Flat tire with 3 to go costs Brandon a shot at win #48 

Hartwell, GA (Aug-13) On a night where the starting field included former champions both on a local and national level, it was apparent after qualifying Brandon looked to be in position to have a good night as he qualified on the outside pole ahead of former Hartwell Speedway track champion Parker herring Jr as well as former national Dirt Late Model Champions Jack Pennington and royce Bray.

Brandon, riding in second position behind leader Kenny Collins, was poised to compete for the win on a late race restart with just a handful of laps left when; with just 3 laps to go - felt the right rear going flat on his #51 Dirt Late Model.

Brandon would nurse the #51 home to finish 3rd - scoring his 93rd Top 5 in 103 starts.

            

           Brandon to compete TONIGHT
                                       at 
                        Hartwell Speedway
                                Hartwell, GA
                     
                    Racing action gets underway at 7 p.m.

                         Seven Divisions - 100 cars
      For more information, visit http://www.hartwell-speedway.com 
    ------------------------------------------------------
 
     
Brandon takes a break from preperations for the upcoming NASCAR K&N Pro Series event in Greenville SC on Sept-5 to ready the Reed Motorsports #51 Dirt Late Model that he will pilot Saturday Night at Hartwell Speedway in Hartwell, GA

                                              Hartwell Speedway, Hartwell,GA
 Brandon set to make 3rd 2011 DLM start this weekend

Lavonia, GA (July-29) Reed Motorsports announced today that driver Brandon Haley will break from his preperations for the upcoming NASCAR K&N Pro Series East event at Greenville Pickens Speedway on Sept 5 to compete this weekend in the #51 Dirt Late Model at Hartwell Speedway. 

Saturday night will mark just the third time in 2011 the up and coming NASCAR K&N Pro Series driver has competed on dirt. 

Brandon competed at Hartwell Speedway just two weeks ago finishing second. He was poised to compete for the win but an an ailing carburetor erased his chances for the win.

"We took the carburetor off the car and have had it looked at since then" Brandon says, "and we should be in good shape Saturday night"

Seven divisions will be in action Saturday night at Hartwell Speedway where heat races are scheduled to get underway at around 6:30 p.m.

Even this late into the year, Hartwell Speedway is seeing overall car counts well into the 80's & 90's.
 
For more information, please visit; www.hartwell-speedway.com

      

   
Brandon powers through Turns 3 & 4 at Hartwell Speedway (Hartwell, GA) last Saturday en route to a 2nd Place finish in the Dirt Late Model feature

                      Despite an ailing carburetor 
    Brandon finishes 2nd in second start on dirt in 2011

Hartwell GA (July-16) Forced to forego the K&N Pro Series East stop in Loudon NH the preceeding day, NASCAR K&N Pro Series East driver Brandon Haley made the short trip from his hometown Lavonia, GA to nearby Hartwell, GA Saturday to compete in just his second Dirt Late Model event of 2011 at Hartwell Speedway.

Having not competed on dirt since the beginning of April, Brandon quickly reaquainted himself with his Reed Motorsports #51 Dirt Late Model which has carried him to 47 wins and 90 Top 5's in just 100 starts.

"From the time we unloaded, we were fast" Brandon said. We had to make a few minor adjustments, but overall, I was really suprised we were as quick as we were. Racing on dirt can be tricky. These Dirt Late Models are just as sensative to conditions as the K&N Series car in our NASCAR program"

"We were fortunate to be so close when we unloaded and I gotta tell you, the car really felt good in practice. We've had so much trouble figuring out our chassis on the NASCAR side here lately, I was beginning to wonder if the difficulty there might have been because of the driver. The struggles we've had there can eat away at your confidence"

In qualifying, Brandon was second quickest having circled Hartwell Speedway in 17.24 seconds compared to pole winner Brant Carey's best lap of 17.18 seconds. 

As Brandon climbed out of his car after qualifying he said "we just missed it, but that's okay though, we're on the front row and I can't tell you how much I needed to know what that feels like again"

As the green flag flew over the field in the 25 Lap Dirt Late Model feature, Brandon fell in behind pole sitter Carey as the pair exited turn 2. Brandon was seemingly content in the runner up spot maintaining his own pace. "I was running pretty hard" Brandon said "but the 1-A in front was running alot harder then I was, my thinking was, he might use up his tires so I figured I'd run at a pace that'll keep us in 2nd and see waht happens as the race goes. Saving your tires is just as big here as it is in NASCAR"

As the race began to wind down, Brandon began to charge forward after having been in tire conservation mode up until that point. As Brandon began to quickly cut away at Carey's lead, he began to notice a skip under the hood. "At the end of the straight-a-ways, the engine was missing" Brandon said. "I first thought the motor was chipping but on exit of the corners at both ends of the track, I knew it was carburetor because the power just wasn't there coming out of the corners"

In the final laps, Brandon quickly changed his line around the speedway and suprisingly was still closing the gap between himself and the race leader.

As the white flag flew, Brandon was within a few car lengths of the leader entering Turn 1 on the final circuit around Hartwell Speedway. The gap had gotten even smaller by the time the pair exited Turn 2 and headed down the back stretch for the final time.

As the checkered flag flew, Brant Carey would take the win with Brandon closely tucked in behind to finish second.

After the race Brandon said "I was catching him but with the carburetor issue I was having, I don't know that I could have gotten by him. It was a good night. We'll find out what was up with the carburetor and come back and try again next chance we get"


 
               
                    
        Brandon to miss next two K&N Pro Series events 

Lavonia, GA (July-13) Reed Motorsports announced today that Brandon Haley driver of the Reed Motorsports entry in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will miss upcoming events in Loudon New Hampshire and Columbus Ohio scheduled for July 15 and July 23 respectfully. Team officials explained the move was in keeping with it's 2011 plans should sponsorship not be secured after the first five events of the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East campaign.   

The Lavonia, Ga based upstart NASCAR race team spent much of the year in the Top 10 in the NASACAR K&N Pro Series East championship point standings. Additionally, Haley sat near the top of the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings throughout the first five events of 2011 as well.

At the outset of the year, Reed Motorsports acquired a 2010 Roush-Fenway built Ford Fusion previously raced on just two occasions in the Nationwide Series piloted by Carl Edwards.

"We determined we needed to prepare for the future, sponsorship or not" says team owner Wayne Reed. The car we would start the year with is a five year old, long wheel based Cup car"

"Should we not secure sponsorship, our resources would allow us to compete competetively in the first four or five events. After that we'll 
redirect our focus to rolling out the new car knowing full well it will take time to learn the new car. It was a 'given' the notebook on the older car would not be of much value, so conceivably, we'd be starting over" 

"We didn't have what we needed to finish out the new car. We had to pull whatever we could from the older car. We determined we would roll out the new car June 12 at Gresham Motorsports Park. Gresham is close to us which allowed a little more time to finish converting from the older car to the newer car"

"Despite consistent and solid runs in the older car absent of technical or engineering help, we would focus our attention on learning the new car at Gresham and Langley, take what we learned about the car to date, do our homework and return to NASCAR K&N Pro Series competition at Greenville Pickens Speedway on Labor Day"    

"The newer cars are built with so much much adjustability in them" says Reed; "We knew it would take a few races to learn the new car. It was hard to walk away from being in the Top 10 in points with a shot at Rookie of the Year but as a company focused on the future, we had to stay on course. We don't have a battery of engineers nor an alliance with a Cup or Nationwide team that does, so we have put forth the time and effort to figure the car out. 

Brandon will return to NASCAR K&N Pro Series East competition on Monday September 5 at Greenville Pickens Speedway in Greenville, SC 

Remaing events in 2011

09/05 Greenville Pickens Speedway, Greenville, SC
09/23 New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, NH***
09/30 Dover International Speedway, Dover, DE***
***=combination weekends with Cup & Nationwide Series

Interested in being part of the Brandon Haley / Reed Motorsports #51 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race team?

CONTACT:
Michael Hurley
Director of Marketing / Media Relations
REED Motorsports
706-244-7470 Mobile
706-376-0675 Office
mh@brandonhaley.com
     


   
After flirting with the Top 10 in the first half of the 'Visit Hampton Va 175' at Langley Speedway, "the handling goes away" and Brandon fades to finish 17th


                                NASCAR K&N Pro Series East  
        Brandon; "We're Technologically Disadvantaged"
                                   "Visit Hampton Va 175"

Hampton, Va (Jun-19) As the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season opened at Greenville Pickens Speedway in Greenville, SC in March, Reed Motorsports driver Brandon Haley spoke with passion and conviction when asked about his expectations in 2011 in a sport that is driven by sponsors and sponsor associated resources. Unsponsored, Brandon felt as though the Lavonia, Ga based Reed Motorsports team could close the gap to some degree through a level of commitment and dedication virtually unequaled by most.

Through the first four evants on the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule, Brandon seemed to have been on the right track in what was a true life David vs Goliath scenerio; Despite the presence of Hendrick, Childress, Gibbs, Waltrip and Wallace in the K&N Series, Brandon was one of only six drivers appearing in the Top 10 in the point standings after each event, he had completed every scheduled lap of competition and he was a fixture near the top of Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.

Seemingly, a car comparable to what the Cup owned and or supported teams compete with should (in theory) close the gap even more. Brandon's 5 year old car was not a piece displaying the lastest in technology. After obtaining a 2010 Roush-Fenway Ford campaigned by Carl Edwards in the Nationwide Series, the level of excitement inside the walls of the Reed Motorsprts complex was at an all time high.

The excitement was short lived. Brandon and the Reed Motorsports team quickly learned the suspension on the new car is highly complex as compared to the older car. "Not only that" Brandon says, "the more complex something is, the more sensative it is to even the smallest of changes" 

"The chassis on these newer cars are built to be massaged and tweaked to the point where you can find speed a hundreth of a second at a time if need be as winning and losing can come down to that in the Nationwide Series"

"We just couldn't seem to find the handling in the two times we've had the car out" Brandon says. "Here at Langley, during practice the car was tight, no matter what we did to it then in the 'Visit Hampton Va 175' the car was tight on entry, and loose off which is the worst possible thing you can experience. At the end of the race I had blisters on the end of my fingers"

"We've struggled with the wide range of adjustability built into the car. We need to get the car on a pull down rig and then out on the track afterwards. Unfortunatley, if we are unable to do these two things, all we're doing is guessing, just taking a stab at it and with 45 minute paractice sessions we spend more time on pit road than we do on the track"

I really feel like we have a piece that is capable of running up front. I think the only thing keeping us from being up there are engineering and technical in nature. The guys up front have it through who they are associated with" 

"Technical and engineering support is available. But you have to pay for it at the rate of $500 - $800 an hour. As far as renting a race track goes, a half day can go for $1750 - $2000 and with the quarter panels on the #51 empty, both are hard pills to swallow"

"In a nut shell, we now have the same car as the guys up front but when they get to the track, they have a baseline set up in place and tweak and massage to find another tenth or two"

"When we get to the track, we're still looking for a baseline set up and guessing at it hasn't worked out too well for us. Some how, some way, some day, if we can get the car on a pull down rig, we'll better understand what it is we have and the results out on the track will be much different.

"Before these last couple of races, I think there were some people starting to pay attention to us and keeping an eye on us. I'm so afraid now that until we get this new car figured out, it's having an impact on the number of people who were beginning to believe in us and take notice; both of which are critical elements in securing sponsorship"
   
     -----------------------------------------------------------------------------  

  
        Updates on Facebook all day Saturday
                       starting around 8 a.m.
              www.facebook.com/rms5151 

                
We'd like to thank Mr. Danny Russell; Maintenance Supervisor at Langley Speedway whose help has enabled us to have internet access allowing us to provide photos & update throughout the day on facebook 

             

      Brandon hopes to turn things around at Langley
  Crew Chief Mark Tutor feels team is making ground figuring out new car

Hampton, VA (Jun-18) Going into this weekends 'Visit Hampton VA 175' at Langley Speedway in Hampton, VA, Reed Motorsports driver Brandon Haley and Crew Chief Mark Tutor feel as though they are closer to figuring out the recently aquired 2010Roush-Fenway built Carl Edwards Nationwide Series car.

'We've essentially had to toss most of our notes from the other car Tutor says. "The cars are so drastically different. The other car was nearly five years old and much has changed. We've made progress on how to better get the car closer to Brandon's liking" Tutor adds. "Brandon is a 'feel' driver which is a good thing this early in his NASCAR career"

"Unfortunately we lost a lot of time this week" says Brandon. When the 32 slammed into the back of us last week at Gresham, we lost three days in the shop because the car had to be repaired in North Carolina. This is a tough sport to be a part of without a marketing partner helping our program. Outfitting the shop with the kind of equipment we need isn't something we can do rigt now, so the car had to go to Kannapolis'

"Our original plan this week was to take down the front end of the car and really learn everything we could and better establish a baseline set up. I think we're half way there. Because of the Gresham repairs, we didn't quite get everything done we wanted to accomplish but I think we'll be a lot better. I don't think I've ever driven a worse handling car; on dirt or in the K&N Series, than what we had at Gresham last week. The best thing to do would have been to really go out and shake the car down, but renting a race track for an an entire plus the cost of tires is something we just can't do at the moment"

Brandon closed by insisting "I really do think we'll be a lot better this weekend"

The Reed Motorsports team will begin the day Saturday early as the garage area opens at 7:30 a.m. After NASCAR Inspection, the first of two 45 minute practice sessions is set to get underway at Noon. Final Practice is slated for 1:15 followed by pre qualifying inspection. Qualifying will be at 4:30 and the trackside autograph session allowing fans to visit with the drivers and see the NASCAR K&N Pro Series cars up close is scheduled for 5:30. 

The green flag is set to wave over the 30 car starting field for the 'Visit Hampton, VA 175' at 8 p.m.  
 
                
                               SPEED Channels Derek Pernesiglio

  Brandon to be 'featured driver' on Thursday's broadcast

Lavonia, GA (Jun-14) As part of the SPEED Channels national television coverage of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, SPEED introduced a new feature in 2011 it calls "Bio Blast" which features what SPEED Channel thinks are the "up and coming drivers" in the Series. To date, Chase Elliott, Corey Lajoie, and Joe Gibbs racings Max Gresham are among the names  that have been featured.
 
The segment which normally airs in the first part of the broadcast, sees the featured driver full screen with microphone in hand introducing himself briefly touching on his previous race experience. On air personalities Rick Allen and Phil Parsons expand on the drivers background and accomplishments aided by full a screen graphic outlining a drivers experience and or accomplishments.

On Thursady, June 19, Lavonia, GA's Brandon Haley, driver of the #51 Reed Motorsports Ford will the subject of this weeks 'Bio Blast" on SPEED's 
coast to coast national broadcast.

Considering there are but 12 broadcasts all year, car owner Wayne Reed said "we are so honored that SPEED Channel thinks so much of our effort. We don't have a sponsor and haven't been able to do the things we've wanted to be able to do. When you consider who has been featured in Bio Blast segments so far this year, I gotta tell you, I'm overwhelmed by this"

Brandon has been in North Carolina for two days making repairs to the #51 Reed Motorsports Ford suffered at Greshanm Saturday that were too extensive to repair in the Reed Motorsports shops.

When Brandon recieved word this morning he would be featured on Thursday's national broadcast, he said "I want to thank SPEED Channel for thinking so much of us, especially Derek Pernesiglio of SPEED. There is no denying how important Derek and SPEED Channel are to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. The exposure they have brought to our series is incredible. This is a tough series and even though the point standings have see sawed back and forth all year, SPEED Channel's coverage of our series is what really showcaes how competitive the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East really is"

Then, in typical Brandon fashion, Brandon hesitated and thought for a second and said, "Dang,... ya know, there is a lot of talent in this series, I can't believe SPEED chose to feature us this week"


                      -----------------------------------------------

   
After spending much of the afternoon in the Top 5 in practice, Brandon's fate takes a turn in qualifying that leads to more bad luck later in the Slack Auto Parts 150 at Gresham Motorsports Park

                        Gresham Motorsports Park
      A day so filled with promise goes wrong in a hurry
         With 2 damaged cars in 2 consecutive races, uncertainty abounds

Jefferson, GA (June-12) - When the day began Saturday morning, NASCAR K&N Pro Series East driver Brandon Haley & the Reed Motorsports race team arrived at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, GA wondering if today would finally be thier day in race #6 of the 2011 season, the 'Slack Auto Parts 150'. 

With a Roush-Fenway built Ford Carl Edwards piloted to two Top 5 finishes in the Nationwide Series in 2010, the Reed Motorsports team would field a car in this event hoping the gap between them and the Cup and Nationwide affiliated teams was not as wide as has been the case in previous 2011 K&N Pro Series East events

With the new car, the only downside felt by the team heading into the garage area Saturday morning was the empty notebook on the new car. 
Because of the car's shorter wheelbase and it's modern day chassis and suspension geometry, most of the notes on the four year old speedway car Brandon had competed in every race to date, establishing a base line early in practice was critical. 

With 31 teams on hand, the theme in the first of two practice sessions was to get Brandon to feel comfortable in the car as he had never been behind the wheel of another car in traffic as recent test session the week before was primarily solo runs.

On old tires, Brandon was 14th quickest near the conclusion of the first practice session but more importatntly, Brandon's level of confidence in the feel of the new car was growing. Brandon spent much of the second practice session in the Top 5 on the speed charts. Nearing the end of the session, many teams bolted on 4 new Goodyears and Brandon still found himself in the Top 10.

In a bold and risky move between Final Practice and qualifying, changes were contemplated that could make the #51 a little quicker. Brandon felt the car had a lot more in it than what the speed charts showed. After much discussion, shocks and springs were changed before qualifying. 

Qualifying order is determined by draw and Brandon would qualify near the end of the qualifying session. Be it a changing track or the untested adjustments made since Final Practice, Brandon radioed the car was 'bad tight' on his warm up lap. Throughout his two lap qualifying run, Brandon had to lift early entering the turns at both ends of the speedway and wait to get back "in the gas". It was so apparent, the first thought was the engine was going south.

Once qualifying was done, the #51 would line up a disappointing 21st on the Slack Auto Parts 150 starting grid. 

With the cars impounded after qualifying, the crew discussed making a pit stop for adjustments if there was an early caution. Unfortunately, once the race was underway (after a 2 1/2 hour rain delay) Brandon WAS the first caution.

When the green flag fell on the Slack Auto Parts 150, Brandon was more aggressive at the start than he had been all year (the difference between the new car and the 4 year old 'speedway' car that seemed to always take time to 'come in')

Plagued by a 'deep in the field' start and the potential for trouble such a start brings, on Lap 23 the car directly in front of Brandon was out of shape exiting Turn 4. Brandon was quick to miss the car but was slammed into from behind. While there was a gap between Brandon and the car behind him, Brandon was slammed into nontheless.

             
                  Brandon dives onto Pit Road for repairs

After going to Pit Road, it was apparent that beyond the LR quarter panel being completely destroyed, there was damage to the LR suspension as well.

Despite falling to 30th in the running order and going a lap down, on the restart, Brandon was a man on a mission; get back on the lead lap, salvage a good finish.

With four cars on the track already a lap down in front of him, Brandon would be the free pass car just 15 laps later as the caution flew on Lap 38. 

The green flag would once again wave on Lap 42 and over the course of the of the 108 Laps that remained, Brandon would soldier his way up through the field to finish 15th.

After the race Brandon's only comment was "not the kind of day we were hoping for"

 
   



             
      
                                      Army Strong 150
       After running 7th early, overheating ends Brandon's day
                                   Bowman Gray Stadium

             VIDEO OF WHAT PUT BRANDON OUT FOLLOWS ARTICLE 
                           
Winston Salem, NC - As the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East rolled into Winston Salem's historic Bowman Gray Stadium Friday, quietly, there was much concern in virtually every corner of the K&N Pro Series East garage area as to how physical an event the Army Strong 150 might turn out to be; due to the narrow and flat 1/4 mile track, would the Army Strong 150 transform stock car racing into a contact sport similar to the kind of contact seen on the Winston Salem University football field on the infield?

Reed Motorsports driver Brandon Haley had the same concerns as each of the other 26 drivers on hand. "Survive and keep the fenders on the car " was the number one priority heard throughout the garage area. 

Because of the expected physical nature of the event, everyone knew the night could forge a major shake up in the championship point standings. Subsequently, Brandon's objective was to be smooth on the track and not be overly aggressive so as to position himself as a benefactor of any potential shake up in the points.

On Friday night, Brandon turned in on of the most surprising performances of the night in Coors Light Qualifying. Not known as a strong qualifier, Brandon went out second in qualifying and sat on the front row well into the qualifying session. "I didn't get too excited about where we were because I knew the later it got, the cooler it would get and that would favor the guys going out later" Brandon said afterwards.

When qualifying was over, the Reed Motorsports Ford Fusion was eighth quickest of the 27 cars that qualified.

For a few minutes, the atmosphere in the Reed Motorsports hauler in the garage area was almost celebratory as Brandon had turned in his best qualifying effort ever. In six career starts, Brandon had never qualified better than 14th. While gracious and appreciatave of the congradulations and attention he recieved from others, Brandon was concerned that his outside fourth row statrting position on the grid might be a problem; "you can't stay on the outside here. If there is anything I've learned in watching the local divisions, if you can't get down early, you fade fast and deep into the field"

With 15,000 in attendance on Saturday night, Brandon ran as high as 7th early in the event. The turning point changing the fortunes of Brandon's night came near the halfway point in the event.

Heading down the back straight-a-way, cars directly ahead of Brandon tangled just before the entry of Turn 3 resulting in the cars involved in wanting the same piece of real estate spinning in the center of the corner and coming to a stop. While Brandon was not caught up in the accident, the track was blocked in front of him and another car had stalled directly behind Brandon. With the caution out, Brandon was the meat in the sandwhich. Brandon was forced to wait until either the car in front of him or the stalled car behind him could refire and get back underway before Brandon could move as seen in the video below. Additionally, nearly half of the cars on the track pass Brandon as he awaits an opportunity to move. 

Because Brandon's wheels stopped turning, irregardless of the reason, NASCAR ofiicials shuffle Brandon back to the 21st position on the restart. 

The same car involved in the incident relegating Brandon to 21st would tangle with the same car on the restart, the right side of the car would go airborne breifly. Unable to slow, the left front corner of Brandon's #51 would contact the right rear of the airborne car as it came back down. Meanwhile, as this incident unfolded, at the opposite end of the track, a spin in in Turn 3 would bring out the caution. 

During the following lap while under caution, Brandon observed the water temperature was steadily rising. On the next lap with the yellow still out, steam began to pour out of the overflow. Crew Chief Mark Tutor called Brandon into the pits and discovered the fan had stopped turning thus ending Brandon's night.

Brandon would record his first DNF in six starts and finish 27th.

   

      --------------------------------------------------
              
           
                  Brandon to debut new car at Gresham
              2010 Nationwide Roush-Fenway Ford driven by Carl Edwards

Lavonia, GA (Jun-3) In recent weeks, news out of the Lavonia, GA based Reed Motorsports has been almost nonexistent. In fact, the usually active website and even more active Facebook page have been unusually quiet. While this weekend’s Army Strong 150 at 1/4 mile Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston Salem, NC is a concern for many of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series teams, Brandon and the Reed Motorsports race team have been involved in a project that has occupied most of the time not already consumed by the familiar black and florescent yellow # 51 Reed Motorsports Ford Fusion.

Brandon currently sits 10th in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship point standings and 2nd in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings despite a small budget and limited resources. While the Reed Motorsports team is still searching in earnest for sponsorship, Brandon and team owner Wayne Reed are preparing for a serious run at a strong finish in the championship point standings come year end and the Rookie of the year title.

Reed Motorsports has had another car in its stable, a 2010 Roush-Fenway Ford piloted by Carl Edwards in just two 2010 events in the Nationwide Series. Edwards drove the car to a 2nd and 5th place finishes last year in its only two outings. 

“While we’ve had the car for a bit now, we were hoping sponsorship would come through enabling us to complete the car” said Reed. “The car is far superior to the 4 year old car Brandon has been driving, but due to the lack of sponsorship the necessary parts and pieces needed to put the new car on the track have had to come from the existing car including the motor, transmission; practically the entire drive line and most of the chassis suspension components to name just a few” 

“We will debut the car at our home track, Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, GA on June 11 in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series ‘Slack Auto Parts 150’ “says Brandon. Brandon adds, “the car is the shorter wheel base car that just about everyone else has been running, so I hope we will see a big difference out on the track, both in how it races and how we qualify” 

Since returning from Iowa, Brandon has essentially dismantled the car he has campaigned all year, and assembled the new car.  

Amazingly, Brandon tested the new Roush-Fenway car at Gresham this passed Tuesday. Immediately upon returning to the Reed Motorsports shop, Brandon and crew member Sam Hicks worked nearly around the clock dismantling the new car, and reassembled the older car in time for the Army Strong 150 at Bowman Gray.  At 10 p.m. Thursday night, just 8 hours before departing for Bowman Gray, Brandon was scaling the older car that he'll compete in this weekend. 

As far as Tuesday’s test at Gresham Motorsports Park, Brandon was pleased with what was accomplished during the practice session. Despite the 96 degree air temperature and the 140 degree track surface temperature, Brandon managed to turn laps in the mid and upper 17 second range…….. on used tires. Upon returning from Bowman Gray, Brandon will begin the same process Sunday of dismantling one car and reassembling the newer car. On top of that, the car will be painted and lettered as well so as to debut the new car at the Slack Auto Parts 150 at Gresham Motorsports Park next Saturday.

                  

GRESHAM MOTORSPORTS PARK

NASCAR K&N Pro Series 'Slack Auto Parts 150'

Jefferson, GA

 

June 11 set to be the area’s biggest night of racing
ALL YEAR

 

From GMP PR

JEFFERSON, GA– June has arrived which marks the return of NASCAR to Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, GA with the Slack Auto Parts 150 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East on June 11th. GMP has much going on with the Outlaw Late Models, Mini Stocks, Trucks, Renegades, Mini Cups and much more. This is sure to be an event that no one will want to miss!

As an early Father’s Day gift on June 11th, GMP is allowing all father’s in FREE with the purchase of at least one adult general admission. Adult general admission is only $20 and kids 6-12 are only $10! The gates will open at 11 am and the autograph session will be at 5 pm and opening ceremonies will begin at 6 pm.

Fans will have the opportunity to win great prizes at the Slack Auto Parts 150 on June 11th including, a brand new bike, race tickets to Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 4th, tickets to Talladega Super Speedway on October 23rd, a $50 Wal-Mart gift card and much more!

Don’t forget about the Battle of the Tailgates competition in trackside parking! To win the $50 Wal-Mart gift card, you must participate in the tailgate competition. The judging will be based on three things: 1. Decorations (this race will be a NASCAR theme); 2. The Number of people in your trackside (don’t have enough? Drag some in from the grandstands), 3. The excitement and enthusiasm in your trackside spot. The winner will be announced right before the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race begins.

Another new element GMP has added to trackside parking is “text and deliver” service! Fans in trackside parking will be able to able to text their food order to GMP’s concession stands and have it delivered to your trackside parking spot at no additional cost (tips are appreciated).

Menus with food prices will be given to fans upon entrance into trackside parking.

To order from your trackside parking space, text order to 850-FOOD-GMP 850-366-3467 and make sure to add your trackside parking space number to your order

Do you ride a motorcycle? Wal-Mart of Commerce will be partnering with Coca-Cola, Sons of the American Legion and GMP for the “Miracle Ride” for Children’s Health Care of Atlanta. All bikes and vehicles are welcome to participate in the benefit ride. The ride will begin Saturday June the 11th at 2:30pm in Helen, Georgia and will end at GMP with a lap around the track and opening up the race events at the opening ceremonies. If you are interested in being apart of this ride, please contact Mike Nichols at (706) 499-5744 or Renee Benefield at (404) 379-3819.

And there is MORE!

There will be a three-part contest to win a NASCAR suite pass DOUBLE PACKAGE! GMP and Atlanta Motor Speedway are giving away 2 suite passes to the Slack Auto Parts 150 AND 2 Suite Passes to the Atlanta race on Labor Day Weekend to one lucky fan. Details for the contest will be posted Tuesday, May 23rd. Make sure that you are a follower of GMP and AMS on facebook and twitter.

                          FRIDAY JUNE 10
    Funopolis Family Fun Center – Commerce GA

         You heard about the fun had by all last year 
                    DON’T MISS THIS!!!!
Fans can meet some of their favorite drivers and crews and compete against them on the go-kart track and in the arcade at Funopolis Family Fun Center in Commerce, GA from 6-9 p.m. (Brandon will be there). There will be an autograph session before the fun starts. For more info  please visit www.funopolisfamilyfuncenter.com 

       
                              
               Highs & Lows Define Iowa Weekend
           Brandon fades to 32nd early & charges back to finish 19th


Newton, IA - In what was somewhat the equivalant of the Cup Series All-Star event in Charlotte, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series competed in the only event of the year open to all race teams from both the East and West divisions of the series. The all important event was critical to teams interested in makng the statement they are in the series for for all the right reasons. The financial commitment all 60 teams had to endure was expansive. Knowing in advance that only 40 teams would make the field, it was no secret 20 race teams would be sent home packing. Add to that the fact the Iowa event was a "pit stop" race meaning each team starting the event would pit during the race as the Cup and Nationwide Series do. In somewhat of a twist though, teams could only change two tires at a time hence changing all four tires would require two stops. In addition, 175 Laps on a 7/8 mile track would require taking on fuel as well.

On the surface, the similarities between Ricmond and Iowa Speedway are very apparent. Insiders profess that Iowa was built to pattern Richmond. While just a tick larger than Richmond, it was easy to assume Iowa would 'race' like Richmond as the layout of each venue is similar as well as the length of the turns and the degrees of banking at both ends of the speedway. The banking on both the front and back stright-a-ways are nearlty identical to Richmond. 

Going into Iowa, Reed Motorsports driver Brandon Haley sat 9th in the championship point standings. Of the the 45 drivers competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2011 to date, Brandon's #51 was one of only six teams ranked in the Top 10 in the point standings after every event. Add to that, Brandon was ranked near the top in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings.

While Brandon was in the Top 10 during practice at Richmond, the former Dirt Late Model driver was sideways in Turn 2 on both qualifying laps relegating him to a 28th place start on the grid. During that event, Brandon would pass 13 cars in green flag conditions. Brandon would say after the event "the car felt good and it was fast"

After Richmond, a cloud of uncertainty lingered as to whether Brandon and the Reed Motorsports team would be making the trip to Iowa. Brandon's website fell quiet as did the teams Facebook page, both of which are normally very active with updates, news, and photos from work in the shop. While negotions with potential sponsors for Iowa had been undeway, in the end, nothing panned out. After considering to forego Iowa, team owner Wayne Reed concluded the teams hopes for sponsorship in the future could be compromised if the team didn't go to Iowa.

Once in Iowa, Brandon and the Reed Motorsports crew approached the event in the same manner as Richmond due to the similarities of the tracks. the school of thought was, what worked in Richmond should work here. That thinking seemed to be accurate early on. Due to limited resources, Brandon practiced on used tires that had  47 Laps on them at Richmond. Despite this, Brandon was positioned 19th quickest in practice of the 58 cars that had been on the track. Of those 58 teams, most practiced with 4 new Goodyears. Nearing the end of practice though, the Reed Motorsports crew put four new tires on Brandon's #51. There was an anxious excitement felt by the crew as to what kind of lap times Brandon would turn when considering Brandon was on old tires while everyone else had been on sticker tires. 

Brandon was sitting on pit road awaiting an opportunity to make a mock qualifying run when practice was red flagged due to a car that backed into the wall in Turn 4. The clean up would exceed the alloted time set for K&N Pro Series teams to practice, thus, Brandon did not have the opportunity to get any laps in on new tires. Subsequently, it was unknown as to what adjustments needed to be made to the car.

Up until this point, the weekend had gone quite well. NASCAR officials were complimentary of the great strides Brandon and the Reed Motorsports crew have made from a tech inspection standpoint. Additionally, in the garage area, more and more members of established front running teams are acknowledging Brandon as one of their own rather than the "dirt track outsider" 

Despite the many positives and the momentum heading into Iowa, not having an opportunity to turn laps on new tires prior to qualifying would have far reaching implications not realized at the time, that would adversley affect Brandon and the #51 Reed Motorsports Ford Fusion for the remainder of the day, both in qualifying and the race itself. The event was an impound event; meaning, you race with what you qualified with.

Brandon tightened the car up prior to qualifying. The Nationwide Series had been on the track on a different tire and Brandon assumed that would make the K&N Pro series cars lose. But, having not been on the track on new tires, how much he needed to tighten the car up was guesswork.

Brandon's prediction that rubber laid down by the Nationwide Series practice would make the cars lose proved to be correct as a stream of crew members from other teams already qualified made the walk down pit road to give Brandon a heads up.

Brandon went on to qualify 18th fastest among the 58 cars that would qualify. When asked how the car was with new tires Brandon acknowledged he paid the price for not getting any laps in during practice on new tires "while everyone else was lose, we were too tight. We might have over adjusted.

As the starting field of 40 cars was impounded, the prospects of an ill handling car was immanent once the green flag waved. Couple that with the fact that the event was a pit stop race, Brandon had to contemplate chassis adjustments prior to pit stops and for that matter pit stops was something most in the field had never experienced, so add the pressure of the commit cone, pit road speed, properly positioning the car in the pit box etc; .

Despite the challenges and intimidation a "pit stop race" presented, pit road would provide the brightest spot in Brandon's night. On one occasion, Brandon pitted with the race leaders and went on to beat all of them off pit road with the exception of eventual race winner Brett Moffitt in the Michael Waltrip Racing entry.

Brandon's success on pit road was never matched on the track at least, not in the finishing order. With an ill handling car at the outset, Brandon found himself fading fast and mired deep in the field early.  At one point Brandon was as far back as 32nd in the running order. Chassis adjustments started early, on Lap 30 of 175.

Demonstrating the 'never give up' determination that led to 47 wins and 90 Top 5's in 100 outings on dirt, Brandon fought his way back to finish 19th.

Brandon would say after the race "We're in a sport where a good day or a bad day is determined by the finishing order. On the surface, finishing 19th ain't that great a story but so many good things happened here. We learned so much here and we'll try to build on that going forward.



   

                                         

          
                            Ryan Gifford spins in Turn 2

As the green flag waved on Lap 74, considerable concern was felt in the Reed Motorsports pit as restarts have been a problem in past events, but that would not be the case on this night as Brandon passed two cars before the field had come back around to the start finish line.
 
In the closing laps, after having passed 13 cars, the next group Brandon had set his sights on was 8th thu 14th, all running togther. Brandon had just about ran the group down, but with just four laps to go, was unable to mount a challenge.  

     

Infield JumboTron

 With practice underway, Brandon gets some TV time

 

TV Monitor inside Media Center




Under threatening skies, practice is underway at Richmond

      -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   
      
         

                NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Point Standings
    Brandon among Top 10 heading into Richmond

Lavonia GA - Because of it's role as NASCAR's top developmental series and the last stop before the Truck, Nationwide or Cup Series, it's common to see names like Gibbs, Waltrip, Elliott, LaJoie, Max Siegel and Mike Curb among the list of car owners in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Subsequently, there is no shortage of technical & engineering support in the series from the likes of RCR, Waltrip, Gibbs and Hendrick to name just a few.
 
On Wednseday morning NASCAR officials in Daytona Beach released
the current K&N Pro Series East point standings. Among the Top 10 are powerhouse teams one would expect, complete with sponsors and technical and engineering support.

One name that stands out amongst the Top 10 is Reed Motorsports driver Brandon Haley, unsponsored and the recipient of no technical or engineering support.

"It's a true testament as to how committed and how dedicated 
Brandon really is" says team owner Wayne Reed. "Even when he was racking up all those wins and 90 top 5's in 100 starts on dirt, Brandon always knew that NASCAR is where he wanted to go. He figured he had to pay his dues.

"A career on dirt and making a good living at it would have been the natural course but there isn't a person alive that could talk Brandon out of NASCAR, that's how committed to this he is. As a team, the things we lack, Brandon makes up for and I don't mean just out on the track. He's spends so much time in this shop trying to learn and make our entire effort better. 

"Someone told me a few days ago that in the last three races we've been in, we had passed more cars on the track then any of the teams in all three races. If that's true, it's a reflection of how much of himself Brandon puts into this at the shop.

"His goal everday is to know more at the end of day then he knew yesterday and he doesn't leave this shop until that happens.

"Going into Richmond, we're tied for 9th in points with the Gibbs car. Brandon is the reason hands down and not just because of his efforts on the track. It's as much because of all the time he puts in here at the shop trying to make up for the things we don't have.

"Our team is the the only unsposored team in the Top 10, maybe the Top 15 and we're in a tie for 9th with the Gibbs car. THAT.." says Reed "defines who Brandon Haley is and what he's all about.


            

        NASCAR Announces 2011 K&N Pro Series East
                 Programming on SPEED Channel

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – NASCAR has announced programming for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The broadcast calendar includes all events for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, NASCAR’s top developmental series. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East opener from Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway – run Saturday, April 2 – will air on April 28.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series schedule also includes the annual combination event at Iowa Speedway where competitors from both the NASCAR K&N Pro series East & West will compete. The event will be held on May 21 and air on June 2.

“The NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tours feature the top up-and-coming talent in the sport competing alongside the top veterans who are synonymous with these series,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR managing director of racing operations. “SPEED’s coverage of the series provides a great platform to showcase these drivers,”

SPEED, in conjunction with NASCAR Media Group, will air each NASCAR K&N Pro Series tape-delayed race as a one-hour show. SPEED, with its popular and wide-ranging coverage of NASCAR, is the nation’s first and only cable television network dedicated to automotive and motorcycle racing, performance and lifestyle.

2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East SCHEDULE ON SPEED

Race Date	Track		Air Date
Saturday, April 2	Greenville Pickens Speedway		Thursday, April 28
Saturday, April 16	South Boston Speedway		Thursday, May 12
Thursday, April 28	Richmond Intl Raceway		Thursday, May 19
Saturday, May 21	Iowa Speedway		Thursday, June 2
Saturday, June 4	Bowman Gray Stadium		Thursday, June 9
Saturday, June 11	Gresham Motorsports Park		Thursday, June 16
Saturday, June 18	Langley Speedway		Thursday, June 30
Friday, July 15	New Hampshire Motor Speedway		Thursday, July 28
Saturday, July 23	Columbus Motor Speedway		Thursday, Aug. 4
Monday, Sept. 5	Greenville Pickens Speedway		Thursday, Sept. 15
Friday, Sept. 23	New Hampshire Motor Speedway		Thursday, Sept. 29
Friday, Sept. 30	Dover International Speedway		Thursday, Oct. 6

 Mired in traffiic all day, Brandon discovers the pit road apron "groove" with 53 Laps to go. 

Late race charge can't erase effects of P20 start

South Boston, VA - Over the course of the final 53 circuits around South Boston Speedway Sunday, no driver passed more cars than did Lavonia, Ga's Brandon Haley in his unsponsored Reed Motorsports #51 Ford Fusion. Alternating between being patient when he needed to be, and "pushing the button" when he had to, Brandon employed the use of skills developed over the course of 100 Dirt Late Model starts in the final 53 laps. Nonetheless, despite his efforts, the final results would show Brandon finishing 12th.

"We were faster than most of the cars around us at the end" Brandon said. "Chad (spotter Chad Tucker) said over the radio, the pack I was running in was like 10 cars, 6th through 15th or something like that. It was so hard to pass. This is the second race in a row we've had a lot of car at the end and couldn't use it. In both starts this year, I feel like our car is as good as anyone's out there in the last half of the race, but qualifying is turning out to be our Achilles heel. We're getting killed in qualifying.

 "Actually" Brandon says "Qualifying is part of a bigger problem we have to overcome. We're so bad on restarts. It happened at Greenville and it happened again here. It takes us a bit to get going again. I think we were up to 10th today and getting around here pretty good. I found a way through 3 & 4 that was working really well but when the red flag came out near the end, I knew we'd only have 5 or 6 green flag laps to go. On the restart, it took 3 or 4 laps  to really get going again. When the white flag came out, the car started to come in again.

      
The race is red flagged on lap 141 after accident involving race leader Brett Moffit. Brandon (lower right) drives through the accident

When asked about the pit road apron 'groove' he "discovered" Brandon comments "if I'm stuck in traffic on dirt, I  look for a place on the track no one else is running on, see if the car sticks and go from there. That's kinda what we did today.

Because of the abbreviated schedule resulting from Saturday's rain, NASCAR scrubbed one of two practice sessions. When asked if that had an impact on his qualifying effort, Brandon answered "In our case, I'd say yes, but the reality is, there were 19 guys in front of us after qualifying that didn't miss it as bad as we did.

The next stop on the 2011 K&N Racing Series schedule is at Richmond International Speedway on April 28th, a combination race weekend with the Sprint Cup & Nationwide Series.  



                

                 Rain Takes the win at South Boston

South Boston, VA - For the second time in as many races, rain has forced tonight's NASACR K&N Series race at South Boston Speedway to race on another day. Event #2 on the NASCAR K&N Series 2011 schedule will be held tomorrow. Qualifying is set to get underway at 2:15 PM. The green flag is slated to go in air at 3 PM. 

Because of the earlier start time, one of two 45 minute practice sessions will be scrubbed. Essentially, race teams will have just 45 minutes to dial in their cars. The event is an impound race, so crews will NOT have an opportunity to make any adjustments to  cars after qualifying.

Sunday's NASCAR K&N Series race at South Boston could well prove to be an interesting affair.

Qualifying - 2:15 PM
Green Flag- 3:00 PM

www.southbostonspeedway.com


      
          Close quarters racing racing at Greenville        

  
                    South Boston Speedway - Saturday night  
Despite obstacles, Haley determined to continue march 
to the front

South Boston, VA - As 35 NASCAR K&N Pro Series Series East haulers begin to pull into South Boston Speedway in South Boston, VA later this afternoon, all 35 teams wiil enter the facility with the same goal at the top of their list - making the show. NASCAR will start 30 cars Saturday night including provisionals meaning 5 teams will be packing up and headed home after Coors Light Qualifying concludes.

Making the starting field is perhaps the only goal every team has in common. Beyond that, ask all 30 starters what they hope to accomplish, you'll probably have 30 different answers.

Brandon Haley, driver of the unsponsored #51 Reed Motorsports Ford hopes to better his 9th place finish two weeks ago in the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season opener. Brandon believes another strong finish well inside the Top 10 might bring the Reed Motorsports team one step closer to securing sponsorship. 

Having just registered his 90th Top 5 finish in 100 Dirt Late Model starts last Saturday night in Hartwell, GA, Brandon was dissapointed in his 3rd place finish. Brandon reasons, "had I been smarter & done better then I did, it would have put a bigger dent in this weekend at South Boston.

A walk through the infield Saturday during the lull following qualifying will reveal a familiar site; the post qualifying ritual of hot food being cooked on gas grills. Chances are though, the Reed Motorsports crew will be preparing sandwhiches in the front of the hauler in an environment every bit as festive as all of the other teams.  

Whith rain in the forcast Saturday possibly forcing the event to run on Sunday, one team member made the observation "if it rains, the extra hotel expense is equal to what two tires cost.  

Despite racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series on what could well be the smallest budget of any team in the field, Brandon as well as every member of the team refuses to subscribe to the theory that resources can keep the team from performing well. Says crew member Richard Wheeler "hard work & effort really counts in the K&N Series. I've been in higher levels of NASCAR, but here, believing in the team, believing in what we're doing, and knowing our driver is one of the best, makes all of us work harder. We can do this and so far we've accomplished things we weren't supposed to be able to do.

With three starts under his belt dating back to last season, Brandon has run amongst the Top 10 in every start despite having never competed on asphalt. With two cosecutive Top 10 finishes (instead of 3 - a flat tire at Martinsville negated a Top 10 finish), Brandon heads into South Boston this weekend determined to continue to move closer to the front. 

Looking back at the season opener two weeks ago, Brandon said "At Greenville, 26 cars were running at the finish and there was something like 20 cars on the lead lap at the finish. There was no real attrition in front of us and we finished 9th. The cool thing is we were right there with 6th 7th & 8th at the end. Where we messed up is, the car took a while to come in, so we're hoping we can improve on that this week at South Boston.

The appearance by the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East at South Boston will mark the second event in the 2011 campaign. The event also marks the fifth straight year the series has battled it out at the 4/10 mile track which bills itself as America’s Hometown Track.

 

As is customary in the NASCAR Pro Series East, SPEED Channel will be on hand, and prior to the start of Saturday’s race, fans will have the opportunity to go trackside for the fan appreciation autograph session where they will have the opportunity to meet Brandon and all of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East drivers.

 

Grandstands open- 3:00 PM

Coors Qualifying- 3:45 PM

Autograph Session-5:15 PM

Green Flag-7:00 PM

 

www.southbostonspeedway.com

 

  
SPEED Channel's Derek Pernesiglio with Brandon At Greenville
 

                                         NASCAR K&N SERIES
        NASCAR Hits Home Run with 'Soul of NASCAR' Campaign
                        K&N Series opens doors never before seen

Lavonia, GA - In 2010, NASCAR introduced it's "Soul of NASCAR' advertising campaign to bring attention to other components competing under the NASCAR banner. With the likes of Carl Edwards & Kevin Harvick among others as spokespersons,the campaign masterfully brings attention to the NASCAR K&N Series,NASCAR sanctioned short tracks, the Whelen Modified Tour, and the Whelen All-American Series for weekly Saturday night short track racers.   

The theme of the 'Soul of NASCAR' campaign reminds all of us that each of the drivers in NASCAR's top tier series did not start there. NASCAR very effectively sends the message, watch history in the making at these events, as this is where tomorrows NASCAR stars will come from.

Realizing it's fan base is aging at it's highest level, NASCAR's effort to introduce NASCAR to a younger audiance has been well thought out and well executed.

In 2010, every event in the NASCAR K&N Series was televised on SPEED Channel in a regular, weekly time slot. In addition, the K&N Series Super Bowl event, the Toyota Showdown was broadcast live in January. SPEED kicks of it's 2011 NASCAR K&N Series coverage on April 28 at 6 pm.

At the K&N Series Season Opener in Greenville, there were no less than 10 television cameras on hand between SPEED Channel and local media outlets 

Through it's NASCAR.com website, NASCAR has launched it's NASCAR Home Tracks website which saw over 4 million hits in 2010. Additionally, NASCAR provides marketing support as well as tools to all interested teams to aid them in their marketing efforts.

In taking on an identity all it's own, presently, many observers
feel NASCAR's K&N Series is NASCAR's fastest growing brand. 

The NASCAR K&N Series has become NASCAR's top developmental series enabling teams and drivers to experience what big time NASCAR racing is like and prepare them, both on and off the track for the next level. 

So important is the NASCAR K&N Series, teams like Hendrick, Gibbs, Waltrip, Germain and Childress have a presence in the series.
Nonetheless, perhaps the biggest element the NASCAR K&N Series has brought forth is OPPORTUNITY.

Dirt Late Model racing, while popular, has become so specialized and tecnilogically advanced few drivers and even fewer teams successfully transition to NASCAR. 

The NASCAR K&N Series has become perhaps the ONLY vehicle for aspiring NASCAR drivers outside of the circle; like Brandon, to compete in NASCAR despite having racked up 46 wins and a staggering 90 Top 5's in 100 Dirt Late Model starts. 

As is the case at all levels of motorsports, financial resources play a role in the final results. While this fact is true in the NASCAR K&N Series as well, the series DOES provide a platform inside NASCAR where; in the absence of resources, good fashioned commitment,
dedication and hard work CAN be realized in the final reults.

Case in point; Brandon Haley.

Earlier this week, SPEED Channel reporter & NASACAR Media Group associate producer Derek Pernesglio commented "with just a few starts under his belt, it's been impressive to watch Brandon race in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. With top ten finishes in the series against teams that have Cup, Nationwide and Truck support-it shows who the drivers are and who's performing with the technical & engineering support. It will be fun to watch Brandon as we get further into the 2011 season

                                   REED MOTORSPORTS CREW
     


        -------------------------------------------------------------------

 

              
                   Brandon in Turn 3 at Hartwell(GA) Speedway 

 Brandon marks 100th Late Model start with 90th Top 5
         records 3rd place finish at Hartwell(GA) season opener


Hartwell, GA - What does a NASCAR K&N Series driver do on a Saturday night off from the K&N Series,..........he finds another kind of race to compete in. That's what Lavonia, Ga's Brandon Haley chose to do on his night off.

Just one week after recording a 9th place finish among 32 starters in the NASCAR K&N Series season opener in Greenville, SC, Brandon returned to his dirt track roots Saturday night taking part in Hartwell(GA) Speedway's season opener.

"The NASCAR K&N Series is our top priority" Brandon says, "the K&N Series car takes presedence. We were in the shop Saturday with the K&N car, pretty happy with our progress for South Boston. We were going to have a "rare" early day finishing up at around 1:30 or so. Instead of just walking out the door, we started looking at the Late Model. We haven't been to Hartwell Speedway in a long time. The set up in the car was for another track. We would have to get a lot done in a short period of time if we were going to make it, so we decided to go for it. Everything had to be changed including all of the shocks and springs"  

"I didn't think we were going to get done, in fact, we started to call people we knew were coming to tell them we didn't think we were going to make it. We stayed after it though and never let up so a little while later, we called everyone back to let them know it looked like we'd make it"

In his previous 99 Late Model starts, Brandon has sat on the pole on 52 occasions. Tonight would not see that number climb. When qualifying was over, Brandon was 3rd quickest. After returning to the pits unhappy with his qualifying effort, Brandon said " we're off  a little" so the #51 was up on jack stands almost immediately.

After a number of changes, Brandon was the last Late Model on the track prior to the start of the night's main event. 

Starting on the inside of the second row when the green flag flew, Brandon was unable to advance his position; there was virtually no passing by any of the competitors throughout the event due in part to an unforgiving racing surface. In the corners at both ends of the speedway, anyone who deviated from the racing groove by even the slightest amount paid the price in the single car spin that would result. 

At the finish, Brandon came across the start/finish line third behind local favorite Parker Herring Jr. and Jimmy Johnson. All things considered, it was a good night.
 
Later, when told his 3rd place finish marked his 90th Top 5 finish in 100 Late Model starts, Brandon; genuinely humble by nature and uncomfortable discussing his accomplishments replied simply;
"really?" managing a quick smile lasting all of 2 seconds.



                      
                     Haley Impressive in 9th Place Finish

                         .....battling with 6th, 7th, 8th at finish

Greenville, SC - At the conclusion of Saturday's NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season opener, former dirt late model champion 
Brandon Haley was among the many storylines circulating around Greenville Pickens Speedway after the checkered flag fell on the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150. 

With 32 race teams signed in, Brandon raised eyebrows early in the day at the conclusion of the first practice where his Ocean Lakes Family Campgrounds Ford was 11th quickest on the speed charts.

"One of the things we really concentrated on over the winter was our qualifying set up" Haley said. "On dirt, the races were 40 or 50 laps in length so we placed a premium on qualifying. We learned at Gresham Motorsports Park last year that we needed to get a lot better in qualifying. 150 laps to a dirt late model driver seems like an eternity in that you think you have plenty of time. Even though we finished 10th at Gresham, we could never really race the way we wanted to because we qualified so far back. We knew going into the winter that we needed to step up our qualifying program"

Unlike many teams in today's NASCAR, Haley borrowed a page out of the history books. Throughout the winter, the Lavonia, GA native spent hundreds of hours under the car, schooling himself on chassis geometry and physics in a way similar to Bill Elliott 25 years ago.

While many teams today are dependant on $500 an hour shaker jigs and outsourcing to independent race chassis enginneering consultants, Haley admits, "we just don't have those kind of resources so we have to do things old school. One one hand, for the time being, we probably won't contend for many pole positions. On the other, we aren't going to let a lack of resources be the reason we don't qualify well. If we're not as fast as we need to be, then I need to spend more time under the car" 

In pole qualifying, Brandon held down the ninth spot nearing the conclusion of qualifying but he knew that a number of NASCAR Sprint Cup affiliate teams had not yet qualified. At the conclusion of qualifying, Brandon sat 14th on the grid of 32 starters. Unhappy with his qualifying effort Brandon would say "we're better, but we've got more work to do" 

The difference on the stopwatch between Brandon and the 7th fastest qualifier was less than one onehundreth of a second. 

With the cars impounded by NASCAR after qualifying, crews would not touch the cars again until the cars were rolled to the front stretch for the popular NASCAR K&N Pro Series driver Meet & Greet where essentially, the grandstands empty on to the front straight-a-way allowing race fans to meet the drivers and look at the cars. 

Throughout the 40 minute Meet & Greet, Brandon would sign nearly 300 hero cards, as well hats, checkered flags and T-shirts. 
Greenville Pickens Speedway also distributed a sovenir poster with head shots of each of the drivers for signing. Brandon would also pose for nearly 200 photos with fans. 

After race fans returned to the grandstands, driver introductions at the start/finish line followed. With race fans all the way around the 1/2 mile track, drivers then took a lap around the track in the back of a waiting fleet of trucks on hand, where drivers waved to the crowd akin to the Cup Series. 

With SPEED Channel on hand with 3 camera platforms stationed around the track and hand held cameras in the pit area, pre-race festivities quickly concluded and the green flag would fall on the Kevin Whitaker 150 just after 8 PM.

As part of his pre-race prep, Brandon studied last years race summary and knew there were some 13 cautions and was mindful of how early in the event the yellow flag began to wave. Consequently, his game plan was to hold and defend his position until the field settled down.

The Greenville-Pickens Speedway racing surface is very abrasive and Brandon knew saving the tires in the early going would be critical. By the time the caution would wave for the first time on Lap 42, Brandon had fallen back to the 15th postion.

Brandon would move into 14th on Lap 54 and held serve until the Lap 100 mark. With 7 cautions in the books keeping the field tight, Brandon would began to mount his charge towards the front.    

On the 109th lap, Brandon moved to p12. Over the final 41 laps of the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150, the caution would wave on four more occasions of which 13 were run under caution.

On Lap 140 with just 10 laps left, Brandon was eleventh. Within two laps, he had moved into 9th and had caught the 6th, 7th, and 8th place cars with five laps to go. As the foursoume ran nose to tail, Brandon appeared to be trying different lines into the corners at both ends of the speedway looking for any kind of opening.  that never materialized.
 
"The car ran better over longer runs" Brandon would say, "but in the last 40 or 50 laps, the caution really hurt us, it took too long for us to get going. Towards the end when we were in 11th, it a long time to get around the 10th place car. We were faster than he was but he was really good at protecting the spot. These guys up front are tough, but we're learning; our confidence is growing and we keep getting better, so I guess it was a good night" 

 

                   

               SEASON OPENER ON SATURDAY IS HUGE
                     No sponsor in place beyond Greenville-Pickens

Greenville SC- With the months of learning and countless hours of preperation behind him, 46 time race winner and former dirt track champion Brandon Haley will take the green flag Saturday for only the third time ever on an asphalt surface in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East 'Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150" at Greenville Pickens Speedway in Greenville, SC. 

In two previous starts, Brandon has found himself nestled among the Top 10 after starting well back in the field. Saturday, Brandon hopes much of the untold hours pays off in qualifying. "it's so competetive out here" Brandon says. "When you don't start near the front, you have to drive the car a lot differently. You're aggressive but defensive at the same time. In the first two races, it was all about just making the race. We feel a little more confident now so Saturday we hope a lot of the work over the winter pays off in qualifying" 

Last Friday, the activities at the storied 1/2 mile oval centered around NASCAR inspection - grueling on a normal day, the first event of the year is much more detailed. A perfect example; the bladder of the  fuel cell was required to be out of the # 51 Ocean Lakes Family Campground Ford so NASCAR officials could view the date of manufacture & 'expiration date'

It is not uncommon to see competitors go thru NASCAR inspection two or three times before they recieve the 'NASCAR racecar' decal NASCAR places on the cars to indicate they have passed inspection. Brandon's #51 Ocean Lakes Family Campground Ford had to go through inspection twice. 

Sandwhiched in between the many inspection preperation activities underway, Greenville television station WYFF (ch. 4 ) 
interviewed Brandon making Friday the second time the station has featured the Lavonia GA driver on it's 6 pm newscast in as many weeks. As WYFF's Marc Dopher spoke on camera Brandon, the #51 Ocean Lakes Ford was on jack stands in the background, and the Reed Motorsports crew never flinched.

With 46 wins in 99 starts in Dirt Late Model racing, Brandon is hopeful a strong finish Saturday night trancends to picking up much needed support for the next stop on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule April 16 at South Boston Speedway in Virginia.

Brandon stated "As it stands right now, we do not have a primary sponsor on the quarterpanels after tonight's race. Everyday, our goal at the shop is to be smarter than we yesterday. Unfortunately for my wife Asheigh, I won't leave the shop until I feel deep down, that I know more about the car than I did the day before. I'll tell myself, okay, after I do this or that I'm going home for the night. then one more thing turns into two more things and so on. Next thing I know, it's midnight. I have complete faith in the fact that it will pay off"

Car owner Wayne Reed adds,"the NASCAR K&N Pro Series works hard in maintaing a level playing field for everyone. Getting Brandon to all of the races is paramount. Unfortunately, we have to take things one race at a time. We don't have the resources that so many of the teams out here have but we do have the driver that can get it done. Brandon is capable of contending for NASCAR K&N Seriest East Rookie of the Year. That's what our focus is on"  

Race team schedule for Saturday

Morning
9:00 - Garage & registration open
9:30 - Inspection begins
10:00 - Driver photographs for NASCAR.com
11:00 - Rookie drivers meeting
11:30 - Driver, Crew Chief, Spotter meeting
11:30 - Draw fo rqualifying order
11:30 - race team PR rep meetng w/NASCAR

AFTERNOON
1:00 - Registration closes
1:00 - 1:45 Practice
2:15 - 3:00 Final Practice
6:00 - Qualifying 2 Laps, cars impounded
7:00 - ON TRACK AUTOGRAPH SESSION (front stretch)
8:00 - Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150

     


          

   

     Brandon set to make two appearances Friday
                          Shriners Hospital-Greenville, SC
                          Outback Steakhouse-Easley, SC

LAVONIA, GA - With all the activity involved in final preperations before the start of the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East begins Saturday at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in Greenville, SC, Brandon Haley, driver of the Ocean lakes Family Campground Ford Fusion and the Reed Motorsports crew will have a busy Friday;

7:00 AM - NASCAR Registration opens
8:00 AM - Race haulers enter 
9:00 AM - Garage Area opens
9:00 AM - NASCAR Tech Inspection begins
9:15 AM - Crew Chief meeting
10:00 AM - 12 Noon - Shriners Hospital appearance
7:00 PM - Driver & Crew Chief Safety Presentation by NASCAR
8:00 PM - Greeneville Pickens Speedway 'Starting Line Party'
                        DRIVER MEET & GREET OPEN TO ALL FANS
                               Outback Steakhouse Easley,SC



                 

 

                                          
       
        An aerial view of Iowa Speedway, site of this weekends 
         NASCAR K&N Pro Series / NASCAR Nationwide Seties
                                   double header
                                 
                                NASCAR K&N Pro Series
    NASCAR's other All Star race event of the weekend
                        It's East VS West at Iowa Speedway

Newton,IA - In the days that have passed since Richmond, two storylines were in play with regard to the Brandon Haley/ REED Motorsports entry in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series prior to this weekends event at the state of the art, Rusty Wallace designed Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. 

While the Cup Series will hold it's annual All-Star event at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend, NASCAR will be holding another All-Star race event at Iowa Speedway as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series.
 
While Brandon is one of only six drivers to hold down a spot in the Top 10 in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series Championship Point Standings after every event to date in 2011, this weekends event at Iowa Speedway was an event Brandon and REED Motorsports owner Wayne Reed did noy plan on entering without sponsorship.

Subsequently, with no sponsor on board, the team planned on skipping this weekends event at Iowa Speedway for economic reasons. 

Brandon's ability to compete for Rookie of the Year is not compromised as a drivers best 8 finihes is the criteria which will determine the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East ROY.

In addition, due to Brandon's Top 10 ranking in the current point atandings, there was much interest from other teams wanting to use Brandon's #51 that would list Reed Motorsports owner Wayne Reed as owner which would guarantee them a starting spot on the grid should a provisional be necessary. Ironically, one of the teams expressing interest in whether Brandon would compete in Iowa was one of the Cup Series affiliated teams. In effect, the use of Brandon's # 51 could have potentailly been a "money maker" 

In the end though, the conclusion was reached that not going to Iowa could end up being more costly from the standpoint of securing sponsorship than the actual cash outlay necessary to make the 2000 mile round trip to Iowa.

This weekends event at Iowa is a 175 Lap affair that will require a pit stop. There is no scheduled break, so the K&N Series event will require teams to add fuel and change tires jast as in the Cup & Nationwide Series.

Another twist is the fact that this will be the only event in 2011 where both the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East AND West will compete against one another. Sixty race teams are on hand to compete for one of 40 starting positions. The event is a point scoring event where failing to make the field could have adverse effects on those who don't make the field. Additionally, both East & West competitors will accrue points in their respective series creating the potential for a shake up in the Championship Point Stainds on both coasts.

Iowa Speedway is 7/8 of a mile in length. The track is much like Richmond in terms of it's look and tri-oval layout. Both ends of the speedway offer progressive banking; 12-13-14 degrees. The 1075 ft front stretch is banked 10 degrees while the 869 ft back stretch is banked just 4 degrees.

  


                    

                    NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES EAST POINTS
   Brandon one of six drivers in top 10 after every event
                     9th in Championship points among 45 drivers 

Lavonia, GA - With three events in the books so far in 2011, 45 drivers have engaged in battle in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East so far and more are expected before the season concludes at Dover in September. The tracks visited so far in the 2011 campaign are so different, the only common denomenator amongst the three is the asphalt racing surface, and rest assured - 45 drivers will tell you the composition of each racing surface was totally different. 

While each venue held little in common with each other, a look at the current championship point standings after last Thursday's Blue Ox 100 at Richmond International Raceway are something of a surprise. While many of the Cup affiliated teams you would expect are in the Top 10 in the current championship point standings, so to is Lavonia, GA's Brandon Haley. 

Unsponsored; Haley, who also serves as his own crew chief from behind the wheel, has managed to be one of only six drivers out of 45, to find himself in the Top 10 in the championship point standings after every event.

With each race, Brandon's knowledge base increases as does his confidence. "In the dirt car, I've been in enough races where instinct takes over" Brandon says. "with each race here, I get one step closer to that. I know so much more about these cars now then I did three races ago. The more I learn, the more confident I get.

"I got out of shape in qualifying at Richmond on not one qualifying lap, but both and in the end it cost us as we started so far back. The important thing is, we knew what we did. We're getting to the point where we're not scratching our heads as much. 

'The other thing we were able to overcome at Richmond is we were a lot better on restarts and I think that was the result of two things, we're learning the car, and as a team our confidence level is growing
with each race.

            ----------------------------------------------------

  
           Brandon gets sideways in qualifying, results in P28 start
      (Photo from Reed Motorsports video shot from roof of RIR control tower)  


  
     Brandon negotiates heavy traffic as a result of starting 28th


                             Man on a mission! 
Brandon overtakes nearly half the field starting ahead of him to finish 15th

           ...with 50 fewer laps than normal and only 1 caution   

Richmond, VA - If the points system utilized in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series awarded bonus points on the basis of number of cars passed in competition, Brandon Haley of Lavonia, GA would have a commanding lead in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series points.

On Thursday at Richmond International Raceway, Brandon was once again in familiar territory in that he had to battle his way from deep in the starting field as a result of a less than stellar qualifying effort. 

In practice where Brandon was 15th quickest on the speed  charts.  
Less than 1/10th of a second seperated Brandon from the Top 10.
Prior to qualifying, Brandon said "We found something there at the end of practice I feel really good about the car.

Brandon's optimism was short lived. To say Brandon would have to chase his #51 Reed Motorsports Ford "up the hill" in Turn 2 would be an understatement. On both of two laps in qualifying, Brandon would have his car completely sideways exiting Turn 2.

Subsequently, Brandon would line up 28th on the starting grid. 

As the green flag fell with threatening skies overhead, Mother Nature would make her presence known 16 laps into the event, slated to go 100 laps. On Lap 20 the caution would wave because of rain. After six more circuits, the race would be red flagged.

After a red flag delay of just over two hours, the field circled Richmond International Speedway under caution where finally, on lap 39, the green flag was displayed. 

Brandon has always been a strong and consistent finisher to date, but with the event scheduled to go 100 laps instead of the
customary 150 laps at other venues, Brandon would have to employ a different strategy as conceivably, the event was reduced to 69 laps. He could not afford to methodically manuever his way through the field as he has in the past. Their simply were not enough laps.

What transpired over the course of the next 69 laps was, in the words of one observer in the media center, "that 51 is putting on a clinic"

Throughout the night, Brandon would break free of one group of three and sometimes four cars then run down the next group.

On lap 72, Ryan Gifford looped his car around in Turn 2 bringing out the only caution flag the field would see.  

  

   Ocean Lakes on board as Associate Partner in 2011

LAVONIA, GA - Just as the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Seroes East season is set to get underway this Saturday, March 26 at Greenville Pickens Speedway in Greenville SC Reed Motorsports has announced that Ocean Lakes Family Campround in Myrtle Beach SC will support the Reed Motorsports entry in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East  throughout 2011 as an associate partner.

Reed Motorsports owner Wayne Reed said "we're so happy to have Ocean Lakes with us. They've been our biggest supporter to date. Essentially, without Ocean Lakes, we're an unsposored team. Their support has been invaluable. This is a sponsor driven sport as everyone knows. Without sponsors, we don't race and that's a shame because we've got one of the most gifted drivers in the country. We're so humbled that Ocean Lakes is standing behind us.

"Brandon is a proven winner. He's won in everything he's ever been in. While the learning curve in going from dirt to NASCAR is a big one, we're 100% confident that Brandon is capable of doing some big things in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. As we work to secure marketing partners, it's reassuring to know that Ocean Lakes shares our vision. 

"Because Ocean Lakes has stepped forward and helped us when we've needed it most, we'll be carrying Ocean Lakes on the quarter panels at Greenville-Pickens this weekend. At last Wednesday's practice, there were 13 race teams at the practice session and Brandon was the only car making laps that made it on TV for the 6:00 News.  

"Brandon felt real good about the car after the practice session, so maybe the Ocean Lakes Ford Fusion will make its second appearance on TV this Saturday with the SPEED Channel cameras rolling.

Ocean Lakes Family Campground was built by Mary Emily and Nelson Jackson in 1970. Ocean Lakes opened with 30 campsites and one bathhouse on July 2, 1971. “People were lined up outside the gate by the hundreds and we were clearing spots for their campers as fast as they could park them ‘em,” recalled Jackson.

Today, Ocean Lakes features 893 campsites and 2,554 annual lease sites on 310 oceanfront acres with nearly one mile of beachfront, four bathhouses, and more than 360 employees in the height of the camping season. It is the largest campground on the east coast and one of the largest in the United States. On an average seasonal day, Ocean Lakes has 25,000 - 35,000 guests enjoying the countless amenities that have made it a local favorite and a national vacation destination. In an interview prior to his passing in February of 2010, Jackson noted “We could do a lot of things with 310 oceanfront acres in Myrtle Beach, and we’ve had many lucrative offers, but we believe that everyone - the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker - should have the privilege of enjoying God’s beautiful ocean”

To learn more about Ocean Lakes please visit

www.oceanlakes.com

or call

877.510.1413  or 800.845.2229 

                        
 
            OCEAN LAKES FAMILY CAMPGROUNDS

                CHECK OUT THE OCEAN LAKES GALLERY ON 'PHOTOS' PAGE

MYRTLE BEACH, SC - As part of the 11th Annual Beach n' Boogie weekend celebration at associate partner Ocean Lakes Family Campgrounds in Myrtle Beach, SC, the Reed Motorsports NASCAR K&N Pro Series Ford Fusion piloted by Lavonia, GA's Brandon Haley was on display as well as one of the Dirt late Models Haley has driven to 46 wins on dirt.

Hundreds of Ocean Lakes guests stopped by to look at both cars, ask questions about both types of cars and take pictures. Many guests commented on how unigue it was to see both types of car side by side.  "We've done plenty of appearences but I was really surprised and amazed by this one" Haley said.

"People come to Ocean Lakes from all over the country and Canada to camp or stay in one of the beach houses here and I was really expecting there would be alot of people who had no idea what NASCAR or a Dirt Late Model was and of the 300 or so Ocean Lakes guests I talked to myself, there might have only been maybe three or four people who asked what these cars were for"

"Most of the appearances we've done have something to do with racing, race parts or the automotive industry so this was the first time we were really outside of that environment and I was really surprised by how genuinely interested people were and how many people follow racing" 

"The cars were on display for about twelve hours over both days and there were people here the whole time looking at the cars, asking about them and taking pictures. One of the most asked questions we heard was 'will you be racing anywhere close to where we're from' and I have to admit, hearing that as much as we did really makes you feel good. This was probably the funnest appearance we've ever done.