Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/13059
CARSON RACING: RACING FOR THEIR DREAM By: Nate Jackson W hen the proposal of Carson Racing was first conceived back in early February of 2010, the idea of retired entrepreneur Terry "Cowboy" Carson and his two daughters forming a racecar team, probably sounded a little odd. Family ties aside, all three came from very diverse worlds---Carson had spent over 30 years as a car dealership general manager & owner and NASCAR driver promoter. His oldest daughter, Tonya Goodbrand, spent nearly her entire career in the finance and lending business. Her sister, Kristin Carson is a former professional dancer, singer and stunt actress and currently owns her own make-up artistry business. Somehow, the combined talents in this Orange-County based family of NASCAR enthusiasts eventually united to create a budding and ambitious racing team. They believe they have a team brand that is ready to to shake up the world of professional stock car racing, even if nobody knows it yet. "Putting this team together has been a thrill and a challenge," said Tonya, who guides the financial arm of the company. Her sister Kristin uses her entertainment and marketing savvy to aid Carson in his efforts to successfully carve out the business strategy that will launch this new racing brand. Though the team is primarily located in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Carson sisters developed the tools to start their business in Orange County. After earning her undergraduate psychology degree from Cal State University Fullerton in 1987, Goodbrand subsequently went on to work for a subsidiary of brokerage Dean Whitter (now Morgan Stanley) followed by Bank of America in the mortgage and lending industries, which she continues today. When her father retired from working in NASCAR without realizing his long-time dream of starting a racing team, this fiery mother of four decided to help make his dream team a reality. Likewise, her sister Kristin--- an OC mother of two and a graduate of Cal State Long Beach in 1996--- also wanted to help her family bring a team concept to life. Her diverse skills set and insight into the entertainment world would help boost the company's accessibility and appeal to a younger, diverse fan base. Ultimately that was part of the reason the team decided to relocate its brand to Las Vegas. "Las Vegas is a destination where our fans and sponsors can visit the team while having a great time," says Kristin. Though his daughters had grown up around racing all their lives as he worked diligently under North Carolina NASCAR mogul Rick Hendrick, Carson never dreamed that when he retired, his daughters---both mothers of young children--- would have the desire to pursue this kind of business. "When my daughters wanted to start the race team I was overwhelmed," said Carson. "The combination of Tonya's experience in marketing and banking and Kristin's entertainment industry experience is perfect for NASCAR." So far the team has recruited driver Kurt Crosbie, 25, of Charlotte, North Carolina as their lead driver who plans to compete in the K&N Pro Series West, a regional division of NASCAR. He may be a little young, but his team owners knew that Crosbie was the right man for the job. Earning some noteworthy buzz as an up-and-coming driver in the Legends and Late Model divisions of stock car racing, Crosbie continues his rise to notoriety. Even a dangerous, season-ending crash he suffered in 2008 couldn't stop him from continuing on to success in racing. Carson Racing is still working on getting sponsorship. They've managed to nail down Comfort Cool Fans as associate sponsor heading into this year's racing season but are still looking for a primary sponsor. With their diverse family of owners, qualified driver, and promising business location being developed in Las Vegas, this team is worth rooting for. We will be cheering how the grass roots desire of this OC family to chase their dreams at full-throttle, created a new team concept that shows plenty of power and promise on the track. Contact Carson Racing on Facebook and become a fan. 28 LIVEMAGS.NET JULY>>10