Sweet Looks Back on his Experiences in 2010 and Looks Forward to 2011

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

November 14, 2010

The 2010 racing season took Brandon Sweet down many different paths, and opened a few doors to the world of pavement racing in the southern states, the heart and soul of short track racing throughout the United States.  Sweet dabbled in the USAR Pro Cup tour in the first part of the season, finishing as high as 10^th place in the ultra-competitive series at arguably the toughest track that the series competes on…Rockingham Speedway.

Sweet started his first season on asphalt at the New Smyrna Speedway, in New Smyrna Beach, Florida during Speed Weeks in February.  It was a tough start for Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team, as they struggled getting a handle on their car in the early going.  When they final did have the car working good, mechanical problems, and just plain bad luck set the team back.

With the trip to Florida now in the rear view mirror, the FRE team worked had at the shop preparing for the first race in the USAR Pro Cup Series.  Sweet, at the age of 19 at the time, also signed on with RAB Racing as a development driver for their team that’s hosts ARCA and NASCAR Nationwide Series cars.  The first USAR event was held at Gresham Motorsports Park, just outside of Atlanta, Georgia at the end of March.  It was a rough start for the Copenhagen, New York racer, but at the checkered flag, Sweet brought the car home with a respectable 11^th place finish.

“That finish at Gresham could have been much higher if it wasn’t for a mid race flat tire that we had.  We also had some communication issues with our radio as we were unable to talk back and fourth for much of the race”, recalls Sweet on his USAR debut.  “It was a great learning experience though, and we had a lot of fun”.

The next race on the USAR schedule was in mid April, once again back at the New Smyrna Speedway in Florida.  Sweet struggled early but just like the previous race he crossed the finish line in 11^th place.

Three more races on the USAR Pro Cup schedule in May saw Sweet tackle some of the toughest tracks in the country.  Hickory Motor Speedway, Rockingham Speedway and Langley Speedway were spread out through the month, and Sweet had his season high finish at Rockingham with a solid top ten result.  He also finished 15^th at Hickory and 16^th at Langley Speedway.

While Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team had hoped to run the full schedule, without the proper financial backing, the team just could not continue.  That, coupled with the series itself suffering some financial hardship at mid season, forced the FRE team to re-evaluate their racing schedule for the remainder of the season.  Over the course of the summer, Sweet made a couple starts in Jason Potter’s back up Big Block Modified ride, and by early September Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team had their own car put together for Brandon to make a return to the DIRTcar Sportsman ranks for the remainder of the season.  Sweet made his Sportsman season debut at Can Am in mid-September but was caught up in a wreck.  The following weekend he debuted his brand new Jreck Sub, Clarence Henry Coach, Nelsons Formal Wear, Freeman Racing Enterprises Troyer and finished second.  Sweet followed that up with a top five finish at Fulton the next night, and a 10^th place run at Rolling Wheels raceway a week later.

When October rolled around, Sweet had just three races remaining, with the Fulton 200 weekend, Super DIRT Week, and the DIRTcar Fall Nationals ending the season.  Brandon finished 11^th at both Fulton and Brockville, but his second place finish in the DIRTcar Sportsman “Daytona 500” was certainly a season highlight for the FRE team.  The Fulton race was also impressive, as Sweet started from the back of the pack and climbed to 11^th, winning the hard charger award for passing the most cars in the race.

For more information on Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises/Jreck Subs team, and to follow the team’s progress throughout the season, please visit the team website, www.brandonsweet.com or www.freemanracingenterprises.com.

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Sweet Finishes Second in Sportsman Series Version of Daytona 500

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

October 12, 2010

The length of the race may be much smaller then the Daytona 500, but for Brandon Sweet and his Sportsman Series competitors the importance of the 30 lap Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Championship event at Syracuse during Super DIRT Week is matched by no other.  The race is the biggest of the season, it offers more then double what any other Sportsman event pays out to win, and with it comes the glory of winning this most prestigious event.

Freeman Racing Enterprises, and their driver Brandon Sweet rolled into the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, New York on Friday morning for the 39^th running of Super DIRT Week with their #24 Jreck Sub, Clarence Henry Coach, Nelsons Formal Wear, Freeman Racing Enterprises Troyer looking to make a statement in the DIRTcar Sportsman series.  The team knew that they had a “long row to hoe” as all the top names in the series were all geared up to tackle the track they call the Moody Mile.

With Sweet being absent from DIRTcar racing for most of the 2010 season while running with the USAR Pro Cup Series, all the top teams had the upper hand on the FRE team as far as preparation, with have only having been back on the DIRTcar scene for less then a month. 

“This didn’t concern Brandon at all”, state Freeman Racing Enterprises General Manager and proud father of the talented young driver from Copenhagen, New York.  “He didn’t even seem nervous, he was real confident coming into this event”.

The Freeman Racing Enterprises team went through the mandatory pre race tech inspection early Friday morning, and then went to work getting ready for practice.  As expected, the car needed some fine-tuning after the first laps on the track since last year’s Super DIRT Week.  Sweet posted the 18^th fastest time out of the 57 entries on hand.

“We need to tighten the car up just a bit” explained Sweet to his FRE crew.  “It felt fast, but just a little too loose to keep the tires on the track”.

With time trials just a few hours away, Brandon and his team went to work, knowing that some adjustment were needed before qualifying.  Confident that they tightened the car up, and compensated for the ever-changing Syracuse track conditions, Sweet went out and turned the 5^th fastest lap time of the day, placing him in 5^th to start Saturday’s 30 lap Sportsman Championship.

The Sportsman race was the last race of the day on Saturday with the green flag waving shortly after 4:30pm.  Sweet started from inside row three, and didn’t get off to the start that he was looking for, dropping to sixth before the end of the second lap.  Before long though, the track started to come to Brandon, and he started working his way back towards the leader.  As the race went on, his lap times were getting faster.  After moving back up to fifth, he began to chase down the 4^th place car, but with passing at a premium on the ‘Moody Mile’, Sweet had to use maturity and patience, and lost a little time to the leader.  Syracuse is a track that one little mistake can result in a destroyed racecar with the speeds in excess of 100mph.  Brandon’s patience paid off when the 4^th place car drifted high coming out of turn and Sweet ducked underneath him to take the position away.  Brandon then set his sights on the third place car, and did the complete opposite, passing him on the outside groove in turn one and two a few laps later.  While running third, Brandon began to reel in the second place car, but before getting close enough, the other driver had backed his car hard into the outside wall.  Sweet made a brilliant heads up move, avoiding possible disaster with the spinning car.  Now on lap 28, with just two laps to decide the final outcome, Sweet restarted the race with leader right in front of him.  On the ensuing restart, Sweet looked high and low for an opportunity to take the lead, but came up just a little short, maintaining that second spot as the crossed the finish line.

"The 38 car ran a little more gear than we did.  I knew we were faster than him on the long runs but he was faster than us on the short runs.  Unfortunately the caution came out with only two laps to go, I really didn’t want to see that yellow flag cause I think we might have got him if it stayed green", said Brandon after the race. "You know, Ryan (Susice) had a great car today also and he his one of the best drivers in this series, congratulations to him and his team." he added.

Next up for Brandon Sweet and the Jreck Subs, Freeman Racing Enterprises team will be this coming Sunday at the Brockville Ontario Speedway.  This will conclude the 2010 Mr. DIRTcar Series, as well as the 2010 racing season.

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Sweet Earns Hard Charger Award With Hard Fought Fulton Battle

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

October 5, 2010

Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises Sportsman team has made a big splash since returning to the Sportsman ranks, and their success continued this past weekend with a Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman tour race at the Fulton Speedway on Friday night to kick of the 25^th annual Outlaw 200 Weekend.

Sweet started out fast in the time trials, but a faulty transponder failed to record his speed, putting him at the tail of his qualifying heat.  Brandon had to start from the heat race from 10^th, and despite being caught up in a pair of wrecks that resulted in being at the wrong place at the wrong time, Sweet still managed to finish sixth, but out of a qualifying spot.  This relegated Sweet and his Jreck Sub, Clarence Henry Coach, Nelsons Formal Wear, Freeman Racing Enterprises sponsored Troyer to the outside of the front row for the consolation race.  The team’s luck turned around though, and when the green flag was displayed, Sweet ran away with the win, never having faced a serious challenge for the top spot.

The win, of course, locked Brandon into the main event, and he rolled of the starting grid for the 30-lap feature from the 23^rd position.  It didn’t take Brandon Sweet long to realize that his Freeman Racing Enterprises team made the necessary changes, as the car was fast right from the start.  Only one caution on lap 19 slowed the race, making it tough for Sweet to make up ground on the leaders, but he did climb to 11^th place at the checkered flag, earning the Number One Speed Hard Charger award.

“The car was really tight in the consolation race, but the team had it working really good for the feature”, says Sweet.  “We could have really used another caution or two to make up some more ground, but we will take this, and move on to Super DIRT Week”.

Super DIRT Week is up next for Brandon Sweet and the FRE team.  On Friday night, Brandon will be at the Rolling Wheels Raceway for the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman series race.  The biggest race of the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman season takes place on Saturday at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, New York.  Following Syracuse, the 2010 racing season finale will take place just one week later at the Brockville Ontario Speedway for the final race of the 2010 Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman series.

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Brake Issues Result in 10^th Place Finish in Brandon Sweet’s Return to DIRTcar Series

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

September 28, 2010

Brandon Sweet and his Freeman Racing Enterprises team pulled into the Rolling Wheels Raceway, in Elbridge, New York last Saturday looking for big results in their return to the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman tour.  A win would guarantee them a qualifying spot for the most prestigious Sportsman race at Syracuse in less then two weeks, and qualifying and having success at is the Syracuse race is the goal for Sweet and the FRE team upon returning to the Sportsman ranks.

A strong field of 39 DIRTcar Sportsman cars were on hand at Rolling Wheels Raceway, and Sweet started the night off by time trialing second in his qualifying group, and seventh overall.  In his qualifying heat, Sweet finished in third, locking himself into the redraw for one of the top 12 starting positions.  Drawing for positions is simply based on luck of the draw, and on this night, Sweet didn’t have the luck on his side as he randomly selected the 12^th position. 

Starting 12^th out of the 30 cars that made the feature, Sweet knew he had some work ahead of him to get to the front of the pack, but he had confidence in his #24 Jreck Sub, Clarence Henry Coach, Nelsons Formal Wear, Freeman Racing Enterprises Troyer.  When the race began problems began to develop, as the right front brake locked up on entry into turn one on just the second lap, causing the car to push up the track.  Despite having brake issues for the remainder of the event, Sweet still managed a very respectable 10^th place finish in his return to the DIRTcar Sportsman tour.

“I really thought we had a great car heading into the feature, but once the brakes locked up, we were done.  I want to thank my crew for all there hard work, the car was awesome up until the brake issues”, says FRE driver Brandon Sweet. 

Coming up next for the Freeman Racing Enterprises team will be a stop at the Fulton Speedway this coming Friday, October 1^st for the next round of the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman tour.  A scheduled stop at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park in Lafargeville has been canceled due to lack of power, after a fire took out the main power shack, so the following race will back at the Rolling Wheels Raceway on October 8^th.

For more information on Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises/Jreck Subs team, and to follow the team’s progress throughout the season, please visit the team website, www.brandonsweet.com or www.freemanracingenterprises.com.

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Brandon Sweet Debuts Jreck Subs Car With a Pair of Top Five Finishes

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

September 21, 2010

It didn’t take long for Brandon Sweet and his Freeman Racing Enterprises/Jreck Subs team to make their presence known right away upon returning to the DIRTcar Sportsman scene after a one-year absence while he raced with the USAR Pro Cup Series.  Two on track events, as well as an official unveiling of the team’s new Jreck Subs sponsored Sportsman filled out the weekend for the FRE team.

On Friday night, Brandon returned to Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park for the second week in a row.  Sweet was the 2008 Can Am track champion in the Sportsman division, as well as the SUNY Canton Sportsman champion that same season.  Brandon started the 20 lap Sportsman main event from fifth place, and moved towards the front quickly.  By lap 14, Sweet had taken over second place, and began to reel in the leader.  Sweet was the fastest car on the track, and was noted by the track announcer that Brandon was the only driver to eclipse the 90 MPH mark during the feature.  By the time Brandon had moved to second, the race leader had a half straightaway lead, but with the fastest car on the track, Sweet began to reel in the leader, and just a couple laps later Sweet was starting to pressure the race leader.  The FRE team watched in amazement, thinking that a win could be in their grasps on just the second night back in a DIRTcar Sportsman.  A caution on lap 18 put Sweet right on the back bumper of the race leader.  When the race resumed Sweet battled high and low, looking for the lead, but settled for second by just a nose at the finish line.

“Wow, what a car we had out there tonight. I knew we were better on the long runs and the 10 car was better on the short runs.  We really didn’t need that last caution”, says Brandon.

On Saturday, after spending three hours at Jreck Subs on Washington Street in Watertown, the team headed south to the Fulton Speedway for the SUNY Canton Sportsman Modified 20 lap showdown.  After a third place finish in the heat race, Brandon said the car was just too tight, so the FRE team went to work and made the changes that Brandon requested.  The #24 Jreck Sub, Clarence Henry Coach, Nelsons Formal Wear Troyer, lined up in the ninth starting position for the 20 lap main event.  Brandon was able to move through the field and when the checkered flag fell, he came across the finish line in fourth place.

"The car was awesome again tonight, we just missed the gear by a little", said Brandon after the race.  "We got some good notes and we will be ready for the 200 that is coming up here real soon".

This coming weekend, Brandon will make a return to the DIRTcar Sportsman Tour, with a race at the Rolling Wheels Raceway in Elbridge, New York on Saturday, September 25^th.  The following Friday, October 1^st, the DIRTcar Sportsman series will be back at Fulton Speedway before kicking off the 39^th annual Super DIRT Week at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park on October 6^th.

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Former Champion Brandon Sweet Returns to Can Am Motorsports Park

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

September 14, 2010  

Brandon Sweet started this season racing all over the United States racing in the USAR Pro Cup Series.  When lack of necessary funding prevented from Brandon Sweet from running the full season, Sweet jumped at the chance to get back on the dirt at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park in the Sportsman division.  Brandon Sweet is the 2008 Sportsman Champion at Can Am, and also won the SUNY Canton Sportsman Series Championship that same season.

Brandon Sweet and the FRE team rolled into Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park on Friday, September 10^th with a familiar car with a familiar number on the side of it.  The number 24, that Brandon has raced since the beginning of his career in go-karts adorned the side of the FRE sponsored Sportsman that Brandon raced on Friday night.  Sweet hadn’t raced a Sportsman car since the end of the 2009 racing season, but it didn’t take him long to get back into his groove, as he went out and dominated his qualifying heat.  At the checkered flag, Sweet had over a half straightaway lead over second place.  The strong performance went over well with the local fans, as they cheered on their local favorite. 

After the heat race, Brandon spent several minutes with local fans who were very excited to see him back at the track.  With all the success that Brandon has had at the track over the years, the Speedway, and the local fans hold a special place in Brandon’s heart. 

Before the feature, Sweet had to redraw for his starting position for the main event.  A fifth place spot put Brandon on the inside of the third row to start the 25 lap SUNY Canton Series main event.  Both driver and team were very confident as they rolled the FRE car onto the track.  The race started well, as Sweet worked his way forward, but right rear damage, and a flat tire after a lap eight incident put Brandon out of contention.

“We had a good car, I think we had a real good shot at getting the win, but it just didn’t work out for us tonight”, says Brandon.  “We will come back here next week, and again for the October 6^th race here and hope for some better luck”.

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 has marketing opportunities available for the 2011 racing season.  Brandon and the FRE team would like to return to pavement racing.  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 Sweet returned to Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park on Friday, September 10^th.  (FRE Photo Collection)

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Brandon Sweet and FRE Seek Sponsorship to Return to the Track

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

August 5, 2010

It has been a roller coaster ride for young superstar Brandon Sweet and Freeman Racing Enterprises so far in the 2010 racing season.  The summer started out with some testing in the USAR Pro Cup cars and five races in the Pro Cup series, with the highlight of the season being a top ten finish at the famed Rockingham Speedway. 

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)

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USAR Pro Cup Series Trims Schedule; Sweet to Race Local Tracks

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

June 16, 2010

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.

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 17^th.

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)

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Sweet Suffers First DNF in USAR Pro Cup Series

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

June 2, 2010

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.  The Freeman Racing Enterprise team unloaded their Ford Fusion and began pre-race activities. 

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 15^th 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 12^th position, the next caution came when the 13^th place car punted the Clarence Henry Coach, Schaeffer’s Oil, Suburban Extended Stay of Concord Ford Fusion from behind, and the 16^th 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 12^th 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)

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Sweet Scores First top 10 Finish in USAR Pro Cup Series

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

May 18, 2010

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”.  Rockingham Speedway is a legendary 1-mile oval that, in years past has hosted the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and was named by many stars as their favorite track before NASCAR dropped them off the schedule at the end of the 2003 season.

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.

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Brandon Finishes 15th at Hickory Speedway

Brandon Sweet and the FRE Team were at the “Famous” Hickory Motor Speedway for the 3^rd Race in the 16 race USAR Pro Cup Series and for the 2^nd time in three races the young superstar from Watertown NY and the FRE Team were forced into the back up car with engine problems.

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 15^th 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 4^th race set for May 15^th 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 14^th in the points and 5^th 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)

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Brandon Sweet Adapting Well to USAR Pro Cup Series Racing

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

April 27, 2010

For the second consecutive race on the USAR Pro Cup Series schedule, Brandon Sweet and his Freeman Racing Enterprises team finished in11^th place, this time at the New Smyrna Speedway, in New Smyrna, Florida.

Brandon started from the 16^th 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 12^th 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 11^th place finishes this season.  (Freeman Racing Enterprise Photo Collection)

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Brandon Sweet Posts 11^th Place Finish in USAR Pro Cup Debut

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

March 29, 2010

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 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. 

Brandon did a remarkable job avoiding several wrecks that happened right in front of him.  Although the day didn’t go as smoothly as the team had hoped and he spun out a couple times, he did a great job keeping the car off the wall, and the team was able to bring the car back in one piece, and came out with a very respectable 11^th place finish in his debut, which could have been higher if it wasn’t for a mid race flat tire that cost the team a few laps in the pits, and going virtually the entire race without communication between driver and pit crew.

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)

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Freeman Racing Enterprises Welcomes New Sponsor for 2010

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

March 19, 2010

Just one week away from their USAR Pro Cup Series debut, Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team have announced today that Suburban Extended Stay of Concord, North Carolina will be a sponsor for the upcoming season.

"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

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Brandon Sweet Prepares for USAR debut; Unveils 2010 ARCA Racing Plans

Craig Revelle – Finish Line Web Design

March 11, 2010

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 27^th at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Georgia.

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)

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RAB RACING SIGNS BRANDON SWEET TO THEIR DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Source:  RAB Racing - Concord, NC (2-14-2010)  

RAB Racing with Brack Maggard has signed Brandon Sweet of Freeman Racing Enterprises as a development driver to compete full time and run for rookie of the year in the 2010 USAR Pro Cup Series.

RAB Racing with Brack Maggard in conjunction with Freeman Racing Enterprises will field the No. 99 Clarence Henry Coach Ford in the 16-race USAR Pro Cup Series schedule. The season begins on Saturday, March 27th at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, GA and concludes on Saturday, November 6th at South Boston Speedway in South Boston, VA.

“The objective of our driver development program is to enhance and strengthen the skills needed to compete in the top levels of racing,” said Robby Benton, RAB Racing’s Co-owner/General Manager. “Brandon has been successful in Karts and Modified’s so I feel a year behind the wheel of a USAR Pro Cup car will give him the start he needs to develop his skills to their fullest potential.”

Sweet, a 19-year-old Copenhagen, NY native started racing in the Go Kart Division at the age of nine and over a six year stint captured 48 wins and six championships. At 15, Sweet advanced to the North East DIRT Sportsman Modified Series where he proclaimed the 2006 Rookie of the Year title, nine wins and two championships.

The Freeman Racing Enterprises team will be led by RAB Racing’s, Keith Hinkein. Hinkein, the Director of Competition for FRE has worked with a multitude of drivers and brings an impressive resume and experience with him to the family-run organization. As a veteran crew chief of the USAR Pro Cup Series, Hinkein has shown drivers such as Trevor Bayne and Joey Logano how to find victory lane.

For more information on RAB Racing please visit: www.teamrab.com
For more information on Brandon Sweet please visit www.brandonsweet.com

Photo Attachment:  Brandon Sweet takes a break from practice at New Smyrna Speedway last week..  (Photo courtesy of Freeman Racing Enterprises)

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Rain Ends Final Day at New Smyrna; FRE to Prepare for 2010 USAR Season

Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design 

February 12, 2010

When Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprises team arrived at New Smyrna Speedway late last week, they knew it was going to be a learning experience, as Brandon, who is just starting his first season in a pavement car, was there to learn about the cars, and to get the valuable seat time, while he makes the transition from dirt racing to pavement racing.

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 44^th 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 20^th 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 27^th, 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)

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Bitter ‘Sweet’ Night at New Smyrna for Brandon Sweet and FRE

Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design 

February 8, 2010

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 44^th annual World Series of ASA Racing. 

Starting in 25^th 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 15^th position, and turning lap times comparable to the race leaders.  The following lap, Brandon was looking to improve on the 15^th 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 44^th 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)

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First Night of Racing During 2010 Speedweeks Ends With Brake Problems

Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design 

February 6, 2010

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 44^th annual World Series of ASA Racing began on Thursday afternoon. 

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 24^th 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 8^th.

“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)

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Trouble Strikes Early in New Smyrna – FRE Team will Bounce Back

Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design 

February 5, 2010

Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprise team unloaded their 10^th Mountain Division of Fort Drum, New York car in New Smyrna on Thursday afternoon, and hit the track for some practice for the 44^th annual World Series of ASA racing at New Smyrna Speedway.

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 10^th 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 6^th.

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Freeman Racing Enterprises to Support the Local Troops in Florida

Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design 

January 29, 2010

The off-season was short for Brandon Sweet and the Freeman Racing Enterprise team, and its now back to work.  It is now time to put everything they have learned over the winter to test, as they kick off the 2010 racing season with the 44^th Annual World Series of Racing at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

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 10^th 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 10^th 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 4^th, and running straight through to the 13^th.  Thursday, February 4^th will be an open practice session, and then the following 9 days will be on the track in the 10^th 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.

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Freeman Racing Enterprise and Brandon Sweet Announce Number Change

Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design 

January 28, 2010

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.  With the team’s recent affiliation with the Rab Racing of Concord, North Carolina, which run Roush/Yates Ford powered motors in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, it only makes sense to follow suit.  The number 99 is synonymous with Ford Racing and the timing is ideal.

"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.

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Local Racer and Local Team Looking for National Success

Every year, hundreds of local race car drivers see their dreams of hitting the NASCAR series come up short. And many times, it has nothing to do with their talent or ability. As our Brian Dwyer reports, it's all about opportunities and he caught up with one driver who's getting his.

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.

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Freeman Racing Enterprises Welcomes Keith Hinkein to the Team

Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design 

January 13, 2010  

Freeman Racing Enterprises is very excited to announce the hiring of Keith Hinkein as Director of Race Car Operations.  Keith resides in Concord, North Carolina and is Director of Operation for RAB Racing in Concord.

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.

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