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| Brannon Specialties Plays Numbers Game for a Third Place Finish | By Bill Green, From Behind The MIC
Punt Gorda, FL (April 28th, 2007) Twenty-four hours after a fantastic third place finish in a 24-car Limited Late Model field at Orlando Speed World the Brannon Specialties Team would repeat the feat in a 26-car Charlotte County Motorsports Park field of big guns.
After the Orlando run, Bob Brannon, Drew’s father and the owner of Brannon Specialties, a high-rise truss company in Miami, decided to try something new. He knew that regular crew chief Bobby Beauthemin would now be able to make the Charlotte County race. With that in mind, and wanting to give long time friend and fellow racer Thomas Cepeda , the acting assistant crew chief, a reward for all his hard work and loyalty, the elder Brannon called a team meeting.
Now you have to understand that he’s talking to his son Drew the driver, 14, Thomas the crew chief, 22 and Andy Megronigle, 18. These are the only available members of the team for the CCMP. Knowing that seat time and experience can not be learned anywhere better than behind the wheel at the track, Bob informed the teenagers that this was their race. They would make the calls, Thomas would be the crew-chief and spotter, Andy would work the tires and they all would decide on a proper course of action during practice, qualifying and the race.
The young Brannon teammates responded with an incredible night of racing for fun that seemed to rejuvenate the entire team, including Bob. “They made good calls all night and work through a bigger problem than I thought they might manage.” he related. “At 30 laps to go, Drew hit an already crashed car hard and wrinkled the hood up so high he could not see in front of him.”
Taking the situation in quickly, young crew chief Thomas Cepeda did what anyone would do for a blinded driver, he started talking. First reassuring Drew that all was not lost and the car looked to be fine except for the crumpled up hood. Now back to the entry and exit points of yesterday. Thomas, with all the skill of a 22 year old with hundreds of thousands of go-karting laps under his belt could have, began what Bob would later describe as “a miracle,” of guidance. Thomas became Drew’s eyes and ears. Calling entry and exit, even making calls for two passes, when to accelerate and when to back off.
Now with this situation, the average race fan would think the teams lucky to finish at all. Drew Brannon, Thomas Tepeda and truck racer Andy Megronigle were just out to have fun and see how well they could do. They did well. Very well. Drew Brannon drove to a third place finish, the second one, in 24 hours. Showing that with hard work, a calm since of urgency and a level headed approach, you can accomplish a lot. Given a little good luck and a willingness to gamble on the numbers, youth trumps common since on occasion and luck might just be as simple as ability meeting opportunity!
Next up for the Brannon Team will be May 12th at Bronson Motor Speedway for the 4th outing of the Goodyear Challenge Series, followed by a return to DeSoto Super Speedway on May 26th, for another Goodyear Challenge Series run.
We’ll See You At The Races!
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