By Bill W
June 3, 2013 – Brian Brown and the Casey’s General Stores/FVP #21 team seem to have flushed the second place bug out of their systems. After registering four seconds in a row, they were able to pick up their first 410 win of the season at the Knoxville Raceway Saturday night. They also registered a top five at the Salina Speedway in Kansas with ASCS on Friday night. This weekend, they take on the World of Outlaws three nights in a row. The action starts Friday night at the 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, before moving on to Lakeside Speedway Saturday in Kansas City, Kansas and it all rounds up Sunday with the I-80 Speedway near Greenwood, Nebraska.
You were in Salina last Friday night and started on the front row of your heat with ASCS.
Brad Loyet was beside us on the pole, and Danny (Lasoski) and a few other guys were behind us, so it was a tough heat. My hat’s off to the people at Salina Speedway. They had six or eight inches of rain during the week. The track was in phenomenal shape with three or four grooves. Brad got the early lead and we were able to get him on the second lap.
The redraw (seven) for the feature didn’t go so well, and you finished fifth.
At one time, Danny was running third there and we were fourth. At that point, I got up over the bank and let (Johnny) Herrera by. They were both in contention at the end, so it was unfortunate I got up over the bank. Catching those guys, Seth (Bergman) and Logan (Forler) was one thing, but passing them was another.
How was the car operating?
We were trying things with our car all night long. We seem to be a bit off right now with our 360 program. We’re working really hard at that. There were some things better and some worse. We may not run a 360 again until ASCS Speedweek on the 22nd at Lucas Oil Speedway. We’re looking forward to running with that series again.
Things were definitely hitting at Knoxville on Saturday. You were able to lay down quick time (14.659) just a couple clicks off the track record (14.407).
I say it every single week, but it’s true…Charlie Garrett, Charlie Garrett, Charlie Garrett. That’s a huge part of our whole team. When you’re quick time at Knoxville, the majority of it is motor, and he is the best. Our Maxim chassis, Vortex Wings, Weld Wheels and Pro Shocks play a big part too. I think that’s the fastest I’ve been around Knoxville, so that’s kind of cool.
You were out of a transfer spot (top five) in your heat most of the way after starting sixth, but gained fifth towards the end.
We didn’t make the right adjustments. The track wasn’t slowing down enough at that time, and we didn’t get going very well. We kind of got balled up at the start, but we were able to get by Austin (McCarl) for the final transfer there with a couple to go.
Knoxville used a redraw this week for the top eight qualifiers instead of the inversion. That worked in your favor, didn’t it?
I think the format they had this week with the draw was awesome. We got some kids involved with the draw. My buddy Jacob McKinney drew me the four. That definitely helped. On a normal week, we’d be starting eighth with quick time.
You were in the top three immediately, and the first half of the feature went green.
We got a good start there. We got by (Dustin) Selvage (for second), but missed the bottom of three and four and he got back by. From there, we settled in and let it play out a bit. Ian (Madsen) was running a good race up front. In traffic, there were some cars that were giving us a bit of a handful, but we were feeling like we could pounce at any time. Then the yellow came out.
You restarted second, and it looked like you took off immediately.
We were able to make a run around Ian on the outside and get the lead. I felt at that point, that we would be in good shape. Then we had the red there, and you never want to see that…especially when there are fans involved. I was glad to hear no one was hit by any parts, and the medical emergency was because of a fall. Hopefully, they’ll heal up quick and come back to watch us race.
After the red, you had some issues with your nose wing.
We made a few adjustments on the red that really helped and will in the future. We had an issue with the nose wing falling flat, which was o.k….but on the last restart it fell on the hood. That gives you no down-force in the front. Vortex Racing Products builds the best wings in the country, and when you don’t have that on there, it gives you a handful. I had to change my driving style those last couple laps, and fortunately, we were able to hold on.
The win was your 22nd at Knoxville, and that moved you past fellow Missouri pilot Eddie Leavitt into tenth on the all-time list.
Anytime you win at Knoxville, it’s special. I never thought we’d win one, let alone twenty-two, so that is special. We have our work cut out to get to 98 like Danny, but we’ll keep plugging away at it. I’m just proud of all our partners and our team.
This may be the biggest weekend of racing for your team thus far in 2013.
This weekend is one that we’ve been looking forward to all year. It’s three nights at three tracks we’ve had a lot of success at. At Burlington, I felt we had the fastest car last Labor Day weekend. I feel we’ve had the fastest car at Lakeside the last couple of years, and we’ve been good at I-80 with the 360. We’re going to give it our best, and we’re really looking forward to it.
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 took the lead from Jack Dover on a lap three restart and went on to win at the 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa on October 4, 2008. The $1,500 Sprint Invaders finale win came ahead of Bobby Mincer, Dover, Mark Shirshekan and Josh Higday.
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 – ISC Racer’s Tape
Brian says – “When you are racing anything, things don’t always go as planned. It’s good to know if you have a hole, or something is not sticking down like you need it, that we’ve got a great partner in ISC Racer’s Tape. We definitely put their product to use.”
For more than 20 years, ISC Racers Tape has supplied a full range of tapes to the racing industry. From Daytona to Indianapolis, everyone uses Racers Tape. With research and testing done on our own race cars, they proudly design and manufacture useful tape products that really work. Browse around, and see what ISC Racers Tape can do for you. Visit them on the web at www.ISCRacersTape.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, Vortex Wings, Penray, All Pro Cylinder Heads, Butler Built Seats, AkzoNobel Sikkens, AllDayParts.com, Tru Square, Jack Links, 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 Fuel Injection, 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, ADD, 6B Apparel, Zips Energy Seeds, Bosch, NGK, Garrett Racing Engines, MSD and WSIB Insurance for all their support!