New Hampshire Race Not So Magical For Gaughan

LOUDON, NH (16-Sept-06) - Brendan Gaughan’s 34th place finish at New Hampshire International Speedway was a heartbreaking end to a fun-filled, nostalgic week for the Georgetown University graduate.

Gaughan took advantage of the Craftsman Truck Series’ most recent hiatus to return to his alma mater and relive his glory days as a Hoya. As he happily prowled his old stomping grounds, Gaughan rekindled relationships with people like Coach John Thompson who have meant so much to him over the years and reveled in his trip down memory lane.

A football game on September 9th offered Gaughan the perfect backdrop to unveil his New Hampshire truck -- complete with a special GU Hoyas paint scheme – and announce that his winnings in the New Hampshire 200 would be earmarked for donation to Georgetown’s Woodstock Theological Center and University Alumni House. After cheering the Hoyas on to victory, Gaughan was fired up and determined to get a “W” of his own at The Magic Mile.

A strong qualifying effort by Gaughan put the No. 77 Dodge eighth on the starting grid for the 200-lap race. All went according to plan for the first 69 laps with Gaughan holding his own in the top 10 and the pit crew getting the job done during the second caution.

It was on Lap 70 when Gaughan’s hopes for a victory – or even a decent finish – vanished into thin air.

Gaughan was running along in his customary high groove when another driver misjudged his position and put the Orleans Racing Dodge hard into the outside wall. When the smoke cleared, four trucks in all were involved and Gaughan’s day was done for good.

“It sucks because we had another top five truck,” said Gaughan. “It could have been something special and we would have been able to donate some good money to Georgetown but now we’re going to give them a small check.

“I don’t know if it was impatience or just getting run up the track by a lapped truck or what, but it was just racing. I’m not going to say it was anybody’s fault. It was just racing. When I got into the marbles, I lifted and whoever was behind me was full throttle and came in and hit me. It wasn’t his fault. Then I came across the track and got hit by someone else. It was nobody’s fault.

“Unfortunately there is just too much damage to try to get back out there,” concluded the Hoya alum. “The boys had one great pit stop and the boys at the shop built me a great truck but we just didn’t get to finish. So we’ll go back to Las Vegas to our home track with Lonestar and see if we can’t go kick some butt.”