NEWPORT NEWS, VA :: Brandon Gdovic might seem like your average college student, but he’s not average. When he’s not attending classes at Christopher Newport University, he’s racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, chasing his first career victory and battling for the championships with some of NASCAR’s hottest rising stars.
Gdovic will be chasing his first victory when the green flag waves on the Drive4COPD 125 at the Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday. His best career finish in the series is a third place finish he scored last year at Greenville Pickens Speedway. His season-long effort will be sponsored by Aquis Communications, Comserve Wireless, WindStax.
“Hopefully our first career win comes Saturday,” Gdovic said. “I think we’ve got some good cars this year. Ron Otto is on board this year. I feel like we should be competitive for the win each race we go to. I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t this year.
“I think we’ve got a good car and have a shot at the win at Bristol. I want to start the season with a top five and get everyone in good spirits and start the season right. Bristol’s my favorite track. Coming out of there with a win would be an awesome way to start out the season.”
Gdovic says it’s hard to balance racing and school.
“I go to Christopher Newport University and work at the shop during the week,” Gdovic commented. “It’s hard to balance racing and school. Last night, we didn’t get back from the shop until 3am. It’s hard to do both but I keep up with it. In between classes, I’m at the shop.”
Gdovic inherited the racing gene from his father, Rick. He has competed in the Limited Late Model ranks at South Boston Speedway, where he has recorded one victory, and in Late Model Stock Cars at Langley Speedway before moving up to the bigger K&N cars.
“My dad raced 10 or 11 years ago,” Gdovic mentioned. “I was 10 or 11 at that point. I followed him around going to the races. Once I turned 16 I finally jot the chance to run at South Boston in the LLM cars. I always wanted the chance to do this.”
Gdovic says he wants to win at Richmond International Raceway the most this season.
“I want to win Richmond the most,” Gdovic stated. “It’s a Cup level track and a home race. People want to win at home.”
Gdovic’s main goal is to win races and win the championship. Down the road, he’d like to be competing in the upper ranks of NASCAR competition.
“This year’s goal is to win the championship,” Gdovic explained. “We’re still looking at Trucks and Nationwide stuff, looking at the best opportunities and seeing what kind of deals we can work out. Mid-season, or near the end of the season, maybe we’ll do something in the Truck or Nationwide car and build our team up. Hopefully we can field our own trucks, do our own thing and maybe even rent them out. Five years from now, I would hope to be in the Nationwide Series. That’s a goal to shoot for.”
Gdovic will start 33rd in Saturday’s Drive4COPD 125 at Bristol.
