defending champion in 2010.
 No slouch this season, Sweeney scored a feature win and had
11 top 5 and 12 top 10 finishes in 12 starts.
He owes much of his success to his family, friends and
definitely his hard working crew, which consists of Dad, Rick, the
crew chief, Robbie, Pip, Bruce, Eric, Greg and David. The special
ladies behind the scenes are Mom, Sarah and Tami.
Sweeney boasts his sponsorship efforts on a regular basis
and they’re always displayed well on his #D11 Pontiac Grand Prix.
Those supporters include Radocha Excavating, Steward Sanitation,
Midnight Recovery Specialist, Krajcirik Automotive, Hope's
Collision, Our Family Mini Mart, TB Mobile Fabrication, Kemmerer
Graphics, Tirpak Oil, The Comfort Inn of Hazelton, Jones Racing
Products, A-1 Racing Parts, VDL Fuel Systems, Koehler Brothers
Collision Repair Center, Jensen’s Engine Technologies, Hoffman
Brothers Performance, GME and the RAACE Foundation.
During practice, a spindle broke on the #D11 with only two
races remaining in the season. With a tore up race car and the
championship hopes on the line, Troy Bollinger, a friend and
competitor of Sweeney’s offered him his car for the day of racing.
Sweeney accepted and finished 7th in the feature.
Bollinger’s kindness kept the championship hopes alive.
How dedicated is Mike Sweeney? Well, due to a rescheduled rain out
during the year, Sweeney was forced to miss his Girlfriend’s (Sarah)
college graduation. Although she probably wasn’t thrilled with the
decision, Sarah told Mike to go racing and win the championship.
Job well done- Happy graduation, Sarah!
The future isn’t carved in stone for Sweeney Racing, but
there’s not a doubt that the reigning titlist will be a threat
anywhere.
Despite a Rough Outing,
Sweeney Finishes 7th in Turkey Derby XXXVI
 Mike Sweeney
didn't have the fastest car Friday at Wall Stadium on the Jersey
Shore, but his crew went to
work
after time trials and Sweeney
quickly motored toward the front runners. Held up by a car with a
flat, Sweeney dropped to tenth. He began to work back towards the
front and was spun out by another driver. Not giving up, he rejoined
the race and had to check up for a car that was up against the wall.
In doing so, the car behind Sweeney drove up on to his quarter
panel, causing heavy damage. Despite the bad luck, he earned a respectable 7th place
finish in Turkey Derby XXXVI (Ace Lane photo).
Full Results
Mike Sweeney Earns 2009 Sundance Track Title!
Mike Sweeney
hasn't been the fastest car every week this season, but consistency
wins championships and Sweeney has been just that throughout the
2009 season. For the second straight season, Sweeney Racing will sit
at the head table and be honored as champions at the 10th annual
Sundance Vacations Speedway banquet in November.
(Kevin Green photo)
Race
Recap
Fighting Illness,
Sweeney Gets Caught up in NELMA Late Model Challenge Wreck
(October 25, 2009) Late Model drivers raced the clock during time
trials prior to the start of the 100-lap main event and Kevin
Metzger peeled off the quickest lap. A redraw followed and the
invert put Jerry Hildebrand on the pole position for the show.
Hildebrand set the early pace over Jarrod Hayes, Larry Fisher, Mike
Coll and Kevin Metzger. The first of several yellows waved when
Metzger spun in turns three and four.
A successful restart was essential for the front-runners. Hildebrand
got a good jump over Hayes. Meanwhile, Coll and L. Fisher rubbed
fenders and doors as the duo battled for third. L. Fisher
encountered a handling issue and headed pit side during the next
caution.
Race
Recap
Troy Bollinger Saves the Day for Sweeney Racing
Friday night at Sundance Vacations Speedway started out in a very
bad way for Mike Sweeney, the points leader in the track’s Late
Model division.
Headed into the second to last race of the season, a left front
spindle broke on Sweeney mount during the first round of practice.
After breaking, the car shot into the turn three fence and sent
Sweeney and crew scrambling for parts.
Race
Recap
Mike Sweeney Makes Mahoning 100-Lap Modified Feature and Musters a Top 15
Finish
Race
Recap
Sweeney Earns Top 10 Finish
in Sunoco Race of Champions
Scott Wylie and Bob
Weber brought the Late Model feature to green with Wylie grabbing the lead
over Weber, Tommy Cloce, George Skora, III, and Todd Hoddick just before the
yellow flew. Race
Recap
Sweeney Fights Race Car
and Salvages Third Place Finish
Joe Burns Started from the pole position in the
30-lap Late Model feature and was quickly overtaken by Kyle Harvell
for the race lead. Jerry Hildebrand moved into the second spot and
Will Schneider and Mike Sweeney joined the top five. Race
Recap
Sweeney Settles for
Second at Sundance
Kyle
Harvell started on the pole and led the opening circuit of the 30-lap Late
Model feature before the caution flew when Jerry Hildebrand and Jennifer
Kutz tangled in turns three and four.
Race
Recap
Sweeney Pulls Top 5
Finish out of Rough Night
Jennifer Kutz, a “Rookie of the Year” contender in the Late Model
division led the Late Models to the drop of the green flag in the
30-lap feature before Kyle Harvell overtook her. Mitch Hawk worked
into second and after a lap was complete Joe Hoffman moved behind
Kutz to take fourth, followed by Joe Burns.
Hoffman disposed of Hawk on the second lap and set his sights on
the leader before completing the pass for the lead on lap four.
Meanwhile, Zane Zeiner and Mike Sweeney cracked the top five.
Race
Recap
Sweeney Scores Podium
Finish in 50-Lapper on Autograph & Camera Night
While
sitting
in the third spot, Mike Sweeney followed the race leaders thinking
that the two might tangled. That never happened and with used up
tires, Sweeney was forced to settle for third on the double points
night at Sundance Vacations Speedway.
Race
Recap
Sweeney Rebounds after
Early Pit Stop to Fourth Place Finish
Mike Sweeney
battled for the race lead early on and headed to the pits for
adjustments before coming back on track to battle Jerry Hildebrand
for third. When it was all said and done, Sweeney brought home a
fourth place finish for his efforts.
Race
Recap
Sweeney Celebrates
First Win of the Season on Independence Day
 Despite
being atop the points at Sundance Vacations Speedway, Mike Sweeney
has not been happy with the 2009 season so far. That changed
Saturday night when the crew found the right set up for Mike and the
combination found victory lane for the first time this season.
Race
Recap
(Kevin Green photo)
Mike Sweeney Pulls Top
Five in First Visit to the Jersey Shore
Mike Sweeney
timed 3rd quickest in his first attempt at Wall Stadium
in New Jersey. He held a top 5 spot for the first half of the race,
yet felt that the car needed to be adjusted on at the halfway mark
for him to be in contention for the win.
Race
Recap
Sweeney Has Solid Top
Three Finish in Largest Field of the Season
Will Schneider brought the Late Model field to the drop of the green
in the 30-lap feature but the yellow waved before a lap was complete
when Jennifer Kutz spun in turns one and two. Paul Monkoski grabbed
the race lead on the restart and Jerry Hildebrand moved into second.
Larry Fisher ran third with Joe Hoffman close behind in fourth- Mike
Sweeney was on the move.
Race
Recap
Sweeney Wins Heat
Race and is Forced to Settle for Top Five Feature Finish
Jennifer Kutz
started from the pole position and was overtaken by Justin Onderko
for the race lead early on in the 30-lap Late Model feature.
The first of two cautions waved with three laps complete when Mitch
Hawk made contact with Kutz in turns one and two.
Race
Recap
Sweeney Wins Heat Race
and Settles For Second In Main Event
 Justin Onderko sat on
the pole position for the 30-lap Late Model feature and was
overtaken by Mike Sweeney after the green flag dropped. Onderko
slipped into second, followed by Jerry Hildebrand, Joe Hoffman and
Travis Fisher.
Race
Recap
Sweeney Rebounds to
Finish 3rd on Opening Day!
Shortly after racing for the race lead, Mike Sweeney was forced to
restart from the tail end of the field, where he soared to finish
third!
Race
Recap
Defending Champion Wins Pole
Position award for Opening Day
He's not normally known as a great time trialer, but Mike Sweeney
never missed at beat Sunday at Sundance Vacations Speedway, and by
running a lap of 15.043 seconds, he earned the fastest qualifying
lap award.
Opening Day at the speedway next Sunday.
Sweeney Racing Welcomes
Two More Sponsors for 2009!
The 2009 season is right around the corner and Sweeney Racing is
proud to announce that Tirpak Oil and also The Comfort Inn of West
Hazleton, PA have teamed up with the championship Late Model team.
Read More
Short Track Drivers to Race
Against Child Abuse Everywhere
From the flat 1/3-mile
asphalt oval at Sundance Vacations Speedway to the ¼-mile circle at
Mahoning Valley Speedway and the 5/8-mile track in Oswego, NY, two
close friends, Todd Baer of Palmerton and Mike Sweeney of
Nesquehoning do battle in their stock cars. Although their primary
goal is to win on the track, their ultimate accomplishment is to
help prevent child sexual abuse, which is why the two drivers
recently teamed up with the RAACE (Racing Against Child Abuse
Everywhere) Foundation.
Full Story on
NEWS PAGE
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