Just over a year ago, Brandon Wilkinson was competing full-time in super late model races across the Southeast. Now, although his role isn’t yet officially recorded, he served as a Cup Series spotter for the first time, partnering with driver Ryan Preece and crew chief Derrick Finley during Wednesday night’s Cook Out Crash event.
While the Cook Out Crash is a preseason exhibition and doesn’t count toward official standings, it still features Cup Series teams and drivers, making Wilkinson’s involvement significant. “This is a Cup win,” Wilkinson told Motorsport.com Wednesday night. “Winning at a short track like this is special because Ryan and I both grew up racing on tracks like these.”
Preece connected with Wilkinson through Mike Herman Jr., a longtime spotter and mutual friend who currently works with Chris Buescher at RFK Racing. Wilkinson had previously worked with Ty Madejski, another spotter who has collaborated with Herman, and most recently with Gio Ruggiero, a competitor in the Truck Series. Preece immediately recognized Wilkinson’s balanced, calm demeanor on the radio and brought him onto the No. 60 team when RFK Racing expanded last year.
Their strong communication was crucial during the race, especially amid various challenges like selection rules, wet track conditions, and competitors pressing hard from behind. “We made a proactive, calculated choice regarding the selection and, although I was a bit nervous about taking the lead late, once the track dried, we got moving and just kept pushing,” Wilkinson said. “We faced some setbacks early on, including a crash on the first restart, but we kept battling back.”
Despite earning his first Cup Series win, Wilkinson stayed composed, sharing, “It’s a dream come true, but my next goal is to qualify for the Daytona 500 and build on this momentum. Winning together on a short track like this means a lot to us.”
Fan Take: Brandon Wilkinson’s transition from late model racer to Cup Series spotter highlights how fresh talent behind the scenes can quickly impact the sport at its highest levels. This story is a reminder of the many paths into NASCAR’s elite and signals exciting potential for new contributors shaping the future of racing.
