Brennan Poole uses inspiration from nickname to propel breakthrough season

Some nicknames you can’t shake no matter how hard you try. For years Xfinity Series driver Brennan Poole tried to shed “The Bull,” a nickname earned while racing Quarter-Midgets as 10-year-old, even attempting to dub himself assorted other monikers such as “Texas Twister,” “The Kid” and “Magic Man.”

“The Bull” nickname originated when Poole would get knocked to the back during races and then charge to the front. A spectator at one of his races shouted out the comparison, which Poole’s mom heard and instantly adopted for her son.

“I hated it,” Poole told SB Nation. “I always tried to change it to a bunch of different things. I just didn’t get it and thought others things sounded better.”

But while the 25-year-old Poole may not have had a fondness for it initially, the origins of the nickname in many aspects have come to accurately surmise his career.

After winning in his first ARCA start in 2011, Poole seemed poised for rapid ascension. When he followed with two more victories and a third-place points ranking in 2012, his first full season in the developmental series (which races on many of the same tracks as the Sprint Cup Series), that only solidified the belief he was a future NASCAR star.

Yet as often happens in a sport dependent on outside funding, things quickly change. A deal that would have placed Poole with an upper-echelon NASCAR organization failed to materialize and he suddenly found himself not on the path to stardom, but without a team altogether.

“I thought winning in my first start on the national level would be my ticket,” Poole said. “Shows you what I know. Nothing ever happened; I lost my ride.”

To maintain a presence, as well make some money, Poole performed various jobs within the industry. He served as a driving coach and spotter —working with Erik Jones in an ARCA race — and as a Dartfish cameraman, a video overlay service drivers use to compare their laps versus their competitors.

Occasionally Poole would secure a ride, and when those chances arose he took advantage. He won a pair of ARCA races in 2013 and another the next year. But largely, he had become a forgotten man and landing a full-time NASCAR ride was no longer considered likely.

“It’s frustrating. Really frustrating,” Poole said. “Because you’re here [at the track] every weekend seeing other people do something you know you can do just as well. It was tough.

“There was a while there where I didn’t think I was going to drive again.”

Poole’s persistence eventually paid off, with Chip Ganassi Racing signing him to drive its Xfinity car on a part-time basis last season. Although his results were middling -- two top-10 finishes in 17 starts -- he showed enough potential that Ganassi has him driving the entire 2016 schedule; an opportunity Poole is trying to take full advantage of.

This season, Poole has finished 10th or better in 10 of 20 races and is a near-lock to qualify for the playoffs. Were it not for Jones’ stupendous year that’s seen him win three times, Poole would be leading the Rookie of the Year standings.

The highlight thus far was a near-victory at Talladega Superspeedway in April. For about five minutes Poole was parked on the track’s front-stretch thinking he had won the just-completed race, which was under review due to a crash just short of the finish line. Officials, however, determined Poole had passed leader Elliott Sadler after the caution had come out and declared Sadler the winner. Poole was classified third.

In the moment it was a tough loss to take. But Poole, crediting a team mantra stemming from a nickname he used to dislike, believes Talladega represented a turning point. Before that weekend, he had shown speed, though not the corresponding finishes nor consistency. But in the 11 races since, Poole’s finished in the top 10 seven times.

“It’s been a rallying cry for this team,” Poole said. “We don’t give up. We have this attitude of never quitting. Bulls fight til they die and that’s what everyone on this team does. We just keep going until we can’t go anymore.”