From Bill W
April 22, 2013 – Brian Brown and the Casey’s General Stores/FVP #21 claimed victory in the driver’s hometown of Grain Valley, Missouri last Friday night. The Valley Speedway played host to the ASCS-Warrior region’s opener. Brian added a fifth place finish Saturday night with the series at Springfield (MO) Raceway with 40+ cars in attendance. This week he will take on the World of Outlaws at the Salina (OK) High Banks on Friday, and head north for the Knoxville (IA) Raceway season opener Saturday.
How cool is it to race in your hometown?
We usually get to do it once or twice a year. Being able to race around home is always good. We weren’t sure we would get it in. We had had six or seven inches of rain. Dennis Shrout, who owns Valley Speedway, did a great job. It was a pretty good track.
You were able to win your heat. The field seemed a little low on car count.
There weren’t a ton of cars there, but the cars they had were good ones. We had several guys who had won races already this year, and guys that are always in the hunt no matter where we go. Those guys were all around us.
You started sixth in the feature. How long did it take to challenge the lead?
We got a really good start. We were able to get to second on the first lap. Kyle Bellm was setting a really good pace. We just kind of chased him. Every time it seemed we were gaining on him, the yellow came out. Finally, we had a good green flag run and we were able to pass him around lap 20.
How were the track conditions at that point?
As the night went on, the track stayed slick, but it was tearing up a little bit on the bottom, where the water had been standing. It made it tough when you entered the corner high and it was slick as possible, and then you had to get through the holes.
Once out front, it sounded like you had company.
I got to where I was hitting the holes, and Logan Forler actually pulled beside me at one time. I kind of moved up and took his line away. I wasn’t gaining on the lapped cars up there, so I kind of moved back to where I had been before. It made it interesting to say the least.
Still, it was good to get your third win of the year.
A win’s a win. I don’t feel like we had the fastest car. He was getting out a little better than I was. You have to win the ones you aren’t supposed to sometimes, and I think we got away with one there.
You have to be happy with your motor program.
Don Long from Searsboro Telephone Company supplies us with great engines, and that was a Jaymie Moyle engine from Knoxville, Iowa. We’re really looking good with our engines from Charlie Garrett and Jaymie Moyle.
Springfield on Saturday brought the ASCS-Sooner region as well.
I think there were 40 or 41 cars. We were able to get up to second in the heat. We just weren’t able to catch the (Brandon) Hahn kid.
You started 11th in the feature. It sounded like you fought the car a bit.
We were able to get up to fifth. Somewhere around the halfway point, we had our nose wing knocked back. That was a handful. We were able to get to fourth at one time, but we just couldn’t turn on the bottom like we needed to. We are just a tick off where we need to be, so we’ll be going to work this week. It got a little slicker than we thought, and I don’t think I made the right adjustments to the car. With the nose wing, I don’t know that we could have won anyway.
You’ve got a couple of big tracks this week, starting with the Salina High Banks with the Outlaws on Friday.
I’m really looking forward to Friday and getting back with the Outlaws…especially close to home. We’ve had some success at Salina with the 360 and with the 410 a couple of years ago.
And finally it looks like Knoxville’s opener will be a go on Saturday.
It’s probably going to be one of the toughest opening nights ever. The Outlaws are rained out and a lot of them will be coming. It will be a good test for us to see where we’re at. I’m looking forward to getting back in Casey’s General Stores backyard!
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, @CaseysGenStores
Facebook Links
Brian Brown Racing – www.facebook.com/pages/Brian-
Casey’s General Stores – www.facebook.com/pages/Caseys-
FVP Racing – http://www.facebook.com/
Other Web site info
Casey’s: www.caseys.com
FVP: www.fvpparts.com
Brown’s Bits
Brian last won at Valley Speedway on September 8, 2007. He moved around Jay Russell for the lead on lap two. He went on to win ahead of Josh Fisher, Russell, Jesse Hockett and Larry Pinegar II. The event was sanctioned by the Winged Outlaw Warriors.