SWAN HAS SOARED ABOVE COMPETITION

Topics:  James Swan

Matt Panure
Mid American Stock Car Series
March 2008

It did not matter where the race was taking place or who the car owner was for James Swans. Since 1999, whenever a Mid-American Sportsman car was unloaded off the trailer with the number 97 on the door and the name Swan above the window, competitors took notice. With at least one championship since 2001, Swan has become recognized as one of the greatest Mid-American drivers in Midwestern short track history.

Swan’s story begins just like any other race car driver’s. In 1990 at the age of 18, Swan finally was allowed to jump behind the wheel. “My mom said I couldn’t race until I was 18. We had an old car sitting around so when I turned 18 I broke all of the windows out of it and took it to Lake Geneva Raceway,” said Swan. After seven years of racing at his home track and becoming accustomed to the racing circuit, Swan got his first taste of Mid-American racing.

In 1997 Swan received a call from his friend Joe Francisco. Francisco was driving in the Mid-American Series and decided to put Swan in the car. “Joe told me it was a great series and I was excited to have to chance to race with Mid-American,” explained Swan. After a two year stint with Francisco, Swan began driving for Mark Patnode.

Driving for another friend from the Lake Geneva area, Swan finally began to hit his niche with Mid-American. Swan picked up his first ever Mid-American feature win at Hawkeye Downs Raceway in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 2000. The following year was a breakout year for Swan. He went on to win his first Mid-American championship, collecting four wins along the way. “We won at Lake Geneva in front of the hometown crowd that year,” exclaimed Swan, “that was very special to me.”

The championship, however, was very bittersweet for Swan. Going into the night, Swan was trailing Bill Prietzel by a mere eleven markers. Prietzel crashed on the last lap of the Oktoberfest finale that year and Swan took the crown. “At the time I didn’t appreciate it,” said Swan. “But we still had a good year and we deserved that championship,” said Swan.

After the 2001 season, Swan again found himself with a new car owner. Again it was a fellow Lake Geneva driver in Wonder Lake, Illinois’ Kenny Joosten. The partnership between Joosten and Swan was unique. “I helped him become a better driver and he let use his equipment,” said Swan.

Joosten had purchased two Mid-American cars and decided asked Swan to team up with him. The partnership worked out well for both, as Swan won the Midwest Sportsman championship that year. Joosten has gone on to become a successful Mid-American driver, winning the Midwest Sportsman championship at the Slinger Super Speedway in 2007 as well as the National Short Track Championships Mid-American event at Rockford this past September.

Along with the Lake Geneva championship in 2002, Swan continued to dominate with Joosten’s equipment. Swan won the 2003 Midwest Sportsman championship at Madison International Speedway and had a pair of 2nd place points finishes in 2004 at Slinger and in the Midwest Sportsman Championship Series. In 2005, his final season with Joosten, Swan bettered his efforts at Slinger and with the MSCS, by collecting both championships.

The 2006 season saw Swan without a ride. Enter Swan’s current car owner Adam Berge. Not surprisingly, Berge and Swan had forged a friendship by competing against one another at Lake Geneva. "He had really bad luck when he was racing. So he decided to put me in the car,” explained Swan.

The relationship with Berge was also very unique. "Adam teaches me something new every day. We can work on the car and not say two words to each other, but everything that needs to be done to the car will get done. It's really pretty cool to work with someone like that."

The friendship and teamwork paid great dividends immediately. Swan cites his first year with Berge as the best of his racing career. Of the 29 events that Swan entered, Berge Racing was victorious in eleven. "We won at Grundy, Lake Geneva, Slinger and with the Mid-Am Series. It was a great year, everything went right."

After a spectacular year dominating the Mid-American Stock Car Series in 2006, Swan and Berge Racing had a trying campaign this past year in 2007. Engine problems plagued the team who found themselves trailing in the points race up until the Labor Day weekend event at the 141 Speedway. Swan took the point lead with a second place finish and finished strong with a win at Marshfield three weeks later and fourth place finish at Rockford. Swan cemented his second straight championship with a seventh place finish at Oktoberfest.

Swan and Berge Racing will be looking to defend their back to back championships in 2008. Swan would be the first four time champion of the Series and the first to win three championships in a row since Eddie Hoffman captured the first three Mid-American championships. The crew of Berge Racing will be back on board to aid Swan in his effort. Along with Berge, will be Swan’s long time crew chief and friend Don Stardy. “He’s been with me since 1999. Don is my rulebook, my yearbook and my set up book. He pretty much does everything,” claimed Swan. Berge Racing also boasts the expertise of Lenny Lisitza and Ryan Farrell.

Ask any team, it takes great sponsors to keep a competitive operation. Hankscraft Manufacturing, YRC Logistics, Borchardt Speed/Automotive, Delevan Napa, Fisher Automotive, and Delevan Lanes supported Berge racing on their way to the 2007 championship. Joining them in 2008 will be ERM Company and Principal Financial.

The Mid-American Stock Car Series will begin its 16th Season at Rockford Speedway in Love’s Park, Illinois on Sunday, April 13th as part of the Spring Opener with the Big 8 Late Model Series. For more information on the Mid-American Stock Car Series including the final 2007 standings, past results, the tentative 2008 schedule and driver information, please visit www.midamericanracing.com.