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Nearly 13 years after his last NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start, Brendan Gaughan is climbing back behind the wheel.
The longtime NASCAR veteran and former Truck Series winner will return to competition later this month when he pilots the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado for Bill McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in the inaugural Craftsman Truck Series race at San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado street course.
The June 19 event will mark Gaughan’s first NASCAR national series start since 2020 and his first Truck Series appearance since 2013.
Drivers occasionally return after stepping away from NASCAR, but it is rare to see a competitor make a Truck Series start after an absence approaching 13 years. That alone makes Gaughan’s comeback one of the more intriguing storylines heading into NASCAR’s first-ever race at the Southern California venue.
The return reunites Gaughan with one of the most important figures in his racing career.
Before becoming a fixture in NASCAR’s national divisions, Gaughan drove for Bill McAnally in what was then the NASCAR Winston West Series. Together, they won back-to-back championships in 2000 and 2001, helping establish Gaughan as one of the premier stock car drivers on the West Coast.
McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced June 9 that Gaughan will drive the South Point-sponsored No. 20 Chevrolet in San Diego, bringing a familiar partnership back together more than two decades after their championship success.
The opportunity also carries special meaning for Gaughan because of the race’s location.
According to the team, Gaughan’s grandfather, Jackie Gaughan, served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. His father, Michael Gaughan, attended the United States Military Academy at West Point before building the South Point Hotel and Casino empire in Las Vegas.
With the Truck Series set to race on an active military installation, Gaughan immediately wanted to be involved.
“This is so cool to come back and race in a truck again for Bill,” Gaughan said in a team release. “We’ve got a ton of history together, tons of great memories, and this is going to be something we’ll talk about for a long time. Ever since I heard the race at Coronado was going to happen, I knew I wanted to run something, I knew I wanted to do something, and I’m just glad Bill and I were able to make this happen.
“This is a great chance for the NASCAR community to celebrate and recognize our military with a unique event, and I wanted to be a part of it.”
While younger fans may know Gaughan from his later Cup Series and Xfinity Series appearances, many of his biggest accomplishments came in the Truck Series.
Across 217 career Truck Series starts, Gaughan earned eight victories, including a four-win season in 2003 that remains the most successful campaign of his NASCAR national series career.
He also made 67 Cup Series starts and won in what is now the Xfinity Series at Kentucky Speedway in 2014.
Outside NASCAR’s national divisions, Gaughan captured consecutive West Series championships in 2000 and 2001. He was also part of the winning team at the 2001 Rolex 24 at Daytona, adding one of sports car racing’s most prestigious events to his résumé.
For Gaughan, the upcoming San Diego race is less about launching a comeback and more about revisiting a chapter of his career that helped define it.
Nearly 13 years after his last Truck Series start, he’ll have one more opportunity to compete on NASCAR’s national stage, this time at one of the most unique venues the sport has ever attempted.
Continue reading...
The longtime NASCAR veteran and former Truck Series winner will return to competition later this month when he pilots the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado for Bill McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in the inaugural Craftsman Truck Series race at San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado street course.
The June 19 event will mark Gaughan’s first NASCAR national series start since 2020 and his first Truck Series appearance since 2013.
Drivers occasionally return after stepping away from NASCAR, but it is rare to see a competitor make a Truck Series start after an absence approaching 13 years. That alone makes Gaughan’s comeback one of the more intriguing storylines heading into NASCAR’s first-ever race at the Southern California venue.
Brendan Gaughan Reunites With Bill McAnally
The return reunites Gaughan with one of the most important figures in his racing career.
Before becoming a fixture in NASCAR’s national divisions, Gaughan drove for Bill McAnally in what was then the NASCAR Winston West Series. Together, they won back-to-back championships in 2000 and 2001, helping establish Gaughan as one of the premier stock car drivers on the West Coast.
McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced June 9 that Gaughan will drive the South Point-sponsored No. 20 Chevrolet in San Diego, bringing a familiar partnership back together more than two decades after their championship success.
The opportunity also carries special meaning for Gaughan because of the race’s location.
According to the team, Gaughan’s grandfather, Jackie Gaughan, served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. His father, Michael Gaughan, attended the United States Military Academy at West Point before building the South Point Hotel and Casino empire in Las Vegas.
With the Truck Series set to race on an active military installation, Gaughan immediately wanted to be involved.
“This is so cool to come back and race in a truck again for Bill,” Gaughan said in a team release. “We’ve got a ton of history together, tons of great memories, and this is going to be something we’ll talk about for a long time. Ever since I heard the race at Coronado was going to happen, I knew I wanted to run something, I knew I wanted to do something, and I’m just glad Bill and I were able to make this happen.
“This is a great chance for the NASCAR community to celebrate and recognize our military with a unique event, and I wanted to be a part of it.”
Gaughan Built a Successful NASCAR Career
While younger fans may know Gaughan from his later Cup Series and Xfinity Series appearances, many of his biggest accomplishments came in the Truck Series.
Across 217 career Truck Series starts, Gaughan earned eight victories, including a four-win season in 2003 that remains the most successful campaign of his NASCAR national series career.
He also made 67 Cup Series starts and won in what is now the Xfinity Series at Kentucky Speedway in 2014.
Outside NASCAR’s national divisions, Gaughan captured consecutive West Series championships in 2000 and 2001. He was also part of the winning team at the 2001 Rolex 24 at Daytona, adding one of sports car racing’s most prestigious events to his résumé.
For Gaughan, the upcoming San Diego race is less about launching a comeback and more about revisiting a chapter of his career that helped define it.
Nearly 13 years after his last Truck Series start, he’ll have one more opportunity to compete on NASCAR’s national stage, this time at one of the most unique venues the sport has ever attempted.
Continue reading...
