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| Brandon Jones |
While driving for Eddie Sharp Racing in 2012, the Mooresville (NC) High School sophomore competed in the Pro All Stars Series and United Auto Racing Association Series Super Late Models. He finished fifth in the UARA final standings, with a win at Concord Speedway, five Top-5 and 11 Top-10 finishes in 22 starts. He ran as high as fifth in his first K&N Pro Series East start at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, before a last-lap wreck dropped him back in the standings. That performance followed 2011 track championships in the pro truck division at Lanier (Ga.) Speedway and Gresham (Ga.) Motorsports Park.
In 2013, Jones will race the full UARA season, seven NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races, two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events and selected NASCAR Late Model Stock races under the Turner Motorsports banner.
"I am extremely excited to be joining Turner Motorsports and look forward to driving in UARA and select K&N and Camping World Truck races in 2013 for the Turner organization," said Jones. "I'm confident that with the outstanding team at TMS and with the help of Mike Greci and Cale Gale, we will be very competitive. This opportunity for me would not be possible without the development and coaching I received in 2012 from all the guys at Eddie Sharp Racing and Lee McCall."
At Turner Motorsports, Jones will work under the tutelage of Mike Greci, a stock car racing veteran, famed NASCAR crew chief and NASCAR driver development expert. Following back-to-back K&N Pro Series titles in 1997 and 1998 as owner/crew chief for Mike Stefanik, Greci went on to again score consecutive K&N East titles with Martin Truex, Jr. in 2009 and 2010. Greci has served as crew chief in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series for Paul Menard and Martin Truex, Jr. Most recently, Greci has mentored and been crew chief for Brett Moffit, Ryan Truex, Travis Pastrana and Sergio Pena in NKNPSE and NNS. Greci will now serve as Turner Motorsports' Competition Director for the NKNPSE teams.
"I echo Mr. Turner's sentiments of working with the younger talent in the sport; I truly enjoy seeing the younger generation work so hard at their dreams, and to be a part of that is special to me. We have a great core of people working for Turner Motorsports and I feel like we will see the success that has become synonymous with Turner Motorsports," mentioned Greci.
In addition to Greci, 2012 Truck Series winner Cale Gale will continue his longtime mentoring relationship with Jones. Gale recently rejoined Turner Motorsports as a crew chief and will continue to groom Jones for his climb up the racing ranks.
"Coming to Turner Motorsports was a great opportunity for me and I look forward to working more closely with Brandon Jones in the NKNPSE series. I've worked with him the last couple of years on honing his skills and I've seen him come a long way in short time period. I think he has the talent necessary to be successful in his racing career," said Gale.
In 2013, Turner Motorsports plans to field three Nationwide teams, four Camping World Truck Series teams, four K&N Pro Series East teams, as well as entries in the UARA Series and the NASCAR Late Model Stock program.
