INNISFIL, ON- Just days after the passing of his Grandfather, former Sunset Speedway Mini Stock champion Brandon McFerran captured his first career Velocity 250 victory in front of a packed house at Sunset on September 27th.
“This one is for Papa,” exclaimed McFerran as his eyes welled with tears immediately upon exiting his family-owned No. 64. “He’s the only reason I’m here this weekend. I wanted this win, man. I wanted this so badly. Our whole team did. We wanted this even more than we wanted another championship, to be honest. This is such an incredible feeling”
The victory closed a 2015 season that was a largely frustrating affair for ‘The Astronaut’. The third-generation racer finished 3rd in Sunset Speedway championship points, after battling through a myriad of mechanical issues through the second half of the season that sunk his bid for back-to-back championships.
“I don’t think it was much of a secret that we weren’t great through the last month of the season,” said the teenager. “Things weren’t working for us, and it just meant that we had to put in even more hours and work even harder than we normally do”
“Even when I got down on myself and started doubting this program, my Dad and [Crew Chief] Tim [Ellas] just put their heads down and worked,” added the Acton, ON native. “I never heard them make one negative comment. They just worked their asses off to get us back here. They’re incredible – and I’m nothing without them”
After a trio of failed attempts at Sunset’s Crown Jewel, McFerran was quick to note that his team had all but made peace with the reality that they may never win the September event.
“It just felt like we were never going to get a Velocity win,” laughed McFerran. “Something always seemed to happen to keep us out of victory lane at this event. It just felt like we were snakebit and there was nothing we could do about it”
“I didn’t really want to come here this weekend,” added the fan favourite. “This week has been so hard with everything that happened. But, I asked my grandma on Friday what she thought of me racing this weekend, and she told me it’s the only thing my Papa would’ve wanted to see me do. I came here for him. This win, this moment, everything that happened today is for him”
When asked of his plans for the future, the teenager explained that while his 2016 program is still a work in progress, he hopes to tackle a new challenge next season.
“I have no clue where we’re headed for 2016,” said McFerran. “I can tell you that we’ll be back at Sunset, that’s for sure. I love this place, man. The competition here is unreal, the fans are the best in Ontario and there’s nowhere else I’d sooner race”
“We’ve been talking all year as though we’re moving up from the Mini Stock division in 2016,” continued the multi-time feature winner. “So, if the car sells this offseason, you’ll see us in something a little heavier and faster next year. And, if this was our last race in this car, I think it’s a pretty decent way to move on.”
Brandon McFerran is proud to carry sponsorship from Peter D. Laird Transport, Sauble Falls Tent & Trailer Park, Road Ranger, East End Car Wash, B&B Towing, Creative Edge Graphics, Finish Line Painting & Restoration, DS McClure Farms, AMD Electric, Ultimate Finishes and Matalco.
To learn more about Brandon, visit the official Brandon McFerran Racing page on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter @BrandonMcFerran.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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