Brad Sweet. HammerDown!

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Brad Sweet

Sweet sensation in Sprint Bandits TNT Lakeside Shuman Classic - By Lonnie Wheatley, KANSAS CITY, Kan. (August 19, 2006) – Brad Sweet put an exclamation point on the Second Annual O'Reilly Sprint Bandits COMP Cams Tour 'N Topless Midwest Swing finale by racing into the lead on the 26th round en route to a $10,000 victory in Saturday night's 30-lap Ron Shuman Classic at Lakeside Speedway in front of a standing room only crowd. Sweet's big break came when Shane Hollingsworth surrendered a commanding lead with engine woes on the 21st lap. Five circuits later, Sweet charged by Charles Davis, Jr., on the high side of turn three to take command and then took the checkered flag aboard Jack Yeley's Gaerte-powered Joe Dooling/DMI/Hot Hues No. 3J DRC-chassis. While Sweet became the fifth different winner in as many consecutive nights of Sprint Bandits TNT action, and sixth TNT victory lane visitor including last week's Ultimate Challenge at Southern Iowa Speedway, it was Warsaw, Missouri's Jesse Hockett who pocketed the $2,500 O'Reilly Sprint Bandits COMP Cams TNT Midwest Swing championship with a third place showing behind Sweet and Davis. "I was looking for that white flag, I was about ready to fall out of the seat," an ecstatic Sweet explained after the landmark victory. "The track was so fast, you really had to work. This is a great race to win." (Read it all)

Sweet sweet in Civil War - By Bill Sullivan CHICO, CA - May 27, 2006 – Earlier this season many race fans had mixed emotions when one of their favorite drivers, Brad Sweet, announced he would depart from California to follow a career in dirt track racing in Indiana. While the majority of fans were happy for the talented young driver, they were also saddened to be losing Sweet from the weekly competition in his home state. Both Sweet and his fans will remember this Memorial Day weekend as the Grass Valley native won two races in two days at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico. Sweet’s most recent victory fell on Sunday night when he was the best in a field of 66 cars for the Hoosier Racing Tires California Sprint Car Civil War Series event that took place on John Padjen’s quarter-mile clay oval and was silhouetted by the festive Silver Dollar Fair. “This is really a special Memorial Day for my family and me,” said Sweet. “This was one of the tracks I started racing on a few years ago but I was never able to win here. To come back here and win two in row like this is awesome. I want to thank Mark Flachman for giving the opportunity to drive this car for the weekend, my family, friends and sponsors for all their support.” (More)

Sweet deal for Sweet - By Troy Hennig - March 9, 2006 - An exciting opportunity arose last night for twenty-year-old Brad Sweet of Grass Valley, CA when he received a call that every young sprint car driver wants. He was informed that he would pilot the newly formed non-wing sprint car team headed by Jack and J.J. Yeley along with Joe Dooling. The team is in the process of gathering the resources necessary to begin competing in the ultra-competitive non-wing sprint car divisions. “Cactus Jack called me last night to tell me that they wanted me to drive their new start-up non-wing sprint car program and I couldn’t believe it,” said Sweet. “It was really exciting to hear that from someone like Cactus Jack Yeley.” The #2 DRC Yeley/Dooling Motorsports sprint car will debut a few weeks before the start of the Indiana Sprint Week. The team will race roughly 20 to 25 races to close out the 2006 season. They plan on running all of the ASCS Touring Topless events, selected USAC National sprint car events and the Oval Nationals at Perris and the Western World Championships at Manzanita Speedway to close the year. “I am so excited and thankful for the opportunity given to me by the Yeley’s and Dooling,” said Sweet from his home in Grass Valley. “Things were not looking good for me financially in 2006 and I wasn’t really sure when I was going to get my family owned car back to Indiana this year,” said Sweet, “but I had faith something would happen.” As for the beginning of the 2006 season, Sweet plans on staying close to his Northern California home and running races at Silver Dollar Speedway and Placerville Speedway in his family owned #1c. “We have had local help from the Skipper and other people to allow me to race some winged shows around home,” said Sweet. “But I am leaving for Indiana as soon as I can to get things situated back there.”

Sweet Indiana home for dirt kart, sprint car phenom - By Troy Hennig - (Chico, CA 12-27-04)…Soon to be nineteen-year-old California driver Brad Sweet will soon call Indiana home. Sweet, who will celebrate his birthday on New Year's Eve in Australia, has confirmed an agreement with North Carolina resident and car owner Eric Barnhill. The two plan on running the dirt portion of the USAC National sprint car schedule in 2005 along with other special non-wing events. "This is a dream come true for me," said a jubilant Sweet. "Ever since I stepped into my first go-kart this is where I wanted to be; living in Indiana, and trying to start a racing career for myself." He follows in the footsteps of many current USAC stars from California who has transplanted their roots to Indiana. Drivers like Josh Wise, Jay Drake and Bud Kaeding all have paved the way for young Brad Sweet. This is something new for both driver and car owner. Barnhill is an Auburn, CA native, though the Marine Corps have volunteered him to hail from Jacksonville, NC where he is continuing to serve our Country. Barnhill's involvement with sprint cars comes from a family rich in Northern California racing. Barnhill has also been involved with the likes of "Mr. Excitement" Andy Forsberg, former Western States Sprint Car Rookie of the year Tyler Haylett and USAC star Josh Wise. Barnhill has appropriately called his team Five Eights Racing, a name given to him by fellow sprint car fans because of the wrench he always carried in his back pocket. The team will keep the car in Indiana for most of the season and will sport the number 53. The car will stay at DCR chassis in Indiana. The car itself is a DCR chassis with additional support from JB Racing Components in Loomis, CA. There is also hope that Sweet can land a pavement deal or midget ride while back in Indiana to showcase his enormous driving ability and potential. Sweet has gained a huge fan following in Northern and Southern California. The first impression of him might make most people take a second look to make sure he is really the driver. He stands 5' 4" and weighs 110lbs soaking wet. However, don't let his stature fool you. He is one of the brightest and fearless open wheel drivers in the country. He was named one of Flat Out Magazines top 25 drivers under the age of 25. He was nominated for National 360 Sprint Car driver of the Year in 2003. He finished third in the tough Civil War Series in Northern California and won a main event at Placerville Speedway. He made his first non wing sprint car trip to Perris Auto Speedway a memorable one when he finished in the top ten on Thursdays main event and ultimately completed the weekend by racing in Saturday nights prestigious Oval Nationals Main Event. He did so well at the event that many fans of non-wing racing fans, raised money for him to come back down three weeks later for the Jack Kindoll Classic just so they could watch him again. Perris Auto Speedway announcer Scott Daloisio could be heard calling Sweet "fearless" and "impressive" during the two weekends of racing. Currently Sweet is in Australia enjoying "down under" racing. He plans on racing a select few events but for sure will race the Classic held at Premier Speedway on Jan 29 and 30. If you enter this race you are given the chance to compete in the World Challenge during the Knoxville Nationals. Sweet is scheduled to come back to California in February and has thoughts of running the first few California events in February and March before heading back to Indiana to get ready for the USAC National Sprint Car Dirt events. Sweet is a 2004 high school graduate from Bear River High School in Auburn where he gained all-league status as a wrestler. He has over 100 outlaw kart victories and six championships to his credit.

Sweetest victory; Auburn's Brad Sweet earns biggest win in Placerville Civil War - By Bill Sullivan PLACERVILLE, CA 7-31-04 - Although he won a feature event in Marysville last season, 18-year-old Brad Sweet has been awaiting the day he could visit victory lane at the track he calls home, Placerville Speedway. Saturday night the Auburn resident achieved his goal in a very big way. Not only did Sweet score a win at his favorite track, he did it during one of the biggest races of the season and held off a pack of talented colleagues to earn it. Climbing from his #83v owned by David and Debbie Vertullo of Elk Grove, Sweet threw his arms in air and screamed in celebration to the capacity crowd that was on its feet screaming as well in one of the most emotional, energetic victory lane celebrations in recent history at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds. "I can't find the words to describe how this feels right now, I am almost speechless because this feels so awesome to finally be standing here doing this," said Sweet. "I have to thank the Vertullo's for giving me the opportunity to drive this car this year, my crew chief Larry Shelton, my parents and everyone involved with this team and especially all these fans that stayed to cheer for me like this. This feels so incredible." (More)

Spring 2004: ...Brad Sweet (18) , Ronnie Case (27), Aaron Altaffer and Alex Pruett (17) are non-wing rookies that impressed us this weekend during the USAC/CRA, and SCRA races. Sweet ran second to Mike Henry on Saturday night at Placerville in a winged 360 then took his first non-wing ride at Thunderbowl Raceway Sunday. He didn't transfer out of the B-race but did put the car in position to do so. We've only seen the kid race a handful of times but clearly, he has special talent.

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