- Photo – Courtesy of Road America
Will Brendan Gaughan defy the history of five different winners in five races at Road America this weekend to become first NASCAR XFINITY Series driver with back-to-back wins?
There is plenty of evidence that says Gaughan’s chances of winning the Road America 180 Fired Up by Johnsonville are in his favor with the state of Wisconsin becoming his ‘happy place.’
As the 2014 defending winner, Gaughan has some impressive victories in the state, making him the envy of the series drivers racing at Road America this weekend. Gaughan has victories at three major venues in Wisconsin with different configurations between the tracks making those wins an amazing accomplishment.
At Crandon International Off-Road Raceway, one of Gaughan’s most memorable wins includes an off-road truck race against future NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champ Jimmie Johnson in 1996. Gaughan’s NASCAR Truck Series victory at the Milwaukee Mile is one of six series victories for the driver in 2003.
More than a decade later,Gaughan once again showed his determination to win, driving in wet conditions and through adversity, he managed to take the checkered flag last year at Road America.
“To me, the Triple Crown in Wisconsin is Milwaukee, Road America and Crandon — and I’ve got wins at all three,” Gaughan said. “Wisconsin has been a huge part of my career. I spent so much of my life racing across that great state.”
Gaughan is aiming for back-to-back wins at the Road America throughout the 14-turn, 4.048-mile road course, piloting the No. 62 for Richard Childress Racing in the 182.4-mile, 45-lap event.
Looking back at last season’s victory, the 40-year-old said the race had good and bad moments. and is one he’ll never forget. That race was only the fourth time the series has used rain tires in competition and the first time since 2008 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.
Gaughan held the early lead a couple of times last season and then withstood a runoff that filled his grill with grass. Then despite the lack of windshield wipers he held off Alex Tagliani with a 0.820-second margin of victory. This weekend, Tagliani is racing in Canada at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Crew chief Shane Wilson was an important part of last season’s success by providing the winning strategy for the long run of a race that saw a delay of almost one hour due to rain, and extended by three laps. Gaughan said the win was particularly satisfying since he charged from the back to the front several times.
“You start to get that confidence up that you’re starting to pick off guys quick here,” he said. “It definitely gives you a big feel – your shoulders press back, grab that wheel and kind of get in that seat a little bit harder and say ‘I can take this now.’ That’s the feeling I had.”
Gaughan ran his first-ever race in the rain 20 years ago at Road America, and that past knowledge provided a boost for him and his team.
“I leaned heavily on that experience,” Gaughan said. “I’m good in the rain, and it definitely played in my favor (last year).
“Montreal was difficult for NASCAR drivers in the rain and I love it. It created a lot more havoc and headaches, so to speak, but Road America really stepped up well for the race. You can still get a lot of speed, you can still drive the hell out of the place. No offense, I’m hoping for rain again this year.”
With rain predicted again this weekend at Road America, Gaughan clearly has an advantage against his peers.
On Saturday the XFINITY drivers will compete at Road America for a sixth straight season, but officials made a couple tweaks this year. The race has moved to August from its traditional June date, and drivers will run 20 fewer miles for a 182.4-mile distance.
The weekend is an off-weekend for Sprint Cup Series teams, which Gaughan says helps the competition. Paul Menard, is the sole Sprint Cup Series driver competing at Road America on Saturday.
“It helps when you have guys from Cup teams. It’s hopefully going to turn out well that they have a couple of those guys show up at Road America. It means a lot to the fans.”
Gaughan said he’ll always be a strong supporter of Road America, especially if NASCAR executives consider adding a road course besides Watkins Glen (NY) and Sonoma (CA) Raceway to the Sprint Cup calendar.
Gaughan would immediately call team owner Richard Childress, if Road America popped up on the schedule.
“If it was a weekend I was available, I would definitely call up Richard and say I want to run a Cup car that weekend,” Gaughan said. “For sure, I would want to go play there. I would love to race anything there – I don’t care what it is.”
The green flag drops at 2:20 p.m., Saturday afternoon for the Road America 180 Fired Up by Johnsonville with a live broadcast on the NBC Sports Network.