ISSUe 97

Rookie Preview: #72 Brad Eddy

One of the pre-season favorites for the Exide Batteries Rookie of the Year Award just happens to be the youngest of his fellow competitors vying for the title.

Brad Eddy has amassed accomplishments on his resume that some drivers triple his age will never get the opportunity to turn in. In the past three seasons, Eddy has won two track championships, including one of those that falls under the NASCAR Whelen All American Series (NWAAS) sanctioning banner south of the border. The Lower Sackville native also has his name scattered throughout the record book for the Hydraulics Plus Bandolero division at his home track of Scotia Speedworld. Last season saw Eddy’s maiden voyage on the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour during the season closing Dartmouth Dodge 200 and will attack the full season with the series this summer.

Eddy began his career racing go-karts at the age of eight with the Atlantic Motorsports Karters Association (AMKA). He went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award and a Provincial Championship with the series before moving to the Bandolero class in 2006 at Scotia Speedworld. Eddy would rack up numerous feature wins and would establish himself as one of the most accomplished racers out of that division and one of only six drivers to have won a championship in the class as of the completion of the 2011 season, joining names like Casey, Blenkhorn, Butcher and Baker to win an overall title in the Bandoleros. Out of those names, Eddy was the first to strap in and race on the Pro Stock Tour with that start in the finale last season but won’t be the last with one of those names set to make his debut before the curtain falls on 2012.

The 2010 and 2011 season saw Eddy race down south in full bodied Late Model and Limited Late Model stocks in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series in North Carolina. While 2010 was a part-time season split between the south of the border races and the Maritime League of Legends Tour, 2011 was slated to be a full-time season at Tri-County Motor Speedway. As we all know though, the economy has hit some rough patches and was no more evident at Tri-County as after a handful of races the track was forced to close due to “economic issues.” When the checkered flag fell on that shortened season, it was Eddy who led the points in the Late Model division and was awarded with the NWAAS track championship. With the championship, Eddy was invited to the NWAAS banquet at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in downtown Charlotte, NC and accepted his track championship on the stage, which was shared with former NWAAS National Champs Phillip Morris and “Kid Roc” Keith Rocco.

At the end of the season, he made his first start on the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour, racing in the Dartmouth Dodge 200 at Scotia Speedworld, the track in which Eddy has enjoyed much success in his early career. What struck me about Brad since the first time I met him when I began covering the Bandoleros at Scotia in 2007 and hasn’t changed since is that he and his whole team are very humble, down to earth people. Brad knows what he and the car are capable of and sets modest goals when climbing behind the wheel of the car. He goes into most events not trying to “set the world on fire” but has done so more often than not by ending up near the top of the sheet at the end of the day. Those personality traits, combined with his talent behind the wheel have garnered Eddy fans from here all the way to North Carolina that will be tracking his progress in this coming season.

Eddy knows that there is a steep learning curve with these nimble Pro Stock vehicles. “This summer I know that I really have a lot to learn racing these types of cars,” said Eddy in a recent team release. “They are wider, faster, and brake a lot better than the NWAAS Late Models that I raced in a dozen or so events down south. My goal is to learn a ton this summer and gain the respect of both the drivers and the fans that have been so loyal to this series over the years. I grew up watching my Dad race on this Tour and it has always been my dream to get out there and compete.”

The car which Eddy will drive in 2012 is a car owned by Brad Eddy Racing but will be maintained throughout the season by Mike Mackenzie, a Dartmouth stock car veteran and multi-time feature winner on the Tour. “I am really looking forward to working with Mike Mackenzie,” said Eddy of the partnership. “He was one of the guys that I always cheered for when I watched from the stands and I now that I have gotten to know him a little more off the track he is a great guy and coach.” Mackenzie is also expected to race on the Tour this season.

The team, like many others heading into 2012, are looking for partners to come on board to help fund their full-time effort on the Tour. “We currently are working very hard are trying to secure more sponsorship so we can stay competitive for all 12 races on the Tour this year,” explains Eddy. “My family has worked very hard at supporting my dream since I started racing go karts at age 8. They have sacrificed so much and for that I am very grateful. We pray that this summer we will attract support from local companies who also want to play a part in my racing efforts and I promise to work hard to ensure they will receive a high return on their investment.”

Eddy and his fellow competitors will get their first shot at the checkered flag on Sunday, May 20th when the green flag flies on the 2012 season and the CARQUEST 100 at Scotia Speedworld. For ticket information and news on the season opener, be sure to keep your browser locked on maritimeprostocktour.com in the coming days!

Until next time, keep the hammer down and we’ll see you at the track!