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Hemby Bridge, NC - Trying to save a few dollars to end the season, I rolled into Riggins Motorsports Complex alongside Charlotte-Douglas International Airport to beg Eric Senior for a groover to bring eight-race old tires back to life while dodging American Airline pilots at the same time. He cussed me out for breaking too many blades but eventually gave inwhen I offered to buy him a hot dog at Carolina Speedway the next night. After the spat, Riggins Junior confirmed rumors of several professional teams heading to the Carolinas after complications of some national event being canceled. Drivers like Chad Kemenah and teams life Buffalo Wild Wings were coming to race with us!
If you've read my previous articles, you know I love timelines... So here it goes...
Friday...
1:00PM - I'm helping awesome folks close on a really cool home in a really neat neighborhood.
1:15PM - I'm confirming a really expensive HUD statement that's creating beads of sweat on my too large forehead.
1:17PM - While trying not to show signs of weakness, brother Jacob is texting "Dude we are parked beside Terry McCarl!"
1:19PM - I confront a conference room full of anxious people that yes... everything looks good. Now dear God, let's get these people to their new home and me to the shop now! I gotta go racing!
1:59PM - I'm taking selfies with my new homeowners!
2:00PM - Hauling ass to my shop to put a not so bent rearend in the car and do my best.
Enough with the time lines...
This season has been really awesome in the fact that I've had a dedicated crew member throughout the season and that day he was there to save the day again. Two years ago a guy in Lancaster, SC saw me wearing a Kenny Rogers/Danny Smith T-Shirt and proclaimed Danny's greatest while standing in line at a CeCe's Pizza Buffet line. Since then, Seth has pretty much been my right hand man. You only have to tell him one, and now he's learned how to tell me twice.
Seth and I showed up and it was true. We got to park near TMAC. We did our normal routine while keeping an eye on McCarl and Sons to pick up some pointers. At one point, we caught McCarl scraping mud off my wing, body, and weirdly my floor plan? "Dad, is that Terry under my car? What's he doing?" "I guess he's torqueing your floor plan bolts with a scraper."
The weekend didn't go as plan when I got caught up in a B-Main turn two wreck while running in the transfer spot. I was able to walk away with a 4th fastest in practice, a second in the dash, and passed four cars in the heat. But Sometimes that's not good enough.
We left Carolina Speedway a little early that night...
With a destroyed race car and blown engine, it was a depressing week leading up to the World Finals.
Even though we were only scheduled to be fans and friends those three nights, like every fan following their favorite Outlaw team, we found ourselves trying to learn secrets from Kahne's number one, Justin Adams. Well, the more we stared toward him, the he asked us to do. then next thing you know, Jacob was pretty much doing everything while Justin and Darrah just chilled.
Hopefully, they know that was a joke!
Jacob decided he'd had enough of the Outlaw life after only one night and I was way too hung over from Opening Night to help out Saturday morning, so our buddy Justin Glass came to our rescue and helped Justin Adams maintain the car at KKR the next day. Apparently, J&J couldn't handle the task by themselves, so I stumbled out of bed around 2PM to make the hour trek to Zaxby's then KKR to fill fuel jugs and pressure wash mules. Oh and change engines.
On our way back to the camp ground outside turn four of the speedway, we felt extremel sorry for the fans that would miss out on Sunday's action. But deep down inside, it created some amazing life time experiences that wouldn't have otherwise been experienced.
Sunday morning, Jacob and I met Kahne's crew at the shop at 10 and proceeded to the Dirt Track. That afternoon, Cody busted his ass on an extremely drey slick track and made the A-Main.
On a side note as a crew member, watching just one car on the track will make a person exhausted. During the entire feature, I only watched Cody and when he rolled into the pits, I beleived I was just as tired as him.
After the rig was loaded, Cody, Justin, and Cody's family thanked us for our help while proceeding to the nine rig for cake.
Jake and I rode back to KKR with the rig. Instead of talking about past races like the race two hours before, it was time to talk about more important races like the one we plan on winning in Sumter, SC this weekend.
Motivational weekends like weekend's past can motivate a man to no ends. This past weekend did. Time to win.....
Brandon McLain
United Sprint Car Series Driver
2014 Season
National Rookie of the Year!
National Points - 8th
Southern Points - 3rd
Asphalt Points - 3rd
18 Races, 3 Top 5's, 14 Top 10's
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