KNOXVILLE, IOWA (January 17, 2015) – Champion sprint car driver Sammy Swindell of Tennessee has been named the recipient of the 2014 “Thomas J. Schmeh Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Sport” by all three voting panels of the North American Sprint Car Poll. According to poll founder and current National Sprint Car Museum curator Tom Schmeh, after whom the award was permanently named back in May, “The poll’s Outstanding Contribution Award is the museum foundation’s highest honor for current achievers in the sport, as it is voted on by industry insiders from the 360-, 410-cubic-inch, and non-winged sprint car divisions. Clearly the voters in all three categories have a real respect for what Sammy has accomplished during his lengthy and remarkable career. It is only fitting that this announcement is made at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, an event that he and his son Kevin have come to dominate.”

Past recipients of the North American Sprint Car Poll’s “Outstanding Contribution to the Sport Award” are as follows: Fred Rahmer, Johnny Gibson, the late Jerry Reigle, Steve Sinclair, Kasey Kahne, Tom Schmeh, Dick Jordan, the late Fred Brownfield, Doug Auld, the late Hank Gentzler, Tony Stewart, Emmett Hahn, Allan Holland, Dave Argabright, Ron Shuman, the late Kevin Gobrecht, Jack Hewitt, the late Jack Miller, Brad Doty, Art & Carol Malies, Dave Bowman, Ralph Capitani, the late Ted Johnson, Mark Kuchan, Steve Kinser, the late Don Martin, Steve Beitler, Lee Brewer, Jr., Mark Kinser, Frank Lewis, Earl Baltes, Casey & Beverly Luna, Elayne Hoff, Jean Lynch, the late J.W. Hunt, and Bert Emick.

The North American Sprint Car Poll is an annual awards program of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum. All awards will be distributed in 2015 at tracks throughout North America. This award was announced on the fifth and final day of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.