Sweikert began his racing career in 1950, but like most US drivers at the time, he limited himself to racing in America. Between 1950 and 1956 he contested 36 races for the AAA / USAC National Series , of which he won 4.
From 1952 he was seen regularly at the start of the Indianapolis 500 . His most successful year was 1955: He won the 500 mile race in Indianapolis, this race was part of the Formula 1 world championship in the 1950s . His victory, however, was overshadowed by the death of last year's winner Bill Vukovich . In the same year Sweikert also won the AAA ( American Automobile Association ) championship, the predecessor of the CART racing series.
In 1956 Sweikert reached sixth place in the Indy 500 before he was killed two weeks later in a racing accident in Salem, Indiana.