Polk State alumnus and two-time Daytona 500 champ takes helm as NASCAR Cup Series crew chief

After celebrating back-to-back victories at the Daytona 500, Polk State College alumnus Brandon McSwain returned to the “Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing” this year in a new role – crew chief.

Now at the helm of Trackhouse Racing’s No. 1 team, McSwain guided driver Ross Chastain to a top-20 finish on February 15. Just a year earlier, he celebrated in Victory Lane as an engineer with Hendrick Motorsports, contributing to William Byron’s back-to-back Daytona 500 victories in 2024 and 2025.

For the Florida native, the milestone was both professional and personal.

“Being from Florida, the Daytona 500 is a race I attended as a kid. Celebrating with your teammates – it’s cloud nine. When it finally sinks in what you’ve accomplished, it’s almost surreal.”

From Auburndale to NASCAR’s biggest stage

A 2006 graduate of Auburndale High School, McSwain developed his love for motorsports early in life.

“Being born and raised in Auburndale, racing was always part of my life,” he said. “I went to Auburndale Speedway with friends and family and eventually got involved myself.”

McSwain realized that while he might not become a racecar driver, he could still build a career in the sport he loved.

After enrolling at Polk State College, he balanced full-time work with coursework on the Lakeland Campus. His time at Polk State helped clarify his path.

“Staying close to home at Polk gave me the opportunity to really figure things out,” McSwain said. “It was during my time at Polk that I realized engineering was the path I wanted to pursue.”

He earned his Associate in Arts degree in 2010 before transferring to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte – located in the heart of NASCAR country – where he completed a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2013.

Betting on a dream

McSwain’s first job out of college was as a design engineer for Freightliner Trucks, a nod to his father’s truck background.

“My father drove a truck, and I saw it as a way to honor him or perhaps find my niche there,” McSwain said. “But racing was always my passion. I moved to Charlotte because that’s where the race teams were. I wasn’t sure if I could make a living in motorsports, but I decided to shoot for the stars.”

That decision paid off.

Over the next 12 years, McSwain rose through the ranks in professional racing in the ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formally known as Xfinity) before reaching the NASCAR Cup Series. He served as lead engineer with JR Motorsports, owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., and driver Tyler Reddick – this year’s Daytona 500 champion. Later, he transitioned to Hendrick Motor Sports as lead race engineer for the No. 24 car, contributing to 16 NASCAR Cup Series victories, including two Daytona 500 championships.

In November, he was named crew chief for Ross Chastain and Trackhouse Racing’s No.1 team – a defining step in a career built on passion, preparation and persistence.

“Besides being a NASCAR Cup champion, I had checked a lot of boxes in my career,” McSwain said. “I sat behind some great crew chiefs and felt ready to make the jump. Ross and I worked together back in our ARCA days – we’re both from Florida and stayed in touch over the years. It was the right move at the right time.”

A foundation at Polk State

Despite competing at the highest level of motorsports, McSwain remains grounded in his Polk County roots and credits Polk State for helping him find his direction.

“I valued my time at Polk,” he said. “It was a comfortable learning environment that allowed me to really hone in on what field I wanted to go into. When I finished, I knew exactly what I wanted to pursue.”

From Polk State to NASCAR’s biggest stage, McSwain’s journey shows how extraordinary careers begin close to home. As a two‑time Daytona 500 winner stepping confidently into his new role as crew chief, McSwain is advancing a career defined by determination and forward momentum – foundations he began building at Polk State College.

“Polk is a great steppingstone,” McSwain concluded. “Whether you’re trying to figure out what you want to do, going back to school later or working full-time, there are so many options. I give Polk a lot of credit for allowing me to figure that out.”