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CHAMPION CAR OWNER PROFILE: Bob Bruncati

By Kevin W. Green, NASCAR
November 11, 2009 - 11:42am

Don’t blame Bob Bruncati if he has become fond of the old expression, “third time’s a charm.” In his third full season in the NASCAR Camping World Series West, Bruncati captured the car owner championship for 2009.

It marked another step forward as a team owner for Bruncati, a successful Southern California businessman from Glendora whose race cars are easily recognized for their orange and blue paint schemes adorned with the logo of his Sunrise Ford dealerships.

Just two years ago, Bruncati launched into a full schedule of racing in the NASCAR Camping World Series with Jason Bowles – who only had a year of experience in a stock car and was practically unknown in the series. Their effort met with success, with Bowles winning the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award and finishing third in the overall standings. With the addition of championship crew chief Bill Sedgwick in 2008, Bruncati’s team contended for the title – eventually finishing in the runner-up spot.

The team launched into the 2009 season, focused on the series championship. Bowles took over the lead in the point standings just past midway in the season and never relinquished it. He ended the campaign with three wins, 10 top-five and 12 top-10 finishes – along with three Coors Light Pole Awards. He clinched the championship in the final race of the season by a 123-point margin.

In addition to the Ford that Bowles raced in the NASCAR Camping World Series West the past three seasons, Bruncati also fielded a winning effort for Patrick Long in several races this year and for David Gilliland in one race in 2007. Together with a handful of races between 2004 and 2006, Bruncati’s cars have registered 11 wins, 28 top-five and 34 top-10 finishes in 49 series starts.

Prior to joining the ranks of the NASCAR Camping World Series West, Bruncati experienced success as a car owner in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Models at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.) – fielding cars for sons, Tony and James.