Braun Motorsports, formerly known as Braun Racing, was an American professional stock car racing team that last competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team is based in Mooresville, North Carolina. Best known as one of the top independent Xfinity Series teams from 2003 to 2010, the team also made several starts in the Sprint Cup Series. The team was owned by Todd Braun, son of Braun Corporation founder Ralph Braun. The team formerly had alliances with Chip Ganassi Racing and Dale Earnhardt, Inc., and the team's operations also included former entries from ppc Racing and Akins Motorsports.
In late 2010, the team was sold to Texas businessman and Camping World Truck Series team owner Steve Turner, becoming Turner Motorsports and later Turner Scott Motorsports (TSM). TSM ceased operations in 2014.
After fielding entries in the regional K&N Pro Series East in 2014, the team returned to national competition in 2015 in the Camping World Truck Series with longtime sponsor Great Clips. The team most recently fielded the No. 32 Katerra Toyota Tundra part-time for Justin Marks, and Justin Haley.
Sprint Cup Series Shane Hmiel (2005) Braun Racing briefly fielded a team in the Sprint Cup Series (then the NEXTEL Cup Series) in 2005, when they began fielding the No. 08 WinFuel Chevrolet driven by Busch Series driver Shane Hmiel. It debuted at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but finished 43rd after Hmiel was swept up in a multi-car accident on the first lap. Hmiel raced the car the following week at Bristol Motor Speedway, and finished 40th due to overheating. The team did not run the rest of the year due to Hmiel's suspension from competition.
Jason Leffler (2006) Braun attempted another Cup race in 2006 at the fall Phoenix race with Jason Leffler driving a number 71 car and sponsorship from Ft. McDowell Resort Destination. Leffler, however, failed to qualify for the event.
Reed Sorenson (2010)
The team announced plans to field a Sprint Cup team for at least five races in 2010. Reed Sorenson drove the No. 32 Toyota Camry in those five races with Dollar General as the sponsor. The team also attempted a few races with no sponsor as a start and park. Leffler, Mike Bliss, and Jacques Villeneuve also attempted a few races. When Turner Motorsports announced their purchase of Braun Racing, they also announced that the Sprint Cup team had been shut down.
Car No. 32 results NASCAR Sprint Cup Series results Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts 2005 Shane Hmiel 08 Chevy DAY CAL LVS ATL43 BRI MAR TEX PHO TAL DARWth RCH CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH NHA DOV TAL KAN CLT MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM 68th 77 2006 Jason Leffler 71 Chevy DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI MAR TEX PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH NHA DOV KAN TAL CLT MAR ATL TEX PHODNQ HOM 70th 31 2010 Reed Sorenson 32 Toyota DAYDNQ CAL LVS ATL BRI MAR PHO TEX39 TAL RCH41 DAR43 DOV CLTDNQ POC MCH SON NHA DAY 47th 389 Mike Bliss CHI41 MCHDNQ BRIDNQ Jacques Villeneuve IND29 POC GLN Jason Leffler ATLDNQ RCH43 NHA DOV KAN CAL CLT MAR TAL TEX PHO HOM
Nationwide Series
Car No. 10 history
Dave Blaney (2007) For the 2007 season, the No. 10 team became part of Braun Racing through an alliance with ppc Racing, which had fielded the 10 car since 2000. ppc driver John Andretti ran the Daytona season opener with 2006 sponsor Camping World. Initially announced to drive the full season, Andretti left after Daytona When funding for the team became questionable as Braun took full control over the No. 10 entry, with Dave Blaney assuming driving duties. Blaney drove the car until Montreal. British driver John Graham then took over for the next road races, and Brian Vickers took over for four races. However, Vickers ran at Phoenix and Blaney ran at Homestead. Blaney returned for several more races before Brent Sherman was signed for the last four races.
Multiple Drivers (2008-2010) Brian Vickers drove a part-time schedule for Braun in 2008, with Blaney and Justin Marks driving in one race apiece. The team ran again full-time in 2009 with rotating drivers David Reutimann, Kelly Bires, Brian Scott, Marc Davis, Chad Blount, Justin Marks and Cup drivers Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, and Reed Sorenson under a partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports.
For 2010, Jason Leffler drove 8 races in the No. 10 when Kasey Kahne was driving the No. 38. Tayler Malsam, who had left Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Truck Series due to lack of sponsorship, began running the car at Nashville with sponsorship from Iron Horse Jeans. Malsam was released from the team following the Turner Motorsports takeover, after 11 starts over 14 races. Other drivers for the team included David Reutimann, Chad Blount, Mikey Kile, Casey Mears, Reed Sorenson and Josh Wise. Turner drivers Ricky Carmichael, James Buescher and Scott Wimmer made starts for the team at the end of the season. This team became the No. 30 for Turner.
Car No. 11 history
Brian Scott (2010) This team debuted in 2010 with rookie Brian Scott running the full season with AccuDuc Solutions, StopRepairBills.com, BigSpot.com, and Scott's family business Shore Lodge sponsoring the car. Scott was leading the Rookie of the Year standings when the team was purchased by Steve Turner, and was released due to his plans to leave the team at the end of the year. Truck Series driver James Buescher drove the No. 11 Great Clips car at Kansas. Buescher finished 35th, seven laps down. David Reutimann also drove a few races with Rexall sponsorship. The team became the No. 31 car for Turner Motorsports; the No. 11 moved to Joe Gibbs Racing's Nationwide Series car, coincidentally driven by Scott.
Car No. 32 history Chad Blount (2002-2003) Braun Racing was formed in 2002 when team owner Todd Braun hired rookie Chad Blount to drive in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. Blount finished second in points, and won Rookie of the Year honors. Braun moved his operation to the Busch Series in 2003, in a technical alliance with Chip Ganassi Racing. Braun fielded the No. 30 Dodge for Jimmy Vasser for two races, and the No. 19 for Chad Blount and Ganassi drivers Casey Mears, David Stremme, and Jamie McMurray. Mears ran the most races for Braun, winning a pole at Chicagoland Speedway and finishing in the top-ten four times in fourteen starts.
David Stremme (2004) In 2004, McMurray won the team's first race at North Carolina Speedway in the No. 30. The 19 team meanwhile became the No. 32, running full-time with sponsorship from TrimSpa X32 (leading to the number change) and Stremme as the driver. Stremme won a pole at The Milwaukee Mile and five top-fives before moving to FitzBradshaw Racing towards the end of the season. He was replaced by Shane Hmiel.
Shane Hmiel (2004-2005) Shane Hmiel was named the full-time driver in 2005, and the team switched from Dodge to Chevrolet in an alliance with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. The team also gained sponsorship from WinFuel Multivitamins, owned by TrimSpa's parent company. Hmiel won the pole position at Texas and three top-fives when he was suspended by NASCAR in violation of its drug policy. Jorge Goeters, Ron Hornaday Jr., Blount, and Jason Leffler finished out the year for the team.
Jason Leffler (2005-2006) After struggling to find primary sponsorship for 2006, Braun merged with Akins Motorsports (then a Dodge team) and hired Jason Leffler as the full-time driver, running as Braun-Akins Racing. After the release of Akins' driver A.J. Foyt IV, Leffler moved in the No. 38 and the No. 32 became a part-time team, running with driver Dave Blaney. Blaney had a few good runs and then pulled off a big victory in the fall event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Racing side by side with Matt Kenseth during the final laps, going into turn 4, Kenseth lost control of his car and spun out, Blaney raced on to the checker flag for the win.
Part Time (2006-2007) The team was to continue with Blaney full-time in 2007, running Toyotas with support from Hass Avocados and Fans1st.com, but following John Andretti's departure from the 10 car, Blaney began piloting that car full-time. Michael Waltrip, Bill Elliott, and Brian Vickers drove the No. 32 on a limited basis during the season.
Multiple Drivers (2008-2010)
In 2008 the No. 32 was driven by Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Brian Vickers and James Buescher with sponsorship from Dollar General and Hass Avocados. Michel Jourdain Jr. and Jacques Villeneuve raced on the road courses. The team finished 12th in owner points. Dollar General sponsored the No. 32 full-time in 2009, with Burney Lamar and Brian Vickers driving. Lamar was released midway through the season, and was replaced by Reed Sorenson at Gateway, Villeneuve at Montreal, Reutimann at ORP, Bristol, Dover, and Homestad, and West Series driver Brian Ickler at Iowa and Memphis. Vickers returned in 2010 along with Reed Sorenson, however, in May, Vickers suffered blood clots in his leg, ending his participation in the Nationwide Series and the Sprint Cup Series for 2010.
The team continued as the 32, and later the 42 team for Turner Scott Motorsports and HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi..
Car No. 32 results NASCAR Nationwide Series results Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Owners Pts 2003 Chad Blount 19 Dodge DAY11 CAR32 LVS29 DAR18 BRI31 TEX5 TAL41 NSH8 CAL33 RCH17 GTY29 NZH 25th 2546 Casey Mears CLT15 DOV28 NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI4 NHA PPR IRP MCH7 BRI41 DAR9 RCH31 DOV28 KAN12 CLT15 MEM ATL20 PHO21 CAR21 HOM8 2004 David Stremme 32 DAY6 CAR36 LVS3 DAR5 BRI18 TEX27 TAL40 CAL26 GTY8 NZH5 CLT8 DOV34 NSH35 KEN9 MLW2 DAY28 CHI34 NHA28 PPR7 IRP11 MCH11 BRI6 CAL36 RCH8 DOV16 KAN3 CLT34 MEM7 16th 3626 30 NSH32 RCH35 Shane Hmiel 32 ATL PHO DAR Chevy HOM 2005 DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL NSH BRI TEX PHO TAL43 DAR RCH CLT43 13th 3800 Ron Hornaday Jr. DOV37 NSH14 MLW15 IRP14 Chad Blount KEN22 Jason Leffler DAY9 CHI23 NHA29 GTY18 MCH14 BRI20 CAL7 RCH5 DOV3 KAN19 CLT6 MEM24 TEX8 PHO7 HOM27 Jorge Goeters PPR GLN 2006 Jason Leffler DAY6 CAL22 MXC17 LVS11 ATL6 BRI32 TEX17 NSH35 PHO22* TAL RCH DAR 42nd 1382 Dave Blaney CLT15 DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI13 NHA15 GLN40 MCH BRI CAL RCH7 DOV16 KAN CLT1 MEM TEX PHO HOM Chase Pistone MAR GTY IRP 2007 Dave Blaney Toyota DAY2 CAL MXC LVS PHO10 TAL RCH DAR 56th 353 Michael Waltrip ATL43 BRI NSH TEX Bill Elliott CLTDNQ DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA Brian Vickers DAY13 CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 2008 Denny Hamlin DAY8 NSH7 TAL37 NHA2 CHI2 GLN34 BRI36 DOV6TEX14 HOM7 12th 4140 Kyle Busch CAL2 BRI42 RCH3 DAR31 CLT1* DOV28 NSH20 RCH10 KAN35 PHO5 Brian Vickers LVS36 ATL22 TEX6 DAY37 MCH2 CAL3 CLT3 James Buescher PHO18 KEN14 MLW14 GTY7 IRP28 MEM19 Michel Jourdain Jr. MXC36 Jacques Villeneuve CGV16 2009 Brian Vickers DAY6 CAL8 LVS3 TAL20 DAR10 CLT4 DOV4 NHA12 DAY7 CHI3 GLN37 MCH2* ATL13 KAN28 CAL2 CLT4 TEX7 7th 4618 Burney Lamar BRI15 TEX35 NSH13 PHO13 RCH28 NSH15 KEN8 MLW22 Reed Sorenson GTY2 PHO3 David Reutimann IRP11 BRI11 RCH5 DOV9 HOM6 Brian Ickler IOW32 MEM26 Jacques Villeneuve CGV4 2010 Brian Vickers DAY5 CAL8 LVS5 TAL9 DAR9 6th 4558 Reed Sorenson BRI7 NSH2 PHO12 TEX3 RCH8 DOV4 CLT8 NSH7 KEN5 NHA8 DAY22 CHI8 GTY2 IRP5 IOW36 MCH8 BRI8 ATL34 RCH5 DOV KAN CAL CLT GTY TEX PHO HOM Jacques Villeneuve ROA25 GLN8 CGV3
Car No. 38 history
Jason Leffler (2006-2010)