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Brandon McReynolds Excels in First “Big Track” Experience at Daytona International Speedway’s Open ARCA Test 18-Year-Old Hoping to
Line Up Sponsorship for Daytona ARCA Racing Series Event in Feb. MOORESVILLE, NC (December 22,
2009) – If on December 25th, Brandon McReynolds wakes up to find
nothing under the Christmas tree with his name on it, he will be perfectly
happy. Because for the 18-year-old McReynolds, Christmas came a week early
this year. McReynolds got the opportunity
to head to Daytona International Speedway on December 18th to participate in
the three-day ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards open test
for Eddie Sharp Racing. The test between McReynolds and Sharp was originally
scheduled to be just Friday’s and Saturday’s single-car runs at the famed
2.5-mile tri-oval. However, after an impressive
showing in both day’s single-car practice sessions, the pair decided to
partake in Saturday afternoon’s drafting session. Once again McReynolds, who
had never even sat in an ARCA car before the test, proved to be a quick
learner, turning in the fifth-fastest time of the day and the seventh-fastest
time of the entire testing weekend. “It was just amazing and
honestly rather surreal,” said McReynolds of his opportunity to test at one
of the most famous tracks in the world. “We really went down there just to
get some seat time in an ARCA car on a big track and do single-car runs
during the first and second days and it turned into so much more. “Things went so well that (car
owner) Eddie (Sharp), my dad and myself all sat down and decided to go ahead
and run the drafting session on Saturday afternoon to give me even more
experience and seat time. We went out there, got in a pack with some really
good cars like James Buescher, Danica Patrick and a few others and ran about
50 laps in all kinds of different positions in the draft. Near the end of the
day, Buescher and I were the top two guys on the speed charts. A couple of
other teams went out later, put on sticker tires and put up a couple of
better laps to knock us from the top, but we still ended up fifth fastest in
the drafting session. “When it was all said and done,
I have never learned so much in two days at a racetrack than I did down there
testing. It was an absolute blast and went so much better than I had ever
expected. I can’t thank Eddie and all of his guys enough for putting enough
faith in me to give me the opportunity to go down there and do what we did.”
Now, McReynolds hopes they can
put together a sponsorship package to run the season-opening ARCA Lucas Oil
Slick Mist 200 on February 6th at Daytona for Eddie Sharp Racing. “I could not have been more
proud of Brandon down there at the test, not only as a father, but also as a
learned observer,” said Brandon’s father Larry McReynolds. “Before the test,
the biggest track Brandon had ever been on was (the one-mile) Rockingham
Speedway. He had also never even as much as fired up an ARCA car before
pulling out on the track for the first time on Friday. So for him to go down
there and do as well as he did, show as much poise as he did and pick up on
things like side draft, sucking up in the draft and pushing other cars was so
impressive. I just want to thank Eddie Sharp so much for giving Brandon and
us the opportunity that he did. “Now I’ve just got to do my
job and put together a sponsorship package that will allow Brandon to run in
the ARCA event at Daytona for Eddie Sharp Racing. After the test, I really
feel like we could go back down there and be a contender to run up front and
possibly even challenge for the win at Daytona with the quality of race team
that Eddie Sharp has assembled. In addition to running up front on the track,
I know Brandon will get the chance to get a lot of exposure off of the track
during Speedweeks like he did during the test, which would mean a lot of
added exposure for a company if we can get some sponsorship lined up. So
hopefully, we can keep knocking down those doors and get something put
together here soon so Brandon will have the opportunity to run the Daytona
event and maybe even a couple of more races.” Should sponsorship get lined
up, Brandon knows that when he heads back to Daytona, he will already be
ahead of the learning curve. “I didn’t think I would get
the chance to learn a lot of the stuff that I did before the weekend started,
so now if we get the chance to go back, we can pick up right where we left
off. The biggest thing for me is knowing how these cars act and react in the
draft and how much they dance around. Luckily for me, when we ran the
drafting session, I spent time out front, mid-pack and at the back of the
pack, so I know the different scenarios should I get into them. “I’m really hoping a sponsor
will step up and give us the shot to run with Eddie down at Daytona in February.
After the test, I think we could be a team to be reckoned with down there
during Speedweeks.” Brandon is coming off the most
successful season in his young racing career. Brandon piloted his #28 Airplus
Insoles / Team McReynolds Dodge to three wins and three poles in 16
UARA-Stars Series starts, coming home third in the final point standings.
Brandon also had seven top-five finishes and 10 top-10 finishes along the
way. In addition to his UARA accomplishments, McReynolds finished second in
the annual Bailey’s 300 at Martinsville Speedway in early October. Team McReynolds hopes to move
to the ARCA Racing Series or USA Racing Pro Cup Series for the 2010 season,
along with continuing to run a handful of UARA events. The biggest challenge
to accomplish any of this is to secure sponsorship. With the package of a
talented young driver, a championship caliber race team and the likes of
Larry McReynolds, any company would benefit in a relationship with Team
McReynolds to help promote their product or company. Please contact the shop
office at 704-799-9170 to discuss the opportunities available. As always, check out Brandon
McReynolds’ official website, www.brandonmcreynolds.com, for all
the most recent news and information on Brandon and the entire team. About Airplus About Implus Footcare, LLC |
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SCMSRN.com/Paul J Miller 3rd, 2000-2009