By Bill W
October 29, 2012 – Brian Brown and the Casey’s General Stores/FVP #21 team will head East this week to take on the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It’s time for the World of Outlaws World Finals in Charlotte and the Grain Valley, Missouri driver hopes to rain on the WoO’s parade. Last weekend at the Short Track Nationals finished with a disappointing DNF in the B main, so Brian is hoping to bounce back.
Things started Friday with a heat win in the prelim. “The Short Track Nationals is always about luck, and we started with a good pill draw,” says Brian. “We had a pretty tough heat. AG Rains was in there, and he always runs well at Little Rock. The Swindell brothers (Jeff and Sammy) were back a bit. We knew we had to be pretty good to win that. That ended up being pretty much the highlight of the weekend.”
In the Heat/Qualifier format, Brian would start inside row three for the Qualifier. “We started fifth, and I really thought we had a good chance to move up through there,” he says. “We didn’t tighten the car up enough, and it ended up biting us. We actually lost a spot. It seemed we never got rolling. We weren’t good enough to pass anyone.”
Brian would win the B from the second row and punch his ticket to the preliminary main event. “By running the B, it helped us in the A,” he says. “We were able to get the car dialed in for the feature. We made a few changes, and we got it really good.”
Starting 15th, Brian surged forward quickly. “We were able to get into the top ten pretty quickly,” he says. “We had an eventful race with Sammy to say the least for a few laps. We were able to run fifth with four or five to go, and I really thought we had a shot at Gary Wright (for third) at the end.”
The fourth place run left Brian one spot out of being locked into Saturday’s main event. “The car was working really really well,” he says. “We just came up one spot short. That spot meant we could have locked ourselves in the Dash, and we ended up starting seventh in the B on Saturday.”
The point system had him lining up seventh to start Saturday’s B. The event took the top seven finishers, but Brian would exit early. “There were seven spots available for at least twelve good cars,” he says. “We didn’t get going on the start. We missed the bottom on the straightaway and let Marshall Skinner get under us. It forced my hand to the middle of turns one and two. I was heading up to the cushion and Ricky Stenhouse was coming down off it.”
That’s when contact was made and the weekend came to an end. “His left rear got our right front and we spun around,” says Brian. “I believe we collected Wayne (Johnson) too. It’s bad when you tear your car up, but taking out someone else’s chance at making the Short Track Nationals made it worse.”
This weekend, Brian will try to turn his luck around and run strong with the WoO, something he has done of late. Qualifying for the weekend will be held on Thursday, with programs being completed on both Friday and Saturday. “Charlotte is one we’ve had on our schedule for a while and we’re really looking forward to,” he says. “It’s a huge race for us, as it’s on live TV (Speed Channel). We were able to go out last year, but didn’t have the best of luck. The way we’ve been running with the Outlaws, I think we have as good a shot as any to win it. We’ve got a fresh Charlie Garrett motor, so hopefully, we can go out and qualify well with them like we have been. Maybe we can pull off an upset or two.”
Follow Brian on the Web, Twitter and Facebook!
Follow Brian at his website located at www.BrianBrownRacing.com!
Also keep up with FVP, Casey’s and Brian on Facebook and Twitter at the following links…
Twitter Links – @BrianBrown21, @FVPRacing
Facebook Links
Brian Brown Racing – www.facebook.com/pages/Brian-Brown-Racing/200630163294222
Casey’s General Stores – www.facebook.com/pages/Caseys-General-Stores/112073528804354
FVP Racing – http://www.facebook.com/FVPRacing?ref=ts&fref=ts
Other Web site info
Casey’s: www.caseys.com
FVP: www.fvpparts.com
Brian’s Q&A
Ken Gritters asks: How does it feel to be on the cover of Sprint Car & Midget Magazine?
Brian answers: It’s awesome. It’s an honor to be on the cover of Sprint Car & Midget magazine. I always got the Open Wheel, and now Sprint Car & Midget. Doug Auld and Bruce Ellis were kind enough to let us be on the cover and be the feature story. I think Bruce did a good job. It’s an honor, and I’d like to thank every single partner and family member we have for making it all possible.
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 finished 19th and 11th on Friday and Saturday respectively at last year’s World Finals in Charlotte with the Outlaws. The latter finish came after qualifying 48th!
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 – Smiley’s Race Products
Smileys Racing Products and Hoosier Tire Southwest have been in the racing business for 30 years in the Dallas, Fort Worth area. Visit Smiley’s the next couple of weeks, either in Kennedale, at the showroom store in Mesquite, or at the racetracks. All employees at Smiley’s Racing Products and Hoosier Tire Southwest are directly involved with race teams either as owners, drivers, pit crew members etc. What this means to you our customers is racing advice that has been tested on the track first, and then we pass our findings on to you our customers. From parts and tires to complete race cars, Smiley’s Racing Products and Hoosier Tire Southwest is ready to help you get to the checkered flag first. All aspects of our business can be seen at www.SmileysRacing.com. Click on catalog and put your information in and we will send you a catalog free of charge.
Associate Marketing Partner of the Week – HostIowa.net
Brian says – “One of the most important parts in making your team look professional, is your website. I believe we have one of the most professional ones out there. Kyle McCullough at HostIowa.net has not only been able to help us, but a lot of my friends. He’s a good friend, and I appreciate what he does for us.”
If you have been searching for a reliable web solutions partner – your search is over! HostIowa.net is a homegrown, time-tested full-service web hosting and development partner. They will work with you to determine your needs and implement the right solution using services and technologies that best meet your goals. HostIowa.net is an industry leader in web hosting, web application development, and database solutions for a wide range of customers in Iowa and the United States. Contact Kyle today at www.HostIowa.net!
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!