In the world of NASCAR, a single race can change a driver’s career trajectory often in unpredictable ways. That was certainly the case for Brandon Brown, a driver in the Xfinity Series whose unexpected win at Talladega Super Speedway in 2021 catapulted him into the spotlight. However, what should have been a career-defining moment instead turned into a series of controversies that ultimately led to the downfall of Brown’s team, Brandonbilt Motorsports.

The fallout from that victory raises a haunting ‘what if’ scenario. What if Brown’s success hadn’t been overshadowed by a political chant? What if his team secured the sponsorship it desperately needed? Till today, Brown is suffering from the backlash with his NASCAR career still hanging in the balance. In a recent X post, he wrote, “So I guess after today the phrase dies and y’all can sponsor me again, thanks!!!” Let’s look at what happened.

The Talladega win that sparked it all

October 2, 2021, seemed like a perfect day for Brandon Brown. Brown dodged the lap 88 wreck and looked like a real contender for the win. With just 14 laps remaining in the Sparks 300 at Talladega, Brown found himself in the thick of the action, battling for the lead with Brandon Jones. What followed was a shortened race, which saw Brown holding a narrow lead at the time of caution—enough for his first-ever NASCAR victory.

Brown’s excitement was palpable as he was interviewed by NBC’s Kelli Stavast. “Oh my God, Dad, we did it! We did it!” he exclaimed, his voice filled with joy. However, the moment was quickly clouded when a chant erupted from the crowd. “Let’s go, Brandon!” the fans cheered. The problem was, that the chant was unmistakably a euphemism for a much less friendly phrase aimed at then-President Joe Biden. Stavast, perhaps trying to cover for the awkward moment, misinterpreted the chant as support for Brown, saying, “You can hear the chants from the crowd, ‘Let’s go, Brandon.’”

What followed was a lightning-fast transformation of the phrase into a viral political slogan. Within hours, right-wing commentators adopted the chant and spread it across the internet, quickly becoming a symbol of resistance to the Biden administration. While many saw it as a lighthearted political jab, it was a nightmare for NASCAR, which traditionally seeks to remain neutral and avoid politics in its coverage.

The fallout from that day spiraled quickly, and NASCAR found itself in a difficult position. The sport’s image had always been tied to a broad fanbase, with sponsorship dollars often coming from brands that didn’t want to risk alienating any segment of that audience. NASCAR moved swiftly to distance itself from the “Let’s go Brandon” chant, officially condemning its association with the phrase. The controversy surrounding the chant led to a string of strange events. Conservative organizations began associating themselves with the phrase, and even NASCAR drivers like Matt DiBenedetto briefly dabbled with the political messaging, hoping to capitalize on the viral moment. NASCAR quickly pulled back on any official engagement with the phrase, but the damage was done.

However, the real tragedy for Brown came when his team, Brandonbilt Motorsports, struggled to capitalize on his newfound fame. In late 2021, the team announced that they had secured a full-season sponsor in the form of the ‘Let’s Go Brandon Coin cryptocurrency’. Despite the LGB coin’s political undertones, the sponsorship seemed like a lifeline for a struggling team. But when NASCAR refused to approve the sponsorship deal, claiming it violated the sport’s neutrality policy, it became clear that Brown’s path to success was about to get much harder.

The ripple effects: lies, lawsuits, and lost opportunities

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The situation only worsened in the months that followed. Brandonbilt Motorsports claimed that it had been abandoned by its previous sponsors after the failed “Let’s Go Brandon Coin” deal. However, investigative reports revealed that this claim was exaggerated. In truth, several of Brown’s former sponsors cut ties with the team due to the controversial cryptocurrency deal. Garrett Del, owner of Shenoa Shine, one of the team’s sponsors, reportedly claimed Brandonbilt’s management forced its sponsors out, using the political sponsorship as a bargaining chip.

Despite these accusations, Brown and his team continued to double down on the “Let’s Go Brandon” narrative. In a statement, Brown apologized to his former sponsors, stating his desire to change the meaning of the chant. Unfortunately, the damage was already done. By 2022, Brown was running a blank car at the start of the season as NASCAR had yet to approve the LGB coin sponsorship. The promised millions in sponsorship funds never materialized.

As the 2022 season progressed, Brown’s team lost its ability to compete at a competitive level. By April 2024, after a failed lawsuit against NASCAR and other legal troubles, Brandonbilt Motorsports was forced to close its doors. The team’s collapse was a crushing blow to Brown, who had once been on the verge of a promising NASCAR career. The dream that had seemed so close just a few years earlier was now nothing more than a distant memory. More recently, there was an attempt in June 2024 to revive the case against NASCAR, where the attorneys claimed NASCAR pulling the rug from under their deal caused the cryptocurrency a loss of $321 million.

Brandon Brown’s journey in NASCAR serves as a cautionary tale of how quickly a promising career can derail due to forces beyond a driver’s control. What if the chant had never emerged, or if NASCAR had been more supportive of Brown’s sponsorship efforts? It’s impossible to say for sure. But one thing is certain, what could have been a successful career, if only the circumstances had been different, will always linger in the shadows of Talladega.

What do you think of Brandon Brown’s case? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.