7/29/2014
Sprint Source
Brian Brown – 360 Nationals Looms After Tough Crash!
Brian Brown and the Casey’s General Stores/FVP #21 team are ready for the most important two weeks of the season. The Grain Valley, Missouri driver will qualify Friday for the Knoxville 360 Nationals before Saturday’s championship. He will also compete in Sunday’s 3rd Annual Capitani Classic for the 410’s at Knoxville. The team is ready for this week after a tough crash sustained while going for the lead in last Saturday night’s 410 feature at Knoxville.
Drawing mid-pack in the toughest 410 field of the season, you registered quick time last Saturday at Knoxville.
It’s a good time to be qualifying well. Our qualifying package has been good all year long. Saturday was no different. We’ve got the basics figured out here for this year, and Charlie Garrett builds an awesome motor. On tracks like that, your car has to roll around, but you have to have a good motor too. I feel Charlie’s the best engine builder in the country.
Again, you came from sixth to win your heat.
That’s always a good sign. Our car is so maneuverable. It’s as good as I’ve felt at Knoxville all year long, if ever. Winning the heats gives me a lot of confidence that we can do that during the Nationals and 360 Nationals.
You started eighth in the feature, but it didn’t take you long to move forward.
We got a really good start and we were able to get to fifth. We were able to get by Bronson (Maeschen) on a restart. I really wasn’t catching (third place Mark) Dobmeier too much, and then I kind of changed my line a little bit. We got rolling a little bit and I was able to get by him.
You had another restart, and you were able to get to second and make a move on Ian Madsen for the lead.
We were able to slide under (Dusty) Zomer. Ian and I went at it there for a few laps, which was good for the fans.
You got by him, he got you back and then it looked like you were going to slide in front of him again when the crash occurred.
I got a good run around the top of two and entering three. We were both going for the same real estate, and I just ran out of it and got in a crash. When you race guys that hard and no one gives an inch, things like that are going to happen. Thank goodness it doesn’t happen more than it should as close as we race. That’s how we race. Sometimes you’re the windshield, and sometimes you’re the bug.
Obviously, you were sore after a hard hit head-on into the fence, but it could have been worse.
I’m very thankful for a couple of things. The very first is my Butlerbuilt seat, my Bell helmets and my Hinchman Racewear. The last thing is that the twenty-four best drivers in the country are there every single week and no one cleaned me out while I was sitting broadside on the track.
How does that affect your Nationals preparation?
We have a torn up racecar, but at the end of the day, it could have been a lot worse. We’re still in good shape for the Nationals. We build a lot of equipment up in the winter, and some of that is for the Nationals.
Your attempt at running the 360 car ended early Saturday.
We had an issue with the torque tube that we’ve never seen before. That was definitely something we weren’t expecting. We’ll get all that fixed.
How do you like your chances headed into the 360 Nationals?
The 360 Nationals is something we’re really looking forward to. We really don’t know what to expect. We’ve been really good in the past with the racing, we just haven’t been great with qualifying. We’re looking at that package this week, and seeing how we can be better at qualifying, and how we can get a shot at winning the thing.
The Capitani Classic is always a big night for not only Sprintweek, but for the Knoxville Championship Cup Series points.
It’s the toughest single day show in the country. You have over eighty cars racing for $5,000 to win. You can miss that show really easy.
It sounds like your team really has things ready to go for this week.
I rested Saturday night, and came to the shop at 9:30 Sunday morning. Chad (Morgan), Zach (Thomas) and Greg (King) were still working. They were making sure everything was prepared right. I wouldn’t trade those guys for anyone in the world. I’m glad they’re my teammates.
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-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
Brown’s Bits
Brian is tied for first on the all-time list in top five finishes (six) at the 360 Nationals. He also ranks first in top tens (nine), is second in A main starts (twelve) and is tied for sixth in 360 Nationals run (fourteen).
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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
Marketing Partner of the Week – Searsboro Telephone Company’s www.FaxeMeService.Com
Brian says, “Don Long is an avid sprint car fan, and has been a part of the team for a few years now. We’re just really happy to have him here.”
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Brian Brown Racing would like to thank Casey’s General Stores, FVP, Searsboro Telephone Company, MC Power, Impact Signs Awnings Wraps / impact4800.com, Champion Brands, DNA Energy, Ditzfeld Transfer, Maxim Racing, Smiley’s Racing Products, Enco Tools, Weld Wheels, Housby Trucks, www.RateWin.com, Arctic Cat, K&N, www.hostiowa.net, FSR Race Products, TI64, Fuel-Safe Tanks, Wolfe Eye Clinic, Bell Helmets, Hinchman, CP Pistons, Carrillo Rods, Vortex Wings, Penray, All Pro Cylinder Heads, Butler Built Seats, AkzoNobel, Kenny's Components, www.AllDayParts.com, Tru Square, Jack Links, Deli Express, Snap-On Tools, Rod End Supply, KSE Racing Products, Winters Performance, Cometic Gaskets, Shell Shock, Donovan, ISC Racers Tape, Kinsler Fuel Injection, Racing Optics, Mothers Wax, Hoosier Tires, Klein RV, XYZ Machining, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Red Devil Brakes, Schoenfeld Headers, 6B Apparel, Bosch, Garrett Racing Engines, MSD, Moyle Racing Engines, Fortress Wealth Management, Legacy, Flexzilla and WSIB Insurance for all their support!
Article Credit: Bill Wright