10/23/2023
WISSOTA
SWAN SPEEDS TO 2023 WISSOTA MODIFIED ROOKIE OF THE YEAR TITLE
16-year-old Kennedy Swan just completed her first season behind the wheel of a WISSOTA Modified and capped off a very successful rookie year by being named the 2023 WISSOTA Modified Rookie of the Year for her efforts. Swan is no stranger to success in race cars, as she is coming off a very successful three-year stint in the WISSOTA Midwest Modified class, where she won 14 features, including the Punky Manor Challenge of Champions and a track title at her home track, the Red Cedar Speedway in Menomonie, WI as well.
Kennedy has been racing since she was 6 years old, starting in Go Karts. From Rookie Cage, Jr Wing and 250cc Outlaw Wing Karts to moving into a WISSOTA Midwest Modified at age 13 then jumping into the Modified division this year for the first time after a three-year career in the Midwest Modified class learning about how the cars handle and drive. Kennedy won her first race at age 6 and won her most recent this past summer, at the age of 16.
Several highlights from the 2023 season for Swan include her first ever WISSOTA Modified feature win, finishing 2nd at the WISSOTA Classic, finishing runner up in the final track point standings at the Red Cedar Speedway, winning the WISSOTA Rookie of the Year, finishing 3rd in the Wisconsin Modified State Points, making the WISSOTA 100 feature for the first time, making every big show that she entered this season and finishing 19th in the final WISSOTA Modified National Points at season’s end.
Of the 62 events Kennedy entered, she raced to her first ever Modified win at the Granite City Motor Park in Sauk Rapids, MN, plus finished with 17 top five finishes and 35 top ten runs to complete her rookie campaign.
Swan’s #18s carries sponsorship from Southworth Chevrolet GMC, Kivi Bros. Trucking, Caffee Law Office, Wrap Guys, Stai Farms, Jacobson’s Hardware, Greenhouse & Meat Market, Greenwood Concrete & Excavation, Polish Enterprises LLC, HT Automotive, Drifter Trucking, Tim’s Automotive Machine, Mike & Sissy Knopps Coldwell Banker Brenizer Realtors, SSR Race Cars & Parts, Interstate Battery, Tainter Adult Family Home, KP Katering & Seasoning, Cornell Lake Resort & Campground, Powder Plus Powder Coating, Airtec Sports, Alger Electric, Orge Express LLC, Hooker Designs, Shooter Guy Photos, The Crows Nest, Clearview Auto Glass, Shilka Flooring, Brads Affordable Auto Repair LLC and Zoom & Groom. She is supported on and off the track by her dad Jason and mom Autumn as well as her main help in the pits, William, Roz, Aaron, Landon, Chaston and Montana.
Kennedy wanted to also send out a big thank you to Ciara and Shawn for doing her hair every week and to Nikki Barton and Jodi Broking for doing her hair on the road. Also, a big shout out to Crystal and Sammy Fankhauser, Shane and Katie Sabraski, Bob and Johnny Broking for allowing the team to use their shops while traveling and for giving them a place to plug in or a camper to use to stay in. Plus, thanks to Doug and Sharon Kyte for everything they do week in and week out traveling everywhere the team goes as well.
Kennedy also wanted to add that ‘it takes a team and family to make this happen week in and week out. To the fans: THANK YOU for all the support. Thank you, because without you, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. See you in the 2024 season.’
At the conclusion of the 2023 season, Swan amassed 2871 points to win the Modified ROY title by 366 markers over runner-up Brady Uotinen when the final points were tallied.
As of today, Kennedy plans on continuing to compete in the WISSOTA Modified division when the 2024 season arrives in April. She will keep a schedule much as she did in 2023, consisting of weekly racing at her local tracks and traveling to attend all the big special events throughout the summer as well.
Congrats!
The WISSOTA Promoters Association exists to benefit its member tracks to enhance safe, profitable and successful dirt track racing, through unified, cost-effective rules, policies and procedures, enacted within a democratic environment.
The WISSOTA Promoters Association was founded in 1981 by eight track promoters in Wisconsin and Minnesota, with intent to offer uniform rules for the promoters and drivers involved in the Late Model division. Soon, the group decided to do the same for the growing Modified division.
In 1984 a voluntary steering committee was formed to oversee the business aspects that developed and to guide the future of WISSOTA’s racing divisions. That steering committee evolved into a board of directors, and the non-profit racing organization became incorporated in 1986.
Promoters who join the organization become, in essence, part owners of the racing organization and are expected to contribute to its overall success. Each November, the WISSOTA annual meeting is held; the member promoters gather annually in this forum to discuss the future of the organization. Member promoters are given the opportunity to vote on all organizational policies and procedures as well as rules for competition in the various racing divisions. WISSOTA’s member promoters and racing associations have spent approximately 30 years of hard work at the annual meetings crafting unique rules for each of the divisions, which are known as WISSOTA Late Models, WISSOTA Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks, WISSOTA Street Stocks, WISSOTA Mod Fours, WISSOTA Pure Stocks and WISSOTA Hornets.
WISSOTA is proudly sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tire, Speedway Motors, AFCO Racing Products, MyRacePass, Structural Buildings, Chevrolet Performance, Engine Quest, World Products, Manley, QA1, Allstar Performance, Bassett, Brodix Cylinder Heads, AMI Graphics, MSD, Minuteman Press Princeton, Simpson, Hooker Headers, Marv’s Trailer Sales, Leighton Broadcasting, Joe Provo Racewear, Mahle, Moser Engineering, Performance Auto, ATD, Holley, American Solutions for Business, Speedwerx, Bradshaw & Bryant, All Star Trophy and Awards, SERVPro, Shaw Trucking, AT21, CMD Race Shocks, US Foods, Race Gear Designs, QualityFreightRate.com, Dirt Track Supply, Velocita, Motul Oil, Dirt Race Central, WISSOTA.tv, and Garage-Tech X-treme.
For more information on WISSOTA, log on to www.WISSOTA.org.
Submitted By: Camryn Sullivan