Brendan Gaughan’s recent NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) victory in the Gardner Denver 200 road race was listed as one of NASCAR’s Top 5 highlights for the week of June 21. This was Gaughan’s first NNS victory, an especially challenging win captured in wet conditions.
With 15 races down and 18 tracks ahead of him, including an August 22 appearance at Bristol Motor Speedway, Gaughan is looking forward to every opportunity to unwind between tracks.
So what does a NASCAR driver do to relax? As a certified SCUBA divemaster, Gaughan enjoys spending time underwater. So he took Tuesday, July 8 off as a day to relax between races by diving with the Tennessee Aquarium’s sharks. Gaughan was the featured guest diver during the 11 a.m. Secret Reef dive show.
“My life is very aggressive and fast paced. One of the great things about SCUBA diving is that it gives me the opportunity to slow down and just live in that moment,” Gaughan said. “It’s such a peaceful, safe sport that I enjoy sharing with my family.”
While most people might fear sharks and worry about their “killer attitude,” Gaughan says the Aquarium’s toothy Sand Tiger and Sandbar Sharks might be somewhat friendlier than the drivers he faces on the Nationwide Series.
“I feel much safer next to a Sand Tiger Shark than I do next to some of my competitors,” Gaughan said, laughing. “On the track, I have to get to know my competitors to find out who the Great Whites are and who the Nurse Sharks are. When I’m in the ocean, I know that most sharks are peaceful creatures. Unfortunately, many television programs … make them out to be ferocious, man-eating animals, but they aren’t.”
Gaughan would like to see more people who are eager to learn more about these important apex predators. “It’s sad and devastating what humans have done to them,” he said. “Every year, a substantial number of sharks are killed. I’d like to think that when people see these amazing creatures at places like the Tennessee Aquarium, they get excited about helping them. Hopefully, increased awareness leads to additional conservation measures to save sharks before it’s too late.”
Following his appearance in the Secret Reef, Gaughan spent time in the Ocean Journey building signing autographs and greeting his fans.
Aquarium fans can discover more about sharks during SharkFest on Friday, August 1.
Source: Tennessee Acquarium