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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Keeping Pace

Braun Racing And Dollar General To Enter Sprint Cup Competition In 2010 Season

Reed Sorenson will drive the No. 32 Dollar General Toyota in selected NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events. (Photo courtesy of NASCAR)
Reed Sorenson will drive the No. 32 Dollar General Toyota in selected NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events. (Photo courtesy of NASCAR)

Braun Racing was handpicked four years ago by Toyota to help lead their entrance into the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The team is proud to have claimed Toyota's first Nationwide Series pole on February 24, 2007 at California Speedway and their first win at O'Reilly Raceway Park on July 28, 2007.

Courtesy: NASCAR Media Relations

MOORESVILLE, N.C.– Braun Racing is proud to announce its long-awaited entrance into motorsports’ number one series, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Dollar General, which sponsors the team’s No. 32 entry in the Nationwide Series, will serve as primary sponsor for five races throughout the 2010 season, including Daytona International Speedway (February), Atlanta Motor Speedway (March), Chicagoland Speedway (July), Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July) and Charlotte Motor Speedway (October). Reed Sorenson, who drives the No. 32 Dollar General Camry on a limited basis in the Nationwide Series, has been named as the driver.
 
Braun Racing was founded in 2002 by Winamac, Ind., native Todd Braun. A former driver, Braun first fielded a team in the ARCA Racing Series. In 2003, he expanded into the NASCAR Nationwide Series and has since grown his organization into a four-car operation.  The largest independent team in the series, Braun Racing was handpicked four years ago by Toyota to help lead their entrance into the series. The team is proud to have claimed Toyota's first Nationwide Series pole on February 24, 2007 at California Speedway and their first win at O'Reilly Raceway Park on July 28, 2007. In 2009, Jason Leffler captured the fourth spot in the championship driver point standings and led the No. 38 team to an eighth-place finish in the championship owner’s point standings. Brian Vickers shared time with Reed Sorenson, David Reutimann, Jacques Villeneuve and Brian Ickler in the No. 32 entry and finished seventh in the championship owner point standings.
 
“Fielding a car in the Daytona 500 has been one of my lifelong dreams,” said Braun. “It is incredibly exciting to have the opportunity to realize that dream. I am so proud of every member of this organization. We’re stepping into the top tier of motorsports and it is a direct result of their hard work and the support of our outstanding marketing partners. It is very special to take this step with our good friends at Dollar General.”
 
Dollar General, which has participated in NASCAR team sponsorships since 2006, joined Braun Racing as a marketing partner in 2008, running a limited number of Nationwide Series races as a primary sponsor. In 2009, Dollar General returned as the full-time sponsor of the No. 32 entry and will continue to sponsor the Toyota Camry this season.
 
Dollar General Chairman and CEO, Rick Dreiling, agrees with Braun’s sentiments and looks forward to the Dollar General Racing team’s endeavors in NASCAR’s premier series.
 
“This is an exciting and well-deserved opportunity for Braun, and we are proud to support the team as they enter a new level of racing,” said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General’s chairman and CEO.  “Their hard work and drive has prepared them for this new challenge and Dollar General looks forward to being a part of their success in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.”


Keeping Pace

Motorsports correspondent Doug Pace keeps up with motorsports news and notes from around the region.