High Drama In Lakeland Sees Brandon Ward Narrowly Escape With Rookie Title
Images © Kathy Bond/USAR ProCup
Date: November 5, 2007
For Release: Immediately
Dream Nearly Becomes A Nightmare Just Six Miles From Achieving It
Cornelius, NC--In a season-ending race that had more plot twists than a Robert Ludlum novel, Brandon Ward somehow managed to limp his battered Randy Humphrey Racing Ford Fusion to a 21st place finish, and in the process captured the closest Rookie of the Year battle in USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series history. “Battle” may not be a strong enough word, however, to describe the events in Lakeland. “War” may actually be a much more appropriately descriptive term.
As the RHR team van rolled down the interstate highways last Thursday between Cornelius, North Carolina and its ultimate destination of Lakeland, Florida, the conversations inside were filled with expectation and optimism. “I hadn’t been to the track at Lakeland before, but my guys had, and we were ready,” says Brandon Ward in retrospect. “We knew that we were going down there as well prepared as we could possibly be. And we had a 47 point lead in the Rookie standings, and were only 18 out of second in the Championship points.”
“Then we got a big dose of reality when we unloaded and struggled all through practice, changing everything on the car, except me.” Ward continued, “We just couldn’t seem to make the car fast, and realized that we were going to have to race smart and use some creative strategy; something that Rob (crew chief Huffman) does as well as anybody.”
For much of the race, Huffman’s ‘strategy game’ worked to perfection. At one point, after starting 23rd and working a combination of on-track passes by Ward and pit stops by the crew to perfection, Brandon found himself running second to race leader Wade Day. Suddenly Ward was in position to secure five bonus points, and in the process to create a little additional cushion between himself and his closest pursuer in the Rookie chase, Matt Hawkins. “Unfortunately, we just couldn’t get by Wade. And at that point we had no idea just how important those bonus points might possibly be later on,” said Ward.
Crew chief Rob Huffman used every bit of his considerable experience and craftiness, helping his driver as best he could with chassis adjustments and pit strategy. And it all appeared to be paying off, with Ward running just outside the top ten, and comfortably on his way to capturing his Rookie of the Year trophy—when disaster struck just eight laps from the finish of the “Aaron’s 250”.
“Looking back, I really don’t think Kirk (Leone) wrecked me intentionally”, said Ward later. “When he got into me and turned me around and our car hit the wall so late in the race, I admit I was really upset at the time. And I honestly didn’t know that I could have let him go and we would still have won the Rookie title.”
Huffman concurred. “We couldn’t afford to just move over and let him by. Hawkins was really strong at the end, and we knew if Matt passed a couple more cars and we lost a couple more spots, we could be giving away the Rookie deal. We’d worked too hard all year to even think about doing that.”
After the bump from Leone, the spin and ensuing tail-first impact with the wall, Ward couldn’t afford to come down pit road for fresh BF Goodrich tires. “There were still a couple of other cars on the lead lap behind us”, said Huffman. “We didn’t realize until we went back to green that when Brandon locked up the brakes trying to keep the car off the wall, he flat-spotted the tires.”
That made the season’s final three-quarter mile lap the most dramatic one of all. “The right front tire finally blew on the last lap because of the flat spots,” said Ward. “But somehow we made it back to the checkered flag.”
The next several minutes were agonizing, as Brandon and his “Claremont Posse” waited for official word from USAR officials. When the announcement finally came that Ward had needed every one of the 47 points by which he led fellow rookie Matt Hawkins coming into the Lakeland finale to clinch the Rookie of the Year, there was as much relief as there was jubilation in the RHR camp.
“One of us had to lose, and I hate that for Matt. He’s a really great guy, and I’ve enjoyed the times we raced against him this year,” said Ward. “He’s definitely got a ton of talent, and I look forward to racing him close again next year, hopefully for the Championship.”
For team owners Randy and Stacey Humphrey, the Rookie of the Year title was somewhat prophetic. On April 10th, just four days before the Northern Division season opener, RHR selected Ward to drive the SupplyOne Ford. In making the announcement Randy Humphrey said, “Brandon’s resume speaks for itself…But equally important he brings a high level of integrity and an incredible work ethic. He’s the kind of young man that any team could rally behind. We feel that not only will he be the one to beat for Rookie of the Year, but Brandon is also fully capable of contending for the Series Championship in 2007.”
Humphrey knew whereof he spoke. Ward did deliver him the Rookie title, and was in Championship contention all the way to the last race of the season. Humphrey will, however, have to wait until 2008, RHR’s milestone fifth USAR Pro Cup season, for that coveted first Championship banner.
But in case there’s any doubt regarding the entire team’s expectations in that regard, there’s a place high up on the shop wall reserved for the banner. It is right above the race car that’s only been back from Lakeland for a day, yet is unrecognizably stripped to its bare chassis and sitting on jack stands. The “Claremont Posse” is already hard at work massaging and reworking the car that’s affectionately become known as “Zipper” into what they expect to be a 2008 Championship winner.
For More Information: Rob Albright (704) 895-1384.