Brandon Watson Refuses to Act His Age
By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications
His friends are surfing the internet, updating their Facebook pages and downloading the latest music to their iPods. They’re sending text messages to friends, chatting on cell phones or hanging-out at the mall. Brandon Watson isn’t doing any of those things. The grade 10 student at Stayner Collegiate is planning his 2009 season of late model stock car racing.
Having just celebrated his 16th birthday, the go kart series graduate has his calendar marked with racing dates. After recording 1 win and 7 top 5 finishes on the way to a 3rd place points finish in Kawartha Speedway’s premiere division, Watson and his team are doing their homework to make sure the McColl Racing Enterprises-Shear Metal Products-Ken MacKinnon Construction-Plumtech Plumbing-
W. Gethons Pumping-Simcoe Building Centre-LaFarge Concrete-Clearview Custom and Collision-AKN Automotive Chevrolet is ready for a new season of action.
During the winter months, Brandon Watson and his family-run racing operation ramped-up their program by bringing a public relations representative on-board and plans are currently in the works to introduce a web-site to keep fans, family, sponsors and supporters updated on the talented teen’s progress throughout the ’09 campaign.
“Our plan is to be back at Kawartha,” says Tim Watson, Brandon’s father. “We’ll also follow the Summer Shootout Tour (between Kawartha and Capital City Speedway late model drivers) that we won in 2008. There are some American-Canadian Tour events, some OSCAAR shows and some of the bigger purse late model races. The goal is to get ‘Bran’ some seat time – some experience – running in a variety of different events.”
Clearly one of the most talked-about young racers in the country and perhaps North America, Brandon Watson is taking his success in stride. The personable teen seems almost humbled by his accomplishments. He is quick to acknowledge the support network that has brought him to this level and addressed the crowd at Kawartha Speedway’s 2008 award celebration to thank his fellow competitors for their patience and assistance during the season.
Once he slips on the helmet and climbs behind the wheel of his Chevy Monte Carlo stock car, he’s just another driver – a boy among the men and women – on the track. An obvious reason why Brandon Watson refuses to act his age.
Photo attachments: (by Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications): #1). Brandon Watson works the low side of Kawartha’s 3rd turn during 2008 action; #2). Brandon Watson battles John Donahue (#26) during Kawartha Speedway’s 2008 American-Canadian Tour 200 event.
