ANDERSON, Ind. – For the third consecutive year, California driver Kody Swanson will lead the field of 33 drivers to the start of the 73rd Pay Less Little 500.
Swanson captured the pole position Thursday driving for the new team Doran Enterprises with a 4-lap average speed of 80.9 mph at Anderson Speedway. The race is scheduled for Saturday evening.
Swanson’s fast lap of 11.093 seconds around the high banked quarter-mile was just a tick of the watch slower than the track record of 10.944-seconds set by Aaron Pierce in 2011.
Tyler Roahrig put the CB Fabricating sprint car in the middle of the front row with Caleb Armstrong posting the third-fastest lap.
Nine-time Little 500 champion Eric Gordon had his qualifying time disallowed for a tire rule infraction and will have to qualify for the race on Friday.
Another driver expected to compete for the win, Pierce struggled with an ill-handling race car and will bring a different car for Tim Plate Bump Day.
Jacob McElfresh, driving for Jerry Powell, qualified eighth for his first Little 500 and was the fastest amongst the rookie competitors.
“This is a new team, Swanson said, who the past two years drove for Nolen Racing. “I thought we were good following the (Wednesday) practice and we worked to make it better.
“I’m happy with the car,” the three-time Little 500 winner said. “I appreciate all the effort to make it faster.”
Swanson noted that there were a lot of fast cars among the 15 that locked into the starting grid on Saturday, separated by three-tenths of a second.
“The first step is done,” he said.
Roahrig said Swanson was just a little bit faster during his qualifying run.
“Starting upfront makes it easier for the first 200 laps,” he said. “We’re happy with our car for the race.
“I haven’t seen the track this fast in a long time,” Roahrig said. “Qualifying at the top of the field was really close.”
Caleb Armstrong said his Neals Metal Recycling car was a little tight during qualifying.
“The track was really fast,” he said. “I was surprised at how close everybody was during the practice and qualifying.”
Dakoda Armstrong will start sixth outside of Tanner Swanson and Derek Bischak in the second row.
“I just hope to make it past halfway,” Armstrong laughed at his bad luck in the Little 500 in past years.
Defending race winner Bobby Santos III qualified ninth quick.
Brady Bacon, one night after a spectacular crash at the Terre Haute Action Track in a USAC sprint car race, qualified the Hoffman Auto Racing entry in the 20th position.
Day one qualifying results for Saturday’s Pay Less Little 500 at Anderson Speedway. Top 15 drivers locked into the 33-car starting grid:
1) Kody Swanson; 2) Tyler Roahrig; 3) Caleb Armstrong; 4) Derek Bischak; 5) Tanner Swanson; 6) Dakoda Armstrong; 7) Chris Neuschwander; 8) Jacob McElfresh; 9) Bobby Santos III; 10) Kyle Hamilton; 11) Brian Gerster; 12) Nick Hamilton; 13) Jerry Coons Jr. 14) Shane Hollingsworth; 15) Scott Hampton; 16) Shane Butler; 17) Billy Wease; 18) Tommy Nichols; 19) Brian Tyler; 20) Brady Bacon: 21) Travis Welpott; 22) Jim Harper; 23) Christian Koehler; 24) Bryan Gossel; 25) Brian Vaughn; 26) Kyle O’Gara; 27) Dameron Taylor; 28) Cody Karl; 29) Mike Anderson; 30) Tom Paterson; 31) Ken Schrader; 32) Issac Chapple; 33) Doug Fitzwater