(photo courtesy David Griffin/NASCAR Scene)
In these tough financial times, when sponsorship involvement and NASCAR teams are shrinking, Braun Racing has announced that they are expanding to four race teams in 2010.
How can Todd Braun do it? Does he know something that some of the other Nationwide owners do not know? Owners such as Greg Pollex, Fred Biaggi, and Clarence Brewer all failed or bailed out the Nationwide Series in recent years.
The answer isn’t simple. In fact, in the business of NASCAR racing, there are a multitude of complexities beside learning how to go fast! What is also required for a successful race team is leadership, hard work, sacrifice, dedication, a lot of luck, and most importantly TONS of money! Braun Racing has all of those attributes!
Braun Racing was formed in 2002, with Chad Blount as the driver for the ARCA series. The following year, 2003, Braun ran a few of the Busch Series races ( now known as Nationwide Series). In 2004, Jamie McMurray won a race at the old Rockingham Raceway, from there Braun Racing was off and running!
For 2006 Braun Racing had hired Jason Lefler to drive for them. However there was one crook in the road, no sponsorship for the car! But the turning point for Braun Racing came with the merger with Akins Motorsports just prior to the 2006 season. Akins Motorsports owner, Doug Stringer, had some sponsorship set up for the 2006 season with Great Clips. That was the saving grace for this newly merged team! Prior to the merger, Braun Racing was faced with the realization that they had a driver and no sponsorship money for 2006.
Since 2006, Braun Racing has persevered and focused on growing their company in a series that has been tough on independent car owners. The lineup for Braun Racing is still in flux for the 2010 season. Jason Lefler and Brian Scott will compete full time for Braun Racing for sure. Sprint Cup driver, Kasey Kahne, will compete in a handful of races for the team. Brian Vickers could also be back in a Braun Racing car part time,as well.
The team recently moved to a bigger race shop with an eye on moving up to the Sprint Cup level of competition in 2001. So as you can see, the future is fairly bright for this Nationwide Series team starting out for the 2010 season!
As always, I looked it up so that you wouldn’t have to!
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
