From Bill W
September 24, 2012 – With a pair of podium finishes under his belt in last weekend’s “Fall Brawl” at the I-80 Speedway near Greenwood, Nebraska, Brian Brown and the Casey’s General Stores/FVP #21 team head to one of their biggest events of the season this weekend. It is time for the Daniel McMillin/Jesse Hockett Memorial at the beautiful Lucas Oil Speedway near Wheatland, Missouri! The Grain Valley, Missouri driver hopes to improve two spots on his third place finish there a year ago.
Last Wednesday night, the team took on the World of Outlaws at Eagle Raceway near Eagle, Nebraska. “We hadn’t had much success there in the 360, so we were hoping for more in the 410,” says Brian. “We went out really early to qualify, and I felt the track just wasn’t ready to qualify on. We were sliding out there, and I got a little higher than most. Qualifying has been our forte, but to go there and qualify as bad as we did (19th) was not what we were looking for.”
Brian would pull off the track after battling back in the pack in the feature. “We made it through the heat, and in the feature there, we were back there running for 16th and 17th with Joey (Saldana) and Jack Dover,” he says. “At that point, we just decided to pull it in and get ready for a better day.”
Friday the “Fall Brawl” would get underway at I-80 Speedway. Brian charged from 9th to 5th in his heat. “That gave us just enough passing points to get in the redraw,” he says.
“We were stuck in a pretty tough heat there. (Jonathan) Cornell and (Don) Droud were on the front row, and (Davey) Heskin was in the second row. Danny (Lasoski) and I were in the back and there were some others. The track was pretty narrow, and we made a pretty good move on the start to get to fifth, and we kind of cruised from there.”
Starting inside row three, Brian would advance to third at the checkers. “Our car was pretty good,” he says. “We got to third pretty quick, and I misjudged and got into the back of Jordan Boston. That cost me a spot and that let Jason (Johnson) by. We were able to get back by Jordan, and catch Jason. I felt like we could get him in traffic, but I made a couple of bad decisions. That got us balled up. Jason and Jack were good that night. Going green to checker, third was about as good as we could get out of it.”
Brian started Saturday’s finale out well with a heat win from outside row one. “Our car, motor and the whole operation were working well,” he says. “Chad Morgan and Chad Ely were doing a great job. We were able to win the heat and redrew outside the front row.”
A redraw saw him starting beside Johnson in row one. “We knew going in that Jason was going to be tough,” says Brian. “Saturday was no different. I thought when the track blew off, my chances would be better. I wanted to get into traffic and see how the cards might play out.”
Brian would keep pace and try to make his move late. He would come up short with a second place finish, but earned a $300 podium bonus from Searsboro Telephone Company. “We took off, and he got out there about ¾ of a straightaway,” he says. “We reeled him in as the laps wore on. The traffic started getting heavier, and with two to go, I was able to slide him for the lead. I just couldn’t make it stick. I gave him another one in the next corner. We let him know we were there; we just couldn’t get it to stick. Running second was nothing to hang my head about.”
A special “King of the Hill” match ended badly for Brian. “We were able to beat Jason in the first round,” he says. “In the second round, we raced with Clint Garner and we got together down the back straight and I got turned over. It was a frustrating end to the weekend, but we were able to get two podium finishes, and that will get us down the road to Wheatland.”
Brian is excited about Wheatland this weekend. “This weekend means as much to our team as probably the Knoxville Nationals, because of what it’s about,” he says. “You want that trophy on your shelf. It’s because of the people that Jesse and Daniel were. We’re going to do our best to get out there and put ourselves in position to win. We’ll let it all hang out!”
Web site info
For up to date information on Brian Brown Racing visit www.
Casey’s: www.caseys.com
FVP: www.fvpparts.com
Brian’s Q&A
Rod Jones asks: How much does dirty air play a factor in smaller tracks like Eagle or I-30?
Brian answers: You do. It’s probably more important on those tracks…especially when they’ve got some grip. On those tracks, you don’t have a whole lot of wing speed to get rotated. You have to get your car turned when you are behind people. It is as much of a factor if not more.
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
After blowing an engine in his heat race, Brian stormed back at the Lucas Oil Speedway on June 18, 2011. Coming from twelfth in the B main to run second, he would start the main event 18th and charge through the field. A lap 23 pass of Brad Loyet sealed the win for Brian ahead of Loyet, Randy Martin, Jonathan Cornell and Evan Martin.
About Casey’s General Stores
Casey’s General Stores is a Fortune-500 company (NASDAQ CASY) operating nearly 1700 convenience stores in 11 states through the Midwest. Known for its “Homemade-To-Go” pizza, sandwiches, donuts and bakery items, Casey’s strives to consistently deliver quality gas, fresh kitchen-prepared food, clean environments and friendly service at every retail location. Casey’s is currently the 12th largest c-store chain and sixth largest pizza chain in the United States.
About FVP
We are very excited to introduce our new line of automotive chemicals, oils and fluids to our product offering. These new products will be available at many retailers across the country. We continue to 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. To learn more about our FVP products or to find out where you can have FVP products installed in your vehicle, visit us at www.FVPparts.com! FVP…The Confident Solution
SPLASH
In addition to our line of seasonal safety products, we are very excited to introduce a full line of SPLASH Wiper Blades. Our SafeView Performance Blades fit 95% of the vehicles on the road with quick and easy installation for everyone. The AccuVision Beam Blade offers memory curve steel, which provides uniform pressure for a clear wipe, without the streaks. Look for these great new SPLASH products! 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! SPLASH…SEE SAFELY!
Marketing Partner of the Week – Impact Signs Awnings Wraps / impact4800.com
Brian says – “David and Julie Goodson have a great family there. They also make sure our trailer looks great with the graphics they provide. We’re proud to represent them.”
The goal at Impact Sign and Lighting is to make selecting the right sign and lighting for your business a simple process for you. Impact can design, create, and install virtually any type of sign on awnings, poles, buildings and much more including racecars, of course! They will work with you from conception to completion and make sure you are completely satisfied. We’ll give you personalized service, expert consultation, quick turnarounds, and reasonable pricing. Impact Sign and Lighting are responsible for the graphics on the Brian Brown Racing #21. Visit them on the web at www.Impact4800.com!
Associate Marketing Partner of the Week – WSIB Insurance
Brian says – “Insurance is one of those things you don’t put a lot of thought into until something happens. WSIB Insurance covers our truck and trailer, and all of our equipment. They are very reasonable on price. If you are unlucky enough to have an incident, it’s nice to know you have good coverage. They are active in NASCAR and IRL and are making inroads into the grass roots racing.”
WSIB Motorsports Insurance is committed to being the most trusted motorsports nsurance authority. Their exclusive products allow them to innovate for the specific needs of their clients and provide high touch service and knowledge. Their insurance markets are known for their financial strength and stability. Their commitment to the motorsports industry allows them to provide cutting edge policy wording, competitive pricing and responsive claims handling. WSIB can access and provide solutions for most insurance coverage. Contact them with any of your insurance needs, and visit them on the web at www.WSIBInsurance.com.
Brian Brown Racing would like to thank Casey’s General Stores, FVP, Searsboro Telephone Company, Impact Signs Awnings Wraps / impact4800.com, Champion Brands, SPLASH, Ditzfeld Transfer, Maxim Racing, Smiley’s Racing Products, Weld Wheels, Housby Trucks, www.RateWin.com, 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, Engler Machine, Vortex Wings, Penray, All Pro Cylinder Heads, Butler Built Seats, AkzoNobel Sikkens, AllDayParts.com, Tru Square, Jack Links, Rockstar, Deli Express, Snap-On Tools, Rod End Supply, KSE Racing Products, Winters Performance Products, Santomauro Racing Products, Cometic Gaskets, Kaeding Performance, Donovan, Magtech, ISC Racers Tape, Kinsler, Racing Optics, Mothers Wax, Don’s Truck Wash, Gardner Farms, Hoosier Tires, GoPro, XYZ Machining, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Peterson Fluid System, Red Devil Brakes, Schoenfeld Headers, and WSIB Insurance for all their support!