THE GORGE — Racing isn’t just a hobby for 17-year-old Brayden Brookshire: It’s a way of life for him and his entire family. His great grandfather, Henry Vermeire, was known to race in the White Salmon area nearly 80 years ago, but, today, with the help of Discover Elks, Brayden has made a name for himself in racing circles across Oregon and Washington. He has entered 11 races this year and won six of them.
Brayden races a Northern SportMod, which is the second largest division in the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) racing series. SportMod cars usually start out on a Chevy Malibu or Chevelle frame and then are modified, and drivers must adhere to a detailed set of regulations when outfitting. The IMCA decides specific rules for each class, the points format and safety requirements. Managing repairs and updates to your car is a full-time job. He estimated that 90% of his time is spent in the shop.
“I come from a long line of stock car racers on both sides of my family. I am the 4th generation, in fact, so needless to say the racing bug is in my blood,” Brayden said. “My great grandfather raced at the dirt track that was where the football field is now at Columbia High School in White Salmon back in the 1950s.”
His grandfather, Dale Vermeire, was a regular at the Yakima and Portland Speedways. Brayden says he was “raised at the track” by his parents Tracy Vermeire and Jeff Brookshire. Brayden has been racing for over a decade, and he got his first go-kart for his seventh birthday.
Brayden and his No. 10 racecar.
Contributed photo
“I first started racing at the Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Oregon, and then shortly after I started running full seasons at the fairgrounds in Salem, Oregon, at the Salem Indoor Speedway,” Brayden said.
At age 12, he graduated to a full size, four-cylinder car that he raced for two years at the Sunset Speedway in Banks, Oregon. When he was 15, he made the jump to the SportMod category.
“We’ve done tremendously well [this year], and it’s actually kind of drawn some attention to other race teams,” Brayden said. He was invited to race for another team in the Modified Division. The step up didn’t scare him though. He won both races.
Sponsors are also taking notice of Brayden’s rise. Last year, Pelican Fueling began providing race fuel for Brayden, which he said was a “huge help.” More recently, he secured his first national sponsorship with Discover Elks. In an effort to “modernize and expand the reach” of the Elks Lodge, the Discover Elks Group is helping the next generation.
“Through impactful advertising, and the promotion of youth development and civic engagement, it showcases the Elks commitment to our future leaders,” said Carol Delay, member of the Mt. Adams Elks Lodge No. 1868. “To help drive the awareness of the Elks’ message in our communities, the Discover Elks is headed to the racetrack by supporting youth drivers. We are excited about the partnership with DiscoverElks.org and one of our very own families of Mt. Adams Elks No. 1868.”
Brayden won $600 at the Grays Harbor Raceway on May 24 and 25.
Contributed photo
With the help of his family, friends, and sponsors, Brayden continues to travel around the Pacific Northwest and race his No. 10 Brayden Brookshire Racing sportmod racecar.
“For the 2024 season, I decided not to run for points so that I wouldn’t be committed to racing at only one track. I wanted to be able to travel, run bigger races and test my skills against more seasoned drivers so I can gain more experience and become a better driver,” Brayden said. “I decided to stick with this same plan for 2025 as well. I have raced at 4 different tracks so far this season and have gained a lot of confidence.”
Brayden is pretty happy with how this season has gone and has a couple different options he is working on for next year’s race season. However, he does have to cut this season a little short to start classes at Western Washington University in the fall.
When asked how far he plans to take his racing. Brayden responded. “For now, I will keep carrying on this family tradition, one lap at a time.”
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