Gaughan Brings Hoya Pride To The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series |
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Topics: Brendan Gaughan
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Anthony Fontanelle
July 1, 2007
Brendan Gaughan, the famed truck racer from Nevada, will undertake Dover’s ‘Monster Mile’ this weekend with an extra blast of confidence as he sports a special Georgetown University paint scheme on his No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado.
“There aren’t many race car drivers period that have college degrees especially from colleges that are the caliber of a Georgetown University,” Gaughan said. “When I get to run that paint scheme, it’s an honor and a privilege to me. I’m proud to be a Hoya.”
Gaughan will honor his school and its athletic programs on the race track this weekend at Dover. He also plans to donate all his winnings from the Dover race back to the University. “Being part of Georgetown and its athletic program is something that I am so proud of, which is why I want to represent them on my race truck,” he said. “Coach (John) Thompson was so much more than a coach or a teacher – he was a friend, a hero, a mentor. I want to make him and the entire athletic department proud with our truck and our run at Dover. I can’t think of a better way to give back to a place that meant so much to me.”
Gaughan attended Georgetown University and graduated in 1997 with a degree in business management. While at Georgetown, he participated in two collegiate sports. He earned the All-Conference honors in the NCAA Division IAA football. He also earned a spot on the Hoyas basketball team, playing for legendary coach Thompson. The team Gaughan played on recorded two Big East regular season championships and competed in two Sweet 16s and one Elite Eight in post-season NCAA tournament plays.
“Dover is the most amazing race track,” Gaughan said. “It’s the only race track where my spotter has had to remind me to breathe. It’s the only place you feel a sensation of speed. It’s Bristol on steroids. It’s a great race track. It’s fast. It’s aggressive. It is a monster. It’s fun as hell to race. I know that I blew a chance to win in Dover at 2003, and I’d like to get that back this time,” he noted.
With the extra support from Chevrolet and the extra research and development that crew chief Bryan Berry has put into each race, Gaughan feels confident that his South Point Racing team will make him a contender for the Dover win. With the Georgetown logos prominently featured on his race truck, Gaughan also hopes that some of the positive energy from the recent run of the Hoyas basketball team will flow his way.
His race truck will not only captivate enthusiasts because of its prominent Chevrolet pickup handle relocation kit. The Georgetown basketball logo and the team’s mascot, Jack the Bulldog, could do the trick. “Hopefully, we’ll go to Dover and make a run for Georgetown and the No. 77 fans out there just like my Hoyas basketball team did during March Madness,” Gaughan said.