Since 2015, Brennan Poole has competed in 211 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races.
His career in the series started near the top of the organizational mountain, driving for Chip-Ganassi Racing. After that opportunity fell apart due to factors out of his control, Poole has been grinding his way back up to the top, driving for teams such as Mike Harmon Racing and G2G Racing just to keep himself at the racetrack and in a race car.
He now drives for Alpha Prime Racing, a small team owned by Tommy Joe Martins that has been ever-growing since it birthed in 2022 off of what formerly was Martins Motorsports.
Poole has become the flagship driver for the program in its No. 44, nicknamed “Mr Top 20” by some due to his ability to wheel a non-big team car to a place where it probably shouldn’t be.
A tale as old as time though, is the story of potential underdog victories at drafting racetracks, where the field can even out and the smaller programs have a chance. The 35-year-old Texas-native has somehow managed to get that moment swiped away from him on three separate occasions.
2016 Spring Talladega:
The most famous, and probably most gutting heartbreak for Poole came early in his career in the spring edition of Talladega in 2016.
Poole’s No. 48 Chevrolet took the lead in the tri-oval on the final lap as chaos ensued, and crossed the finish line first. He even proceeded to celebrate on the frontstretch before NASCAR finally made the decision to award the win to Elliott Sadler as the caution had come out prior to the finish, and the field was frozen.
2024 Spring Talladega:
Next up was in 2024 in yet another edition of spring Talladega. This was essentially déjà vu for Poole, as he was running a throwback to the exact scheme he was running in 2016. How fitting?
Poole’s No. 44 rocketed to the front on the final lap and took the lead from the powerful No. 2 RCR Chevrolet of Jesse Love, but as the pack stormed back up to him, they rallied on by and Anthony Alfredo’s No. 5 did not lend Poole the push he likely needed.
Alpha Prime Racing settled for fifth that day.
2026 Summer Atlanta:
And lastly, on a summer Saturday night in Atlanta, it was once again the now-veteran leading the field at the white flag. Adam Alexander even name dropped team owner TJM coming to that final lap in preparation for an iconic call.
It was all cut short when a push went wrong between Carson Kvapil and Nick Sanchez, turning the Peterson Racing Group No. 87 straight into Poole, and ending his race. He would finish 17th.
When’s The Next Opportunity?
Two drafting tracks remain on the schedule for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and I’d surely pick Poole to be a strong candidate in both of them.
Just this past season opening weekend, Poole was in contention to win on the final lap before a push gone wrong sent him almost flying into the outside wall, and unfortunately not by the No. 21 of Austin Hill.
So with Daytona and Talladega still to go this year, and the series veteran not planning on hanging it up anytime soon, we’d have to say there are plenty more chances for Poole to get himself into victory lane for the first time in his career.