By Bill W
March 28, 2011 – Brian Brown and the FVP #21 team took their show on the road to the Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas last weekend. After an off-night on Friday, the Grain Valley, Missouri driver led fourteen laps of Saturday’s finale before getting passed on a restart and settling for fifth. He will hit 81 Speedway near Wichita, Kansas this weekend with the NCRA seeking his first 2011 win, and will bring the second car along for young Justyn Cox to pilot.
Friday’s draw was good enough, setting Brian up in row two for his heat. “We drew a good number and put ourselves in a good spot,” he says. “We honestly weren’t that great in the heat race. We got to second, and we were just trying to hold on. Jason Johnson got us in the end, and that put us in the B. It was my fault for not getting the car the way we needed it.”
With the pressure on to get to the front of the B main, driver error struck early and ended the night. “Anytime you are putting yourself in the B, you are putting extra laps on the car and creating situations where things can happen,” says Brian. “We started second row outside and the guy on the front row wasn’t taking off. I tried a big move around the outside of one and two and got my right rear over the edge in two.”
From there, it would take drastic measures to get back to the front. “It was my fault,” admits Brian. “When I tried to come back on, it was kind of like merging on the freeway with no mirrors at 120 m.p.h. I had to get back on, and unfortunately, my front end caught Dustin Morgan’s right rear. It wasn’t his fault. I was lucky the way it ended to be honest, and thank goodness for our Red Devil Brakes.”
The finale on Saturday went smoother, although the heat competition would be tough. “We were behind Jeff Swindell, and we knew it would be tough the way he led (the feature) most of the way the night before,” says Brian. “He got out to a good start. Lanny (Edwards) prepared the track so we had a top and bottom, and we were able to run the bottom and stay even. We were able to take advantage of a restart with two to go, and that was what we needed to win it.”
Some friends from home provided a draw that would see him start up front. “Our setup was way different than Friday. One of our good family friends, the Hines were down from Marshall, Missouri. Their daughter Amy drew us the two, which was good.”
Brian settled into the feature at the outset and followed Sam Hafertepe Jr. and Danny Lasoski early. “We knew it would probably lay rubber sooner or later,” he says. “Normally, they would have reworked it, but they felt weather was in the area. We started out by fading back to third. A couple laps in, we had a restart and we were able to get by Danny and Sam for the lead.”
The defending Knoxville Raceway champion extended his lead. “Our car was flawless,” he says. “We were able to pick and choose through lapped traffic. At one time, they said we had three lapped cars between second place and us. When you have a rhythm like that, you don’t want to see a caution.”
But the cautions came, and on lap seventeen, Hafertepe found his way by. “We actually had three or four in a row,” says Brian of the cautions. “The guys in second and third had nothing to lose, and they took their shots. I went to the bottom, and to exit well, I was slowing in the corners. Danny went right beside me and blocked me a bit, and Sam was able to drive by us both.”
More momentum was lost when Brian got a good run on his uncle, but made contact. In the end, he would checker fifth. “It was a good night to be second or third on a restart instead of the lead,” he says. “After the night we had the night before though, it was a great run for the FVP #21. Hopefully, it’s something we can build on. The bad thing is, we know we’ve had the fastest cars the last couple nights out. Unfortunately, they don’t pay the fastest car, they pay the winner.”
He’ll try it again this Saturday night at 81 Speedway. “We’re looking forward to it after running second to Mike Peters last Fall there,” says Brian. “Justyn will also be there to open his season in our second car, the #21c. Hopefully, he can get a top five, and we’ll get the win.”
Check Out Highlights From Saturday’s Finale
Check out highlights from Saturday’s finale at Devil’s Bowl with video from High Vista Video Productions…
Follow Brian and FVP Racing on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube!
The FVP marketing team has launched a Twitter page, a Facebook page, and a Youtube page (make sure to subscribe to all!) to keep up to date with Brian and FVP racing! You can become a fan and follow along by clicking on the links below:
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fvpracing
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2rakgn
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=fvpracing
Web site
For up to date information on Brian Brown, visit www.BrianBrownRacing.com!
T-shirts
To purchase Brian’s new t-shirts, visit www.BrianBrownRacing.com!
Brian’s Q&A
Ernie Gorman asks: Everyone thinks of Knoxville as being a perfect oval, but is there a difference in getting through one and two, and three and four there?
Brian answers: There is. The way it is configured, you have to run both ends differently. I think a lot don’t know that until they get out there. There are little tricks that can get you around the track easier. It takes a lot of time and years to find those tricks.
Got a question for Brian? Send it to us at sprntcar@iowatelecom.net, and we may answer it in this section! Put “? for Brian” in your subject line.
Brown’s Bits
Brian grabbed the lead from Jack Dover on a lap 17 restart in the 25-lapper to capture the September 27, 2008 season finale for the NCRA at 81 Speedway. He started the event twelfth. He was followed to the line by Dover, Gary Taylor, AJ Selenke and Mike Peters.
FVP
We offer a full line of high quality oil, air, cabin air and fuel filters, plus a complete line of high quality batteries for multiple applications including cars, trucks, SUV’s, commercial and other specialty vehicles. All products are made to OE manufacturer fitment specifications. FVP products are engineered to provide our customers with quality products that are equal or superior in performance to the major national brands at a competitive price. Visit us on the web at www.FVPparts.com!
SPLASH
Whether it’s keeping your windshield clean or free of ice, protecting your RV, boat or pool from freezing in the winter, or your sidewalk safe to walk on, SPLASH Products are what you need! Check out our new SPLASH website at www.SPLASHWash.com!
Marketing Partner of the Week – Housby Trucks
Brian says, “Jack, Kelly and Kevin Housby have been great to me since I was in the Casey’s car. They have provided our truck, and they do great service on trucks in the Des Moines area.”
Since 1969, Housby has been known for the quality of new and used trucks they sell and their excellent customer service. What started out primarily as a Mack Truck dealership has grown into a conglomerate of vertically integrated businesses that share synergy by bringing multiple services to their customers. Businesses include Housby Mack, Inc., Housby Mixer Group, Housby Truck Lube, Vocon Remarketing, Second Generation and Housby Motorsports. Visit www.Housby.com for more information!
Associate Marketing Partner of the Week – KSE Racing Products
Brian says – “We switched to KSE at the beginning of 2010. Dave and all the guys down there build a great product, and I couldn’t be happier. The car steers as good as ever.”
Based in White House, Tennessee, KSE Racing Products offers a variety of products including Filter Reservoir Tank Assemblies, Power Steering Gears and Pumps, H.P.D. Water Pumps, Tandem Fuel Pumps, Fluids and more. To receive a catalog, visit their website at www.KSE-Racing.com!
Brian would like to thank FVP, Searsboro Telephone Company, Impact Sign and Lighting, Champion Brands, SPLASH, Ditzfeld Transfer, Maxim Racing, Smiley’s Racing Products, Weld Wheels, Housby Trucks, My State Insurance Rates, Arctic Cat, K&N Filters, Hostiowa.net, FSR Race Products, TI64, Fuel-Safe Tanks, Awesome Racewear, Wolfe Eye Clinic, Bell Helmets, CP Pistons, Carrillo Rods, A1 Mortgage, Rockwell Security, Paul’s Auto Body Supply, Engler Machine, Vortex Wings, Ostrich Racing Engines, Penray, All Pro Cylinder Heads, Butler Built Seats, Rod End Supply, KSE Racing Products, Winters Performance Products, Santomauro Racing Products, Cometic Gaskets, Kaeding Performance, Donovan, Magtech, ISC Racers Tape, Racing Optics, Pro Shocks, Don’s Truck Wash, Gardner Farms, Hoosier Tires, GoPro, XYZ Machining, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Peterson Fluid System, Red Devil Brakes, Schoenfeld Headers, www.Impact4800.com and WSIB Insurance for all their help!
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