XFINITY Series racer Brandon Gdovic has been throughout the United States and Europe to race, but he is excited that his travels have brought him to Pocono Raceway to participate in the inaugural Pocono Green 250.
Although Gdovic has traveled the world, he has had to rely on technology to get prepared for this first-ever race at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’
“I’ve done a bunch of I-racing to prepare, Gdovic said. “That’s really the only thing I can do before I figure it out on the track. I’ve also been doing a lot of YouTube stuff, watching videos from past races, including Cup and ARCA.”
“When I’m doing that online, I’m trying to get used to the track characteristics, the braking zones. Even with the track not being updated on I-racing with the new paving, it still seemed pretty accurate with the ways the track felt in the game compared to how I felt it on the track.”
“The reality is that I couldn’t look up any XFINITY races obviously because the Series has never been here before. But I think I’m as prepared as much as I could be coming into the race weekend.”
Gdovic is also grateful that his travels to Long Pond have allowed him to participate in making history with the XFINITY Series’ first foray into Pocono Raceway.
“I think it’s pretty cool,” Gdovic said. “Pocono is always somewhere that I have wanted to go. It’s kind of weird but it’s one of those places where I always wanted to race. It seemed like it would be somewhere that I liked and I really love it.”
“I think it’s great to bring the XFINITY Series here.”
While Gdovic is focusing this weekend on Pocono, the driver has also been traveling the world driving some other racy cars.
“I’ve mainly just done NASCAR up until last year when I got into the Lamborghinis,” Gdovic said. “Once I got a chance to do some road racing in the K&N Series, I loved it and wanted to do some more of it.”
“The Lamborghinis kind of fit with the team being close to me and it’s been a good option and choice for it. It’s also a good fit schedule-wise and I’ve had pretty good success last year. So, we’re doing a full season this year.”
“With all the road racing, I’ve gotten some cool opportunities. I have gone to Spain and Italy and got to race in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. That has been really cool.”
Gdovic also fulfilled a dream, traveling to Daytona to compete in the prestigious Rolex 24.
And I also got to do the Rolex 24 this year. That was cool getting to do the Rolex 24 this year,” Gdovic said. “I got to do it in one of the open cockpits and I thought I would never do that in my entire life.”
“But when they asked if I wanted to drive it, I said, ‘Yep I’m there.’”
Whether Daytona or across the pond, Gdovic’s heart is competing in the world of NASCAR. His struggle is one that is common with most young racers, finding the sponsorship relationships to sustain him.
“Right now, being a family funded team, small sponsorships help,” Gdovic said. “But we want to look for larger sponsorships to allow us to run the full season in XFINITY. We’re limited to a partial season right now.”
“Our goal is to take advantage of every race we’re in and to have the best performances we can. We know we’re one of the Tier 2 teams, not Cup affiliated. But in the two races we have done with me driving, I felt like we’ve done pretty well.”
“This will be my third race and I’m hoping to have a good run, as well as impress folks with what we have. That’s my goal and all we can do right now.”
“My team, Precision Performance Motorsports is owned by my dad,” Gdovic said. “My dad is a racer as well. He started it as a hobby and that’s how I got into it. He still races a little bit now and again but the focus has now been on me.”
So, where will Gdovic’s travels take him next after competing in the Pocono Green 250?
“I love to travel and I love the travel part as much as love the racing part,” Gdovic said. “All the places I’ve gotten to go, including other countries, has been great.”
“I’ve been to 35 of the 50 states so far. That’s one of my goals is to hit all of the 50 states. And I want to go to all sorts of other countries just for personal gain and to learn other cultures.”
“There’s not enough time to go to all the places I want to go. I’m a traveler and a real explorer.”
