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Brandon
Sweet and FRE Seek Sponsorship to Return to the Track Craig
Revelle – Finish Line Web Design August
5, 2010
A
move to NC for half the summer worked out well for the team as they
learned a lot and met several key people needed in the advancement of
Brandon and Freeman Racing Enterprises.
Mr. Freeman, owner of Freeman Racing Enterprises agreed last fall
to purchase the equipment and fund the first four races of the season.
Like most of us, once it got in his blood he found it very
difficult to not fund more of the races, so he funded the fifth race as
well. Like
many other teams, FRE is struggling with sponsorship and is working
diligently to secure sponsorship for more races.
Mr. Freeman has purchased an ARCA car and the team intends on
heading south later this fall for some testing. In
the mean time, Brandon has run Jason Potters back up big block modified at
the Can Am Speedway a few times and the team is looking into purchasing a
big block of their own. FRE
still intends to run as many Pro Cup races as sponsorship allows and maybe
even an ARCA race. Brandon
and FRE are very focused on their goals and continue every avenue to
secure sponsorship. The
return of Brandon to Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Part this year was
very heart warming as fans and fellow drivers were excited to see Brandon
on the track. We will keep
everyone updated as progress is made. Brandon
and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team would like to thank all of their
sponsors for their support this season.
They include Clarence Henry Coach, Schaeffer’s Oil, and Suburban
Extended Stay of Concord. Freeman
Racing Enterprises still has marketing opportunities available for this
race season. To see what a
motorsports driven advertising campaign can do for your business, contact
Brian Sweet at 315-408-1313 or at freemanracingenterprises@yahoo.com For more information
on Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team, and to follow
the team’s progress throughout the season, please visit the team
website, www.brandonsweet.com
or www.freemanracingenterprises.com. Photo Attachment: Brandon Sweet takes a moment to relax before getting in the car at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Georgia (FRE Photo Collection) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ USAR Pro Cup Series Trims Schedule; Sweet to Race Local Tracks Craig
Revelle – Finish Line Web Design June
16, 2010
With
the struggling economy, USAR Pro Cup Series director Jimmy Wilson
announced today that the next two races on the schedule have been
canceled. The next event will
be at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford,
Virginia on July 17th. While the Freeman
Racing Enterprises team, and their driver Brandon Sweet certainly
understands the decision that was made by the USAR officials, they are not
going to wait around. The
team has a test session coming up next Wednesday at Thunder Alley Speed
Park, in nearby Evans Mills, New York as well as a race there in a Super
Late Model this coming weekend. Once the USAR Pro Cup
Series resumes, the FRE Clarence Henry Coach, Schaeffer’s Oil, Suburban
Extended Stay of Concord Ford Fusion will be ready for action. With a month before
the next race, Brandon will spend his time racing at the local Speedways.
As diverse as a driver that Sweet has become, he will be running
both pavement and DIRT in the weeks ahead, piloting a Freeman Racing
Enterprises prepared Late Model to run at Thunder Alley, and driving a
DIRTcar Big Block Modified owned by Jason Potter and his family. “It is
disappointing that our USAR Pro Cup Schedule has been cut back, but I am
looking forward to spending some time back at home and running the local
short tracks again. It will
be exciting”, commented Brandon Sweet. Freeman
Racing Enterprises still has marketing opportunities available for this
race season. To see what a
motorsports driven advertising campaign can do for your business, contact
Brian Sweet at 315-408-1313 or at freemanracingenterprises@yahoo.com For more information
on Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team, and to follow
the team’s progress throughout the season, please visit the team
website, www.brandonsweet.com
or www.freemanracingenterprises.com. Photo Attachment: A glimpse of Brandon Sweet in action as he wheels his Freeman Racing Enterprises owned car (Freeman Racing Enterprise Photo Collection) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sweet Suffers First DNF in USAR Pro Cup Series Craig
Revelle – Finish Line Web Design June
2, 2010
All set for practice,
Brandon buckled into his car and headed onto the track.
Practice went well for Brandon, despite battling a loose racecar.
The team worked on the car during after practice, but still
wasn’t able to get comfortable in the car. Qualifying was up
next, and Brandon clocked in as the 15th fastest driver.
USAR Pro Cup Rules prevent the team from working on the cars after
qualifying, so the loose conditions of Brandon’s car continued.
With the race during the evening, the team had hoped the cooler
temperatures would help the car get more grip in the corners. “The car is way too
loose, I can’t get the tires to stick to the pavement at all”,
commented Brandon after his qualifying lap. Before the race
started, Brandon and his new crew chief Blake Haugland discussed their pit
strategy for the race. If the
car was still loose for Brandon, they would pit under the first yellow,
and make some adjustments. Not long after the
drop of the green flag, Brandon and the FRE team got the caution they were
waiting for, and Brandon dived onto pit road, and the crew made some
changes to tighten the car up. When they went back
to green flag racing, Brandon commented over the team’s radio, “the
car is still way to loose boys”. The
plan was that once the next caution came out, Brandon would come back onto
pit road, so the crew could make even more adjustments to the car. Now
running in the 12th position, the next caution came when the 13th
place car punted the Clarence Henry Coach, Schaeffer’s Oil, Suburban
Extended Stay of Concord Ford Fusion from behind, and the 16th
place car t-boned him and shoved him into the front stretch wall ending
the day for the visibly upset driver. “It is really
frustrating when that happens. I
was pretty upset”, says Brandon after getting a chance to cool down
after the incident. “I
understand that this is part of racing, things are going to happen on the
track”. The driver that hit
Brandon did come over to apologize for causing the incident. “Brandon has done a
great job, and he continues to develop well driving in this tough pavement
series. I understand he’s
frustrated at today’s results however I am ecstatic with his ability to
adapt to the pavement”, commented team owner Robert C. Freeman III. The next race on the
USAR Pro Cup Series schedule will be Saturday, June 12th at the
South Boston Speedway in South Boston, VA.
The tough ¼ mile bullring is home of NASCAR star Jeff Burton and
his brother Ward, as well as Elliott and Hermie Sadler. Freeman
Racing Enterprises still has marketing opportunities available for this
race season. To see what a
motorsports driven advertising campaign can do for your business, contact
Brian Sweet at 315-408-1313 or at freemanracingenterprises@yahoo.com For more information
on Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team, and to follow
the team’s progress throughout the season, please visit the team
website, www.brandonsweet.com
or www.freemanracingenterprises.com. Photo Attachment: Brandon and new crew chief Blake Haugland discuss strategy prior to the Hampton Virginia 250 at Langley Speedway (Freeman Racing Enterprise Photo Collection) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sweet Scores First
top 10 Finish in USAR Pro Cup Series Craig
Revelle – Finish Line Web Design May
18, 2010
Brandon
and the team arrived at the track on Thursday evening, as action started
early on Friday morning, as Rockingham Speedway opened for practice around
9:30am. The two practice
sessions went well for Brandon and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team,
posting very competitive lap times, as they dialed the car in for
qualifying later in the day. It
was a great effort for the FRE team, considering they never turned a lap
at the track before Friday’s practice session. “I
believe we have a top 5 car right now”, states Brandon before his
qualifying session. “This
is the best car we have had all year, and everyone at FRE is doing a great
job. We get better and better
each time we are on the track. I
am feeling very comfortable in the car here, and I cant wait to get out
there and qualify today, and race tomorrow”. On the first lap of
qualifying, Brandon had a very good lap time that put him in the twelve
position, less than 2 tenths of a second out of the top 5, on the second
lap he had picked up 2.3 tenths of a second by the time he came out of
turn 2, but the car drifted up into the wall out of turn 2 which forced
Brandon to lift off the throttle so he had to settle for a 12th place
starting position. “It was a solid
run, but I’m pretty disappointed with that second lap, I just pushed it
a bit too hard coming off turn 2, and had to lift.
We will take that, and hopefully build on it tomorrow”, says
Brandon as he looks ahead to Saturday’s Carolina 200. The next day when the
team arrived to their USAR Pro Cup garage stall, there was a small oil
leak on the engine, which forced the team to repair it, and by USAR rules
the #99 was forced to the rear of the field. Starting in the 22nd
position was not where FRE had expected to be at the start of the race and
with going to the back of the pack the crew chief told Brandon just pick
as many of them off and bring the car back in one piece. Well,
Brandon wound up picking off 12 cars and finishing 10th in just his 4th
start on pavement. The young superstar
from Watertown NY got out of the car after the race and was totally
exhausted as his cool box stopped working during the race and with track
temperature at 95 degrees put the temperature around 200 inside the car. “We had a very good
car out there tonight. The
Clarence Henry Coach, Schaeffer's Oil, Suburban Extended Stay of Concord
Ford Fusion could have easily taken us to the top five if we could have
held onto our 12th starting spot”, claims Brandon after exiting his car
after the race. "Brandon has
proven to me and everyone else that he is well on his way to the top of
this sport, hopefully we can round up some other local businesses to help
with sponsorship so we can run the full season and move this young racer
through the ranks of professional stock car racing, this would be huge for
Watertown NY, says team owner Robert C. Freeman III.
"I have purchased all the top notch equipment to get it done,
now we just need the sponsorship to keep running". Freeman
Racing Enterprises still has marketing opportunities available for this
race season. To see what a
motorsports driven advertising campaign can do for your business, contact
Brian Sweet at 315-408-1313 or at freemanracingenterprises@yahoo.com For more information
on Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team, and to follow
the team’s progress throughout the season, please visit the team
website, www.brandonsweet.com
or www.freemanracingenterprises.com. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Brandon Finishes 15th at Hickory Speedway
After getting through
Pre-Tech, Brandon strapped into the #99 Ford Fusion to take part in the
USAR practice session, only to climb right back out as the Ford engine
would not fire up. With the
engine builder on hand and unable to rectify the situation the team had to
unload the back-up car. With
the issue at hand Brandon was unable to make either the practice or the
qualifying session. Brandon
had to line up at the rear of the field for the 250 Lap race. He fought a real
loose racecar for most of the race and the team made adjustments every
chance they had. With a lot
of green flag racing the team was limited on the number of pit stops they
were able to make. Crew Chief
Mark “spider” Webb brought the #99 in every chance he could and made
adjustments. The car got better toward the end of the race, which allowed
the young superstar to drive to a 15th place finish. After the race
Brandon said “this car was horrible at the start, way too loose”
“every adjustment Mark made improved the car, I just wish we could have
practiced a little and the car would have been as good at the start of the
race as it was towards the end”. With the 4th
race set for May 15th at Rockingham, the team is feeling real
good about the position that they are in after having to deal with some
pretty rough situations in the first 3 races of the season. “Right now we are
in 14th in the points and 5th in Rookie points, if
it weren’t for Brandon’s ability on the track to drive some pretty
loose race cars then we would probably be in a lot worse position right
now” said Crew Chief Mark Webb. Brandon countered
with “Mark has made all the right decisions during the races, that’s
what has kept us on the track”. Photo Attachment: Brandon and Crew Chief Mark Web Debrief after the race at Hickory(Freeman Racing Enterprise Photo Collection) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Brandon Sweet Adapting Well to USAR Pro Cup
Series Racing Craig
Revelle – Finish Line Web Design April 27, 2010
Brandon
started from the 16th position at New Smyrna, and ran a
consistent race, staying out of trouble and gained more valuable seat time
as he makes the transition from DIRT racing to pavement. “We
are excited about the 11th place finish again this week.
The team is working very well together, and Brandon continues to
get more time behind the wheel of his USAR Pro Cup car”, says team
General Manager Brian Sweet. “To watch Brandon get out there and run door to door with
the veterans of this series gives us great expectations for a great
year”. Brandon currently
sits 12th in points after the first two races of the season,
and is currently fourth among fellow Raybestos Rookie of the year
contenders. An outstanding effort considering the other contenders all
have pavement racing backgrounds. Brandon
and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team have been working hard and with
more experience, Brandon will running up very soon in the USAR Pro Cup
Series. The competition is
tough but Brandon and the FRE team are up to the challenge. “I
really have to thank all of our great sponsors for helping us get here”,
says Brandon. “Clarence
Henry Coach, Oakley, Schaffer Oil, Mechanix Wear, Froggy 97, and Suburban Extended Stay in Concord North Carolina are
all a big part of our success in the USAR Pro Cup Series. Freeman
Racing Enterprises has other marketing opportunities available for the
upcoming race season. To see
what a motorsports driven advertising campaign can do for your business,
contact Brian Sweet at 315-408-1313
or at freemanracingenterprises@yahoo.com Photo Attachment: Brandon takes a moment to relax at Gresham Speedway earlier this season. He has posted two consecutive 11th place finishes this season. (Freeman Racing Enterprise Photo Collection) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Brandon Sweet Posts 11th Place Finish
in USAR Pro Cup Debut Craig
Revelle – Finish Line Web Design March 29, 2010
Brandon
started the weekend posting consistent lap times, and with each lap run in
practice leading up to Saturday’s 250-lap race, Brandon gained valuable
time behind the wheel, and his lap times started to become comparable to
the top guys in the series. Brandon
and the FRE team had the car dialed in, and were looking for big things to
happen when the green flag waived to start the USAR Pro Cup season. With
just one hour before qualifying, things started to turn sour for the hard
working Freeman Racing Enterprise team.
During final practice, a roller broke off the rocker arm in the
engine, and the team was forced to unload the back up car and quickly set
the car up in time for qualifying. Brandon
had not been in the backup car at all, and was a little uneasy taking it
out with no laps on it.
At the end of the
day, it was very successful for the FRE team as everyone from the crew
chief to the driver learned a lot and we look forward to the next race on
April 17th at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna, Florida. Brandon
Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprise team would like to thank Clarence
Henry Coach, Oakley, Schaffer Oil, Mechanix Wear, Froggy 97, Suburban
Extended Stay in Concord North Carolina and
Rab Racing for their support during the 2010 racing season. Photo Attachment #1 - Brandon Sweet and team owner Robert Freeman III at Gresham Speedway (Freeman Racing Enterprise Photos) Photo Attachment #1 - Brandon Sweet awaits the command to fire the engines. (Freeman Racing Enterprise Photos) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Freeman Racing Enterprises Welcomes New Sponsor
for 2010 Craig
Revelle – Finish Line Web Design March 19, 2010
"Freeman Racing
Enterprises is very excited to have Suburban Extended Stay of Concord,
North Carolina as a sponsor. This
is a very nice hotel and we look forward to their assistance with our
racing program and assisting them in anyway we can”, says FRE team owner
Robert C. Freeman III. Suburban
Extended Stay of Concord, North Carolina is conveniently located just one
mile from Charlotte Motor Speedway, and provides easy access to many
points of interest in the area including the University of North Carolina,
NASCAR SpeedPark, Concord Mills Mall, the Verizon Amphitheatre, and the
Bank of America Stadium. Suburban
Extended Stay of Concord, North Carolina is located at 7725
Sossaman Lane in Concord. If
you are going to be staying in the Charlotte area, give them a call at
704-979-5555 and book your reservations today.
You can visit Suburban Extended Stay of Concord, North Carolina
online at http://www.suburbanhotels.com/hotel-concord-north_carolina-NC536?promo=gglocal "We have used
Suburban Extended Stay quite a bit down here and we find it to be a very
comfortable place to stay”, says team manager Brian Sweet.
“I believe with their quality organization and
commitment to excellence, they are a perfect fit with Freeman Racing
Enterprises." Brandon
Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprise team would like to thank Clarence
Henry Coach, Oakley, Schaffer Oil, Mechanix Wear, Coca Cola, Froggy 97, Suburban
Extended Stay in Concord North Carolina and
Rab Racing for their support during the 2010 racing season. Freeman
Racing Enterprises has other marketing opportunities available for the
upcoming race season. To see
what a motorsports driven advertising campaign can do for your business,
contact Brian Sweet at 315-408-1313
or at freemanracingenterprises@yahoo.com _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Brandon Sweet
Prepares for USAR debut; Unveils 2010 ARCA Racing Plans Craig
Revelle – Finish Line Web Design March 11, 2010
Brandon
will hit the track at Gresham next Wednesday, to get in some practice laps
at the half mile oval, that has become a popular testing facility for some
of NASCAR’s top stars, including last weekend’s Sprint Cup Series
winner, Kurt Busch, who turned in some fast laps the day after winning at
Atlanta Motor Speedway. Brandon
will be joined on track by former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver, and current
RAB Racing Nationwide Series competitor Scott Riggs, as well as 2009 USAR
Pro Cup Champion Clay Rogers. The
Freeman Racing Enterprise team has also finalized plans for Brandon to
make four starts in the ARCA Series, driving for the RAB Racing team,
based in Concord, North Carolina. Brandon
will race at Pocono in June, Salem, Indiana and Kansas Speedway in
September, and Rockingham in October.
Both the Pocono and Kansas races will be run in conjunction with
the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend. To
get up to speed with the ARCA program, the Freeman Racing Enterprise team
joined the RAB Racing ARCA team at last weekend’s race at Palm Springs,
Florida. This allowed the FRE
team to get more familiar with the ARCA cars, and procedures, so Brandon
will be more prepared for his ARCA Series debut in June. Brandon
Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprise team would like to thank Clarence
Henry Coach, Oakley, Schaffer Oil, Mechanix Wear, Coca Cola, Froggy 97,
and Rab Racing for their support during the 2010 racing season. Freeman
Racing Enterprises has marketing opportunities available for the upcoming
race season. To see what a
motorsports driven advertising campaign can do for your business, contact
Brian Sweet at 315-408-1313 or at freemanracingenterprises@yahoo.com Photo Attachment: A look at the Freeman Racing Enterprise transporter that the team will use during the 2010 racing season. (Freeman Racing Enterprise Photo Collection) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ RAB RACING SIGNS BRANDON SWEET TO THEIR
DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Photo Attachment: Brandon Sweet takes a break from practice at New Smyrna Speedway last week.. (Photo courtesy of Freeman Racing Enterprises) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Rain Ends Final Day at New Smyrna; FRE to Prepare for 2010 USAR Season Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design February 12, 2010
If
it wasn’t bad weather keeping the Freeman Racing Enterprises team off
the track during this past week, it was bad luck, a common theme for the
FRE team during the 44th running of the World Series of ASA
Racing at New Smyrna Speedway. Brandon
and the team were rained out on three occasions, and when they did race,
they got caught up in wrecks on the track that were out of the control of
the 19 year old Copenhagen, New York rookie. The
team concluded the World Series of ASA Racing with a 20th place
finish in the 50-lap feature, and although its not what Brandon and the
FRE team were looking for, it did give the team some much needed track
time, that they struggled to get earlier in the week. The Freeman Racing
Enterprises team would like to thank Clarence Henry Coach, Oakley,
Schaffer Oil, Mechanix Wear, Coca Cola, Froggy 97, and Rab Racing for
their support during the 2010 racing season. “I want to thank my crew for all of their hard
work this past week as well”, says Brandon.
“Aaron "longneck" Laflair, Trevor "the tire
tamer" Compeau, RJ "the biker", and of course, crew chief
Mark Webb, and Director of Race Car Operations Keith Hinkein all did a
great job this week". With
racing at New Smyrna in the record books, the team will now regroup, and
switch their focus to the upcoming 2010 USAR Pro Cup Series. The first race on the schedule is not until March 27th,
at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Georgia (60 miles north of
Atlanta), but the team will be on track several times before then, testing
and getting familiar with the pavement cars.
The team will spend the next few weeks in North Carolina, preparing
for the USAR season. For more information on Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team, and to follow the team’s progress in Florida, please visit the team website, www.brandonsweet.com or www.freemanracingenterprises.com. Photo Attachment: Brandon Sweet and the hard working Freeman Racing Enterprises team. (Photo courtesy of Freeman Racing Enterprises) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Bitter ‘Sweet’ Night at New Smyrna for Brandon Sweet and FRE Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design February 8, 2010
Starting
in 25th place, due to the brake problems from Saturday night,
Brandon quickly moved towards the front, passing cars like a seasoned
veteran, using both the inside and outside lanes.
By lap 12, Brandon had moved up into the 15th position,
and turning lap times comparable to the race leaders. The following lap, Brandon was looking to improve on the 15th
spot, until three cars spun in front of the Freeman Racing Enterprise car,
leaving Brandon with no where to go, and was caught up in the crash.
The car was towed to the pit area with a broken left front upper
and lower control arm and hub. It
was another early evening for Brandon Sweet and the FRE team, but on a
positive note, Brandon displayed to everyone tonight that he is ready for
the full time racing on pavement. "I easily had a
top 10 finish tonight, that car was perfect, it was just dumb luck with
those guys spinning right there in front of me”, says a dejected Brandon
Sweet, just after climbing from his Freeman Racing Enterprises car. While
the team cant seem to shake the bad luck, they are optimistic for the rest
of the week, as the car was virtually perfect until the mid race crash.
The team will head back to the hotel, very confident about the rest
of the week. “Brandon was really
rolling tonight, he was driving that thing perfect", says Director of
Race Car Operations, Keith Hinkein. "There was nothing he could have
done to avoid the crash, it was right there, but hey, that's racing" Brandon
Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprise team will return to action on
Tuesday night for another 25-lap feature.
As per the rules for the 44th annual World Series of ASA
Racing, the finish from the previous race determines starting position. The
Freeman Racing Enterprises team would like to thank Clarence Henry Coach,
Oakley, Schaffer Oil, Mechanix Wear, Coca Cola, Froggy 97, and Rab Racing
for their support during the 2010 racing season. Photo Attachment: Brandon Sweet and the hard working Freeman Racing Enterprises team. (Photo courtesy of Freeman Racing Enterprises) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ First Night of Racing During 2010 Speedweeks Ends With Brake Problems Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design February 6, 2010
After
being forced to the back up car after a practice lap crash on Thursday,
and then having Friday nights schedule completely washed away due to heavy
rain, the team worked from 7am Saturday morning until 5:00pm Saturday
night getting the back up car ready for racing.
The team finally rolled the car through pre race tech inspection
just in time to qualify for Saturday night’s 25-lap feature. With
no practice at all during the day, Brandon was advised by team crew chief
Mark Webb to take it easy during qualifying, and to use the two laps to
shake down the car, and make sure it was comfortable for him to drive. Brandon
started the 25-lap feature in 24th place out of the 27 cars
that took the green flag. Brandon
lost the brakes in the car just 3 laps in, and by lap 10, the brakes were
glowing cherry red. Brandon
also reported to the team over radio that he was developing a bad
vibration. At this point, Keith Hinkein, Director of Race Car Operations
for Freeman Racing Enterprises radioed in to Brandon to bring the car in,
and park it for the rest of the evening.
The team will go to work and resolve the brake issues before the
next race, which will be held Monday night, February 8th. “It
has been a very disappointing start to Speedweeks, but we still have five
more nights of racing and I'm sure my crew will find the brake issue and
we'll be ready for the next race on Monday night”, says Freeman Racing
Enterprises driver Brandon Sweet. It
has been a learning experience for Brandon and the Freeman Racing
Enterprises team. They will
bounce back, and as in the past with Brandon as he progressed through the
go karts, DIRTcar Sportsman, and now to the pavement Late Model, he will
be running up front in no time. Photo Attachment: Brandon Sweet talks to RAB Racing owner, and former NASCAR Nationwide Series and ARCA driver Robby Benton. (Photo courtesy of Freeman Racing Enterprises) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trouble Strikes Early in New Smyrna – FRE Team will Bounce Back Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design February 5, 2010
Brandon
was turning some very competitive laps, and like any racer, he pushed the
car to the extreme, trying to find just how far he could push the car
through the corners at New Smyrna Speedway, a track that Brandon has never
raced on before. After some
very quick laps, Brandon started to get closer and closer to the edge, and
unfortunately, the rear wheels broke loose in turn 3 and 4, and Brandon
spun and made hard contact with the wall with the left side of the
racecar. The team will go to the back up car for the remainder of the
week. “It
is really unfortunate that we have to go to the back up car, says crew
chief Mark Webb. However,
this is one of the reasons that we love having Brandon as our driver, as
he is not afraid to push the car to its full potential.
He may have gone a little too far this time, but we know he will
bounce back, and not make that mistake again”. While
this is not how the Freeman Racing Enterprise team, and Brandon Sweet
wanted to start their 2010 season, it was certainly a lesson learned, and
the team will have the back up car just as competitive as the primary car
was. “I
was just trying to push it as far as I could.
I guess I pushed it just a little too much”, says Brandon.
“I want to thank Mr. Freeman, and all my crew for the great car
that they prepared for me. I am sure that they will have the 10th Mountain
Division of Fort Drum, New York. Clarence Henry Coach, Oakley, Schaffer
Oil, Mechanix Wear, Coca Cola, Froggy 97, Rab Racing back up car dialed in
also. The
Freeman Racing Enterprise team prepared the back up car for the first race
of the year, and first race of the World Series of ASA Racing, but heavy
rains on Friday forced the track to cancel the scheduled program.
The first race will now be held on Saturday night, February 6th. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Freeman Racing Enterprises to Support the Local Troops in Florida Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design January 29, 2010
On
Thursday the team was busy at the Freeman Racing Enterprise shop on
Bradley Street in Watertown, New York, putting the finishing touches on
their 2010 Late Model, freshly wrapped in colors of the 10th
Mountain Division from Fort Drum, New York.
By mid afternoon, the car was loaded, and ready for their first
ever trip to Speedweeks in Florida. “I
am very proud that we will be racing in honor of the soldiers of the 10th
Mountain Division of Fort Drum, New York”, says Brandon Sweet.
“It is very exciting, and I can’t wait to race this car at New
Smyrna Speedway”. The
Freeman Racing Enterprise team will leave for Florida around 9am Friday
morning, and will embark on a full schedule of racing, beginning February
4th, and running straight through to the 13th. Thursday, February 4th will be an open practice
session, and then the following 9 days will be on the track in the 10th
Mountain Division of Fort Drum, New York car. “This
is a great way to say thanks to our troops, and give the local soldiers at
Fort Drum some national attention”, says Freeman Racing Enterprises
owner Robert Freeman, speaking about the paint scheme that will dawn the
number 99 Ford that Brandon Sweet will race next week. For more information
on Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team, and to follow
the team’s progress in Florida, please visit the team website, www.brandonsweet.com
or www.freemanracingenterprises.com. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Freeman Racing Enterprise and Brandon Sweet Announce Number Change Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design January 28, 2010
"We feel real
comfortable in the number change from 24 to 99 as both our Pro
Cup Cars are Ford Fusions" says Robert C. Freeman III, he also added
"We are very excited about our association with Ford Racing and
look forward to building a very successful relationship with them" The driver, Brandon
Sweet is also looking forward to the number change, and the exciting
partnership that the Freeman Racing Enterprise team has formed with Rab
Racing and Ford. "I like the #99
as well, I look forward to running Ford, and it's not the number that
is going to make me fast, it's the Ford power under the Hood." The news comes just
in time for the team's 2010 racing debut at New Smyrna Speedway.
FRE leaves for New Smyrna Beach, FL. on Saturday, January 30th for
the 44th World Series of ASA where Brandon will be competing in 8 nights
of racing with his ASA Late Model. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Local Racer and Local Team Looking for National Success
Freeman signed on with a NASCAR nationwide team down south, giving Sweet a chance to live and work in NASCAR country, with NASCAR experience and equipment, as he preps for his first year in the USAR Pro Cup Series that races up and down the East Coast. It's kind of a NASCAR minor league series. "It gives me more drive and determinations to go out there and know that I have good equipment," Sweet said. "I have a good setup and I have good guys behind me. Now it's up to me. Now I've got to do it."
"Brandon is a great kid with a lot of talent," Freeman Racing Enterprises owner Robert Freeman added. "Without the support of some local entities here, I felt that it would be a waste for him to go on and move on and represent the area he comes from." Sweet will race in the USAR this year, mixing in some ARCA races as well. That's the next level up. Then, if all goes as planned, in a few years, on to NASCAR. "Our goal is to get as much seat time as possible and to learn as much as possible," Sweet's Crew Chief Mark Webb said of the 2010 season. "We want to sit on the pole at a few places and hopefully get some top fives, top tens and maybe even a win." To do that, Freeman Racing Enterprises wanted one guy in particular. The former pro cup crew chief for drivers like Joey Logano and Trevor Bayne. Freeman got his man. "I've been very fortunate to come up with the young kids," New Director of Car Operations for Freeman Racing Enterprises Keith Hinkein said. "I really enjoy that because it's more of an accomplishment if you can take these younger drivers and bring them up." Sweet's also got a guy in his Watertown garage who knows him better than anyone. "It's my job as a his father and GM of the team to try and get him down the right road and make sure he's doing the right things," Brandon's Father Brian, the General Manager of Freeman Racing Enterprises, added. "My number one thing, other than racing, is my family and the best part about this is I've got my family doing it," Brandon Sweet said about his dad. "I'm not out pursuing this by myself." Sweet will be in Florida for Race Week at Daytona in a week or so. His car will be decked out with 10th Mountain Division stickers. A great way, Freeman says, to say thanks and bring some national attention to the soldiers of Fort Drum. For more information about Brandon or Freeman Racing Enterprises, you can visit their website at www.brandonsweet.com or www.freemanracingenterprises.com. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Freeman Racing Enterprises Welcomes Keith Hinkein to the Team Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design January
13, 2010
RAB
Racing currently fields a team in the NASCAR Nationwide series and the
ARCA Series. You can check out RAB Racing by clicking on the link on our
home page or going to www.teamrab.com. "Bringing Keith
on board at Freeman Racing Enterprises, brings years of proven experience
in NASCAR to us", says team owner Robert C. Freeman III.
Mr. Freeman also states, "this is a very exciting development
for FRE in our quest to move Brandon through the ranks of
Professional Stock Car Racing”. Mr. Hinkein has a
very impressive resume. Most currently, he has been the Director of
Operations for RAB Racing where he coordinates duties and responsibilities
for all employees there and assists and oversees all departments, as well
as prepares budgets and maintains sufficient operation costs. As Crew Chief, Keith
has successfully worked with drivers such as Joey Logano, Clay Rogers,
Trevor Bayne and Buckshot Jones. While working with Buckshot Jones
in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the team had a remarkable year with one
win and several pole positions. Keith joined up with rookie, Trevor
Bayne, halfway through the year and managed to get 3 wins and numerous top
fives taking him to a second place finish the Hooters Pro Cup Championship
standings. Keith joined Logano Motorsports when Joey was only 13
years old and could barely reach the pedals in the racecar. Keith
recognized the talent right away and brought Joey to his first win, making him
the youngest ever to win in the Hooters Pro Cup Series beating out Brian
Vickers for that honor. Now, along with
hiring Keith, comes the requirement of Brandon and our USAR Pro Cup
program to relocate to Concord NC. Brandon has already moved to NC
and has a very nice apartment 5 minutes from our new 40,000 square foot
state of the art Race Shop. Do not worry Local Fans…Brandon will be
flying to Watertown every weekend that there is not a Pro Cup Race.
He will be running a Late Model at Thunder Alley Speedway, on Saturday
nights and possibly a DIRT Car at Can Am on Friday nights. FRE
will maintain our shop on Bradley St in Watertown where the Late Model
program will be housed. Also along with the
move to North Carolina, Freeman Racing Enterprises and Brandon Sweet will
be running a couple NASCAR Nationwide and/or ARCA races with RAB
Racing in 2010. So, as you can see
2010 is looking to be a very event filled year and all of us at Freeman
Racing Enterprises are very excited about the upcoming Racing Season. FRE is off to New
Smyrna Beach, FL. on the 30th of Jan., for the 44th World Series of ASA at
New Smyrna Speedway where Brandon will be competing in 8 nights of racing
with his ASA Late Model. Photo courtesy of Freeman Racing Enterprise ****Keith Hinkein, Freeman Racing Enterprises Director of Race Car Operations. |
It
has been a roller coaster ride for young superstar Brandon Sweet and
Freeman Racing Enterprises so far in the 2010 racing season.
Freeman
Racing Enterprises, and Brandon Sweet have just learned today that their
USAR Pro Cup Series rookie season has been put on a brief hold, and will
resume in just over a month.
Brandon
Sweet and the # 99 Clarence Henry Coach Ford Fusion pulled into Langley
Speedway on Saturday morning for the running of the Hampton Virginia 250.
Brandon
Sweet and his Freeman Racing Team traveled to Rockingham, North Carolina
this past weekend for the USAR Pro Cup Series Carolina 200 at the track
know as the “The Rock”.
Brandon
Sweet and the FRE Team were at the “Famous” Hickory Motor Speedway for
the 3rd Race in the 16 race USAR Pro Cup Series and for the 2nd
time in three races the young superstar from Watertown NY and the FRE Team
were forced into the back up car with engine problems. 
It
was a roller coaster weekend for Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing
Enterprise team, as they traveled to Gresham Motorsports Park in
Jefferson, Georgia for their first race in the USAR Pro Cup Series.
Brandon
did a remarkable job avoiding several wrecks that happened right in front
of him.
Brandon
Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprise team have been away from the track
for a month, and they have used this downtime to prepare their fleet of
cars for the upcoming season in the USAR Pro Cup Series, which begins
Saturday, March 27th at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson,
Georgia.
The
first few days were a struggle for Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing
Enterprise team, but tonight the team had the car dialed in for 19-year
Copenhagen, New York racer Brandon Sweet on night number two of the 44th
annual World Series of ASA Racing.
Brandon
Sweet, and the entire Freeman Racing Enterprise team have been one of the
hardest working teams in the pit area at New Smyrna Speedway since the 44th
annual World Series of ASA Racing began on Thursday afternoon.
The
off-season was short for Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprise
team, and its now back to work.
Freeman
Racing Enterprises have announced today that they have decided to drop the
number 24 and will now fly the number 99 banner for the 2010 Racing
Season.
Freeman
Racing Enterprises is very excited to announce the hiring of Keith Hinkein
as Director of Race Car Operations.