by: Chuck Lemaster
Thursday, February 4, 2016 | 9:40 AM
GNCC is full of aspiring racers who are famous for “breaking the mold.” Our racers are dedicated, hard-working people who commonly achieve more than their peers. GNCCRacing.com sits down with one such racer, Brewer Cawley. Brewer entered the series a couple years ago and raced the 200C morning class. He had a good year, securing 2nd in the championship with one win; but that only motivated him to pursue his dreams even more. He contested the 250B this year and dominated with 7 wins!
GNCCRacing.com: Brewer, congratulations on such a solid season! 7 wins and a championship in an afternoon class! That’s very impressive!
Brewer Cawley: Thanks man! I didn’t know what to expect coming into it, but it worked out.
You had some competition along the way. That 250B class is full of speed. Did you have any bar-banging battles throughout the year?
The only intense battle I remember was at Powerline Park. I had to work my way to the front and then wrecked. It ended up coming down to the last lap, passing for the lead about a quarter mile before the finish. That is also the race where I wrapped the Championship up.
What about crashes? Obviously, you are in one piece, but did you have any scary moments?
My most dramatic wreck was actually at the Mountain Ridge race – which turned out to be my favorite race. It was really foggy and I was going pretty fast in an open field and I knew there were some woods coming up, but I thought I had enough room to get around a lapper so I sped up and tried to get around him and I hit a stump, and next thing I know I am upside down hanging from a tree, because my knee brace got stuck on a branch! I couldn't get off and had to wait for someone to come along and pick me up off of the tree. It was a pretty scary crash because I thought I might have thrown the race away!
So wait a second! You were actually hanging upside down from a tree and couldn’t get down?!
[laughs] Yeah! It was pretty crazy! Like 3 or 4 other racers came by and just kind of looked at me. I was waving and hollering. I wasn’t hurt, I was just scared because I knew 2nd place wasn’t that far behind me! Finally, someone stopped and helped me down. I was able to get going and still won my class that day.
Glad it worked out! That might win the “craziest crash” on YouTube if it were on video! So I see you started racing GNCC in 2014. What were you doing before that?
I was racing motocross. My dad has always been into dirt bikes, but never got to race when he was younger. So he made sure I had the opportunity. I got a PW50 when I was 4 and then started racing a year later. We did a lot of motocross. I’ve been to Loretta’s three times for the Amateur Finals.
That’s very prestigious! How did Loretta’s work out?
I went once on a 50 and twice on 85’s. The first two times weren’t that great. The last time, I was doing good. I had a 9th place finish in one my motos. On the last moto, I was running 11th and on the last turn of the last lap, I crashed and separated my shoulder. I’ve separated my shoulder like 17 times total and so just for a change of pace, we went woods racing and I really liked it!
You showed up on the radar in 2014.
Yeah. My first GNCC was the Florida Mud Mucker that year. I was 13 at the time. I remember getting the holeshot and leading the first lap, but then the trail got really confusing and I ended up finishing 3rd because I got stuck in the mud a few times.
You stuck with it and ended up 2nd that year and even got a win!
There was a learning curve. Woods racing is a little different from motocross. By the end of the season, I felt I had learned a lot and was ready for the 3-hour afternoon races. I feel I really progressed this year and look forward to 2016! I plan to move up to the 250A class and ride my KTM 250SX to hopefully another championship and maybe get a few top amateurs. I think I can do it, but it's going to take hard work and effort.
Right! But you have been putting in the work already. How old are you now and are you in school?
I’m 15 and yes, I’m in the 10th grade. Report cards just came out and I got a “C” in college level class. But other than that, it was all “A’s” and “B’s!”
Congrats Brewer! That’s impressive. Keep up the hard work. Are you working anywhere?
[laughs] I work at Sonic! Probably not something I’m going to do the rest of my life, but I’m making a little money and that sure helps!
Absolutely! Anybody who can go to school full-time, race at the National level AND pull down A’s and B’s deserves to be recognized! I know it can’t be easy. Where do you live and how do you manage to do the long drives?
I live in Lexington, South Carolina, and it is always a long drive to the races up north. We don't have as much trouble getting there in time, but sometimes we have to drive all night to make it home in time for school…especially the New York races, those are the farthest away for us.
That takes a lot of work and I’m sure it’s a family effort?
For sure. My dad is really supportive. He’s the one that got me into this and he’s always been a big encouragement. My mom doesn’t like to see me get hurt! Every time something happens, she’s like, “This is it!” But then I’ll heal up and my dad will take me riding and she’s like, “You better not get hurt!” Of course, she’s always supportive and I couldn’t do it without them.
What about training? You have a busy schedule. Do you have time for riding and the gym?
I don't really ride during the week because I have school and work, I just try to ride every weekend and make the best of it. And I try to go to the gym 4-5 days a week, and I really have been working hard to try and get in shape.
Any off-season racing?
I’ve been doing the SORCS series down here. Mid-East starts up pretty soon and I think between those two series and the GNCCs starting back up, I’ll be racing like 10 weekends in a row! That’s good because racing always teaches you faster than trail riding and I’m really looking forward to contesting that 250A class this year!
Hey! Keep up the hard work. I’m sure we will see you at the front soon enough. Who would you like to thank as we wrap this up?
I would like to thank my Mom and Dad for all that they do for me. Chad Davis racing for everything he does for me. Columbia Powersports for all of the support. Ape Graphics for awesome graphics. MotoVations Racing suspension for outstanding suspension. Littlejohn Cycle, AirGroup, American Tool & Die, and everyone else who helps me out.