Wednesday

Two Successful ARCA Tests Show McReynolds Is Ready

Brandon McReynolds (sitting) with father Larry McReynolds - Photo Credit: Brandon McReynolds

I was impressed with Brandon then. He was an excited High School student, enjoyed racing in the UARA-STARS Series competing with some friends who have well known last names, as well. I found him to be a likeable young man…one I genuinely wished good luck and hoped would eventually make it in the upper racing series of NASCAR. So, when I read about a couple of his very successful ARCA tests with Eddie Sharp Racing, I decided to contact young McReynolds to have him tell his fans and our readers something they might not have read in articles or on Facebook. I’m glad I did. WOW…what a difference a few months have made. I am even more impressed with Brandon now than the first time we spoke.

The interview last week began with congratulations on his 3rd place finish in the UARA-STARS Series points for 2009 and the fact that he is not on the UARA schedule this season.

“Yeah, we’re obviously trying to move up and trying to run some bigger cars, whether that’s an ARCA Series, the K&N Pro Series or maybe even the trucks if sponsorship allows us to,” he began. “I still have both my UARA late models and I’m actually going up there today and tomorrow to Hickory Motor Speedway to spot for my buddy, Coleman Pressley. So I’ll still be around the racetrack. We had our success last year and now we’re just trying to move up and run some other stuff this year. I just actually flew back in from Texas Motor Speedway yesterday morning. We tested down there with Eddie Sharp Racing and did really well.”

I told him I wanted to get back to that in awhile, but I wanted to start with the ARCA test at Daytona on December 23rd. His father accompanied him.

“He was there and that definitely helped. That test sprung up pretty quick and we really didn’t know which direction we were going to go. We knew we still wanted to run a couple of late model races, but, we also knew we were working to try to move forward with my career. Luckily Eddie Sharp called me up and said he was willing to give me a shot to go down there and test for him. Obviously he has real good equipment. They won the championship last year with Justin Lofton, so, we put it together and went down there. I think there was like 50 some cars and we were top 5 all weekend. And I got to experience the draft and work with Danca Patrick a little bit in the draft, which was pretty cool, especially from the media side because it brought a lot to the table for us, as well.”

“The preparation for that is totally different from our late model stuff because we own our own cars and I work on my own cars. I went over to Eddie Sharp Racing and hung out with all the guys. I think that’s the biggest thing especially when you’re in a higher level series. You might not be able to work on the race cars because there are guys that get paid to do that, but, it’s really good to get that camaraderie with the guys. It was great to meet everyone and know who I was going to be working with. I sat in the cars to make sure the seat and all the safety equipment was good to go. I spent a couple of weeks out there. Luckily I already knew the crew chief, Johnny Allen, and had already worked a little bit with him before because he is a really good friend of my dad’s. They go way back.”

“It really meant a lot to me. I’ve been going there every year since I was a baby and to finally get out on the race track was an amazing feeling. I was a little bit nervous because I had never tested an ARCA car at such a big track, so, they threw me the keys and said here is a 2 1/2 mile race track so have at it. It was really cool. The first day was rain shortened but to be 4th fastest was awesome. That was reassuring. It ended up being three days. The other 2 days were just drafting practice. At the end of the day, I think if you do your homework as a race car driver and you really study what you’re supposed to be doing and put a lot of time and effort in to it, you can pretty much drive anything.”

Brandon explained that he only had 4 laps when they called the 1st day of testing due to rain. He felt that was to his advantage, because he was able to go back to the hotel and really study and think about those laps and what he learned. When he returned for the remaining 2 days, he felt confident and just concentrated on what he needed to improve on.

Then on the 9th and 10th of this month, Brandon headed to Texas Motor Speedway for more ARCA testing. His father accompanied him that time, as well. He finished 2nd out of 21 cars testing. No small feat.

“Texas is a whole different animal than Daytona,” McReynolds continued. “At Daytona you fight handling a little bit, but, it’s pretty much wide open. You have to work with the draft and understand it, but, Texas is totally different. It’s really, really fast. I think our average speed around there was 186 which means somewhere around 200 getting off of the corners and you’ve got to let off there and fight handling and stuff like that, so it was cool. Eddie said whether you’re 20th or first you can’t underestimate that place because you’ll get in trouble in a hurry. So we went down there and I stood on top of the hauler for the first few minutes of practice. Scott Wimmer was there helping  RCR (Richard Childress Racing) out so I watched him get some pretty good lap times. Then I went out there and ran 4 laps and they told me I was top of the charts and to shut the motor off. I was like, there’s no way, but, they said to come on in and they’d work on it a little bit. Man that was awesome! That’s one of the fastest places ARCA or NASCAR goes to, so hopefully we’ll get the chance to go back there and race in April.”

Right now Brandon and McReynolds Racing are working hard to find the sponsorship that will allow him to run some upper series’ races. Several possibilities are being examined. Testing results at two of the toughest tracks on the upper series’ schedule show this young man has what it takes to get the job done with quality equipment. And ability is definitely a part of his genetic make up, obviously. All of that doesn’t matter, however, says young McReynolds,

“If you don’t have sponsorship to get involved with one of the better teams, you pretty much don’t have anything. It’s really tough to swallow that pill because it’s like you’re running faster than some of the RCR cars and cars involved with Penske and then nothing comes out of it. I think if we can get some sponsorship we will do okay. Eddie Sharp’s equipment is good enough and I think I’m where I need to be, as far as a racecar driver, so that we could prove to some of these people that I’ve got what it takes. We’ve talked to a lot of big name teams and they know my ability, but, the number one question is money. That’s just how it is.”

They have hopes of running 3 ARCA races this season. I hope he gets the chance. And so do, according to today’s Facebook figures, 1285 Facebook followers. They have the chance to actually interact with Brandon. I check in there from time to time and enjoy reading the posts between him and his fans.

“I think social networking is a huge hit right now. I like Twitter a lot, but, Facebook is more like a personal thing. I think this is really helping NASCAR right now because instead of seeing (only) the corporate side of people, Johnson or Logano or whoever, the fans get to see a personal side, what those guys or what I’m doing this week. Any opportunity I get, whether it’s racing or it’s personal, it’s nice to be able to give this (type of) attention to the fans. It’s neat to see how it’s grown (the number of fans on Facebook) and it’s neat to see the number of emails we get at brandonmcreynolds.com. It’s neat to see all the responses to some of the successes we’ve had at the start of this year, whether it’s testing or some of the late model races we are announcing that we’re going to run. It’s just cool to know some people care. I mean, I don’t need someone behind me patting me on the back, but, it does feel good just to know someone is out there and someone’s listening. The fans get a comfortable feeling when they know they can be a part of something, as well.”

“I just want the fans to keep watching racing. I know it’s tough right now, and I’m not dogging on Dale Jr in no way at all, but I know that things with him are going slow and he’s really the heartbeat to our sport . I just want to say stick with racing. It’s going back to the grass roots like they said. This year NASCAR is letting guys do whatever they want. It was really neat to sit in a NASCAR rookie meeting and see the next generation of NASCAR drivers. It’s kind of good to know who you’re going up against. No way will this new set of racecar drivers take Jeff Gordon or Dale Jr or Jimmie Johnson, or any of these great racecar drivers off the platform. Those guys will always be at the top and always be doing good things. But, I think if we (the new group of rookies) can come in and work with those guys and understand where they’re coming from and they understand where we’re coming from and maybe do some good things in NASCAR, then maybe it can add, not character, but maybe some more personality which is what I think NASCAR needs right now.”

I really like this young man. Brandon is not only a talented young driver, but, he is very business/sponsor smart. We talked at length about the commitment between driver and sponsor, Brandon referring to it as a “relationship”. He has learned the very important “other” part to successful competition. Brandon is so young, but, he jumps right in to an interview with wisdom and eagerness beyond his years. He is confident in his abilities, yet anything but boastful. He is knowledgeable, yet listens to suggestions and others opinions. He wants to be known as a racecar driver, yet is so very proud of his father and family. The young man appears to me to have everything he needs except funding. Personally, I hope he finds it very soon. I think he is exactly what this sport needs. He’s handsome, personable and very likeable. He values all aspects of this sport and knows without the fans, there is no sport. What is not to like?

Brandon, I hope you get to run those 3 ARCA races and more this year. And for those who are interested, you can follow Brandon on Facebook. I think you will enjoy the experience. And for more information on Brandon and their plans for 2010 be sure to check out his website at www.brandonmcreynolds.com

Good luck and I look forward to speaking with you again soon.