DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – There is a certain purpose in Brandon McSwain’s step as he makes his way around the Daytona International Speedway garage this week. His is an easy smile and an unmistakable sense of gratitude.
The 37-year old Auburndale (Fla.) High School graduate arrives in Daytona Beach a two-time defending Daytona 500 champion engineer and this weekend is embarking on the greatest opportunity of his young career going for a third consecutive 500 crown – but now as the crew chief and leader of the famed No. 1 Trackhouse Racing team in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Perhaps the gleam in McSwain’s eyes comes from recalling his first days at the famous Daytona high banks. It’s all a far cry from the summer afternoons in Central Florida when competition meant racing riding lawnmowers and wheeled ice-coolers with his cousins and friends.
“For many years, I used to come here as a kid, as a fan, and I have pictures of me sitting on the track during pre-race,’’ McSwain said. “I was a Dale Junior fan growing up, as I feel most people were (smiling). So, this place was always special. It’s a local track to me.”
And now a couple decades removed from his seat high in the track’s famous grandstands, McSwain is trackside on top of the pit box, leading a major team in NASCAR’s big leagues. He’ll be calling the shots for another Floridian, Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain, who will start 37th in Sunday’s 68th Running of the Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports).
“I don’t even know how you can put it in words,’’ said McSwain, who attended Polk State College before going to the University of North Carolina-Charlotte for his engineering degree.
He fully recognizes the importance of this week in his career … his life.
“This being the first race as a [full-time] crew chief is just so meaningful, obviously,’’ McSwain said. “And you just hope for success, but for me, ultimately, it’s just to have a successful day. Not put too much burden on yourself. But obviously everyone knows when you walk into this place, the history behind it is unreal. You feel that.”
His pairing with Chastain has felt a bit serendipitous. The two have known each other for more than a decade – both coming up in the sport racing around the Florida short tracks when they were teenagers. Through recent years – even though they worked for different teams – McSwain and Chastain remained friends and live within walking distance of one another now in North Carolina.
Chastain went to McSwain’s wedding to fellow Auburndale native Jaclyn (or Jaci as she prefers to go by), knows their children Daxton, nine and Lynnon, six, and grins talking about the Central Florida connections. In fact, it was Chastain that went to McSwain’s house and spoke with Jaci about Brandon taking the job.
“I know his family,’’ Chastain said. “His wife’s uncle is actually a watermelon seed salesman. So it’s pretty crazy that we’ve been connected more than in more than one way. Now we’re finally getting to work together again after meeting in a race shop a long time ago.”
“I tossed his name in the hat at Trackhouse,’’ Chastain continued. “He was my guy They were interviewing several great candidates. All would have been great crew chiefs. Some are currently, and some will be one day. My vote was Brandon.
“I had the relationship with him and feel like I understand his voice. I’m a people person, and I feel like I understand what he’s saying long before I have to kind of think about it.”
That same confidence in McSwain runs throughout the NASCAR garage and is a huge testament to not only McSwain’s technical talent but to who he is a person having shown persistence to climb the ranks in a sport – often having to go out of his comfort zone.
“Brandon is a great guy,’’ said William Byron, who drives the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, McSwain most recently engineered. “We worked together for 10 years across Saturdays and Sundays in my career and we’ve been through a lot on the track and off the track.
“He’s a really smart and all-around good guy. I’m excited for him to have this opportunity and he’s still in the Chevy family, which is great too.’’
All things seem to have come together perfectly for this opportunity and McSwain couldn’t be more driven or more motivated – exactly the kind of qualities he’s consistently shown and have helped him earn this chance.
And winning Sunday’s Daytona 500?
“I don’t know if I could imagine,’’ McSwain said of the emotions that would come with another Daytona 500 victory. “Obviously it would be very emotional. My mom and niece are coming. My wife and kids are coming down.
“I don’t know you could put into words how amazing it would be. …It’s a monumental thing. So, if I could bat a thousand as a crew chief here it would help solidify a young crew chief’s career. I obviously am in this for the long-haul, but to win would sure get my career started on the right foot.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Brandon McSwain makes crew chief debut at Daytona 500