Travis Braden

Travis Donald Braden (born March 25, 1994) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He most recently competed full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 27 Ford for RFMS Racing. He currently serves as a mechanic for Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Alex Bowman.[1] He has also raced super late models, winning the Winchester 400 in 2016 and the Snowball Derby in 2019.

Travis Braden
Braden in 2019
BornTravis Donald Braden
(1994-03-25) March 25, 1994 (age 30)
Wheeling, West Virginia
Achievements2013, 2014 ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion
2019 Snowball Derby Winner
2016 Winchester 400 Winner
ARCA Menards Series career
50 races run over 5 years
Best finish4th (2019)
First race2015 Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 (IRP)
Last race2019 Kansas ARCA 150 (Kansas)
First win2015 Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 (IRP)
WinsTop tensPoles
1340
Statistics current as of August 8, 2022.

Racing career

Braden in victory lane at Berlin Raceway in 2014
Braden in the ARCA Midwest Tour race at Wisconsin International Raceway in 2017
Braden's 2018 ARCA car at Madison
Braden's No. 01 late model on the campus of West Virginia University

Braden began racing when he was eight years old, competing in mini-wedges, quarter-midgets and Legends car racing, winning a Young Lions national points championship.[2] He later won the Whelen All-American Series state championship in Ohio.[2]

He raced super late models in 2013 and 2014, winning the ARCA/CRA Super Series championship both of those years.[3]

Braden made his ARCA Menards Series debut in 2015, and won his first start in the series, passing William Byron near the end of the race at Lucas Oil Raceway.[4]

In 2016, Braden went super late model racing, winning the Winchester 400 in Winchester, Indiana.[5]

After running part-time for RFMS Racing in the 2017 ARCA Racing Series, the team and Braden agreed to a full-time slate in 2018.[6] Braden returned to RFMS for a second full season in 2019,[7] and early in the year, led the championship point standings,[8] which he would finish fourth in at the end of the season.[9]

In 2019, Braden entered the Snowball Derby for the first time. He qualified 30th, the last car in on time trials, after qualifying with a rebuilt car after being wrecked by another competitor in practice.[10] He was declared the winner of the race after original winner Stephen Nasse's car failed post-race technical inspection.[11]

In early 2020, Braden revealed that he would not contest another season in the ARCA Menards Series, instead using the year to move to Charlotte, North Carolina and focus on large super late model races and races in NASCAR's top three divisions.[9]

Personal life

Braden is a native of Wheeling, West Virginia,[9] and attended West Virginia University where he double-majored in aerospace and mechanical engineering.[12] Braden is a 2012 graduate of Wheeling Park High School.

Motorsports career results

ARCA Menards Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Menards Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920ARSCPtsRef
2015Platinum Motorsports01ChevyDAYMOBNSHSLMTALTOLNJEPOCMCHCHIWINIOWIRP
1
POCBLNISFDSFSLMKEN
2
KAN
6
36th655[13]
2016DAYNSHSLMTALTOLNJEPOCMCH
4
MADWINIOWIRPPOCBLNISFDSFSLMCHI
7
KENKAN61st405[14]
2017FordDAY
22
NSHSLMTALTOLELKPOCMCHMADIOWIRPPOC31st845[15]
RFMS Racing27WIN
4
ISFROADSFSLMCHI
11
KEN
9
KAN
17
2018DAY
22
NSH
15
SLM
14
TAL
9
TOL
8
CLT
11
POC
4
MCH
12
MAD
11
GTW
9
CHI
7
IOW
9
ELK
7
POC
9
ISF
4
BLN
3
DSF
15
SLM
5
IRP
12
KAN
20
5th4445[16]
2019DAY
8
FIF
10
SLM
12
TAL
7
NSH
8
TOL
13
CLT
9
POC
10
MCH
6
MAD
4
GTW
7
CHI
5
ELK
12
IOW
7
POC
9
ISF
11
DSF
7
SLM
9
IRP
7
KAN
5
4th4780[17]

References