Brian at Knoxville (Chuck Stowe - Finish Line Photo)
(Bill W) August 20, 2016 – Brian Brown and the Casey’s General Stores/FVP #21 team had a rough Knoxville Nationals week, but they are excited to get to Sunday night’s High Roller Classic at the Missouri State Fair Speedway in Sedalia. The team was without a 360 motor for the event, but they are grateful for Matt Wood Racing, who is loaning them one for the $15,000 to win event sanctioned by the ASCS National Series.
You started the Nationals Wednesday by drawing a tough pill, but you qualified well.
Drawing 71 out of 75 was obviously not what we wanted. The guys did a good job and we were able to come out and cut a good lap (seventh quick). A big part of that is that the track was still in good shape. Unfortunately, when the track is that good, it doesn’t work in your favor starting back in the heats.
You definitely had a tough heat.
I think in the two days, three or four guys made it out of the fourth row. A couple of those wouldn’t have without some major problems for guys in front of them. We drew a tough heat. I think there were six or seven guys in it that have won Outlaw shows. It’s a part of the game.
Those B mains on the qualifying nights are always tough!
You would think seventh quick would start in the first couple rows, but that many guys missed it and we started fifth. I didn’t get a good start. It just wasn’t our night. We didn’t have the speed. There were guys who did make it through the heat, and guys who did make it through the B from row three, so there’s no excuse. We just didn’t do our job.
You haven’t had to race the Friday format very often. Then, you drew dead last to qualify!
You would think drawing 71 out of 75 Wednesday…you couldn’t get much worse! But we drew 89 out of 89 so we proved it can! That was probably the most nerve-wracking qualifying effort we’ve had in a long time, because you draw last and you have to try and save your Nationals. We were able to get third quick, which I thought was a heck of a job going out at that time. The car was great in the heat and we were able to mow right threw them. I really thought we had the momentum on our side.
With the top four qualifying to Saturday’s A main, you were right in the thick of it again, but just had some tough luck.
We started fourth in the feature. We were o.k. for a bit, but we got really tight, really quick. I don’t know if we had a right rear going down or what. We just couldn’t maneuver the way we needed to. We were racing with Logan (Schuchart) for fourth. There was a wreck in three and four. I didn’t hear anything on the radio and I didn’t see it. I had a choice at that point. I could have run into the side of him, or dodge him and go up on the wall. I chose the latter and knocked the front axle out. It was kind of par for the course of how our Nationals went.
That put you back in the C main on Saturday in a tough situation. But I know you had plenty of support throughout the week.
The thing I was most proud of the whole week was one, the fact our team didn’t give up. They kept plugging, and worked right through it. Obviously, I was really proud of our fans and friends and family and how they kept us pumped up. All of our partners were great as well, Casey’s, FVP, all of them. FVP brought 500 customers and employees and had an awesome Barbecue. It could have been a week where our team got down, and our fans and partners got down on us, but everybody was 100% supportive. We just have to chalk it up to a time that wasn’t our year.
After the 360 Nationals, you didn’t know if you’d be able to compete at Sedalia.
We hurt our engine at the 360 Nationals. We’re in a situation where we didn’t have an engine. Matt Wood stepped up for us and helped us with an engine for tomorrow night. We’re looking forward to trying a Ford engine. We’ve always wondered what that would be like, and we’re looking forward to seeing how that goes. It’s kind of how our sport goes. You see a guy that doesn’t have an engine, and Matt Wood steps for us. I’ve known Matt a long time, and been friends with him for years. We’re really appreciative of that, and we hope to do well for him.
It’s always a good environment at Sedalia, isn’t it?
As always, we’ll have a lot of our great partners there. Casey’s is sponsoring the event. People with FVP, Ditzfeld Transfer, Champion Oil and Impact will all be there. We’re just looking forward to getting down there. The last month has been a high stress environment for us for what it is. We’re looking forward to getting to Sedalia, being with our partners and just having some fun.
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
Great Marketing Opportunities for 2016!
There are great marketing opportunities available with Brian Brown Racing for 2016 with available spots on the car including the side of the nose wing. For more information, e-mail Brian at Brian@BrianBrownRacing.com.
Brown’s Bits
Of course, Brian won at Sedalia on July 7, and he has quite a track record at the ½-mile. He has recorded 14 wins including beating the ASCS National series. He has also claimed the Michael Ross, Tom Wilson and Bob Ramey Memorials.
About Casey’s General Stores
Casey’s General Stores is a Fortune-500 company (NASDAQ CASY) operating over 1,850 convenience stores in 14 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 5th largest c-store chain and fifth largest pizza chain in the United States.
About FVP
Built on a commitment to quality and delivered with unmatched service, FVP is the confident solution for all of your OEM needs. FVP products are engineered to provide customers with OE quality products that are equal or superior in performance to the major national brands at a competitive price. FVP is proud to carry a full line of high quality oil, air, cabin air and fuel filters, powerful batteries for multiple applications including cars, trucks, SUV’s, commercial, boats and other specialty vehicles as well as automotive chemicals and oil, antifreeze, DEF, hub assemblies, radiators and condensers. To learn more about FVP or to find out where you can have FVP products installed in your vehicle, visit FVPparts.com! FVP…The Confident Solution.
Marketing Partner of the Week – Ditzfeld Transfer
Brian says – “Ditzfeld Transfer is a family deal. Ronnie and his sons were our very first sponsor. They haul our motors, and if I would need anything hauled across the country, I would call them first.”
Ditzfeld Transfer has been with Brian since the start of his racing career, and was his first sponsor. The Sedalia based family owned trucking business has been in operation for over 45 years, and has a commitment to maintaining the highest level of service. Currently, Ditzfeld Transfer utilizes more than 50 power units and 160 trailers. To learn more about Ditzfeld Transfer, visit www.DitzfeldTransfer.com!
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, Wormall Civil, Searsboro Telephone Company, MC Power, Impact Signs Awnings Wraps / impact4800.com, Champion Brands, Ditzfeld Transfer, Maxim Racing, Smiley’s Racing Products, Weld Wheels, Housby Trucks, Next LED Sports, Schure Built Suspension, Arctic Cat, Lincoln Electric, K&N, www.hostiowa.net, FSR Race Products, TI64, Fuel-Safe Tanks, Wolfe Eye Clinic, Bell Helmets, Hinchman Uniforms, CP Pistons, Carrillo Rods, Vortex Wings, Penray, All Pro Cylinder Heads, Butler Built Seats, AkzoNobel, Kenny's Components, Tru Square, Snap-On Tools, Rod End Supply, KSE Racing Products, Winters Performance, Cometic Gaskets, Shell Shock, Donovan, ISC Racers Tape, Kinsler Fuel Injection, Racing Optics, Hoosier Tires, Klein RV, Duke’s Meats, BIGS Sunflower Seeds, NGK Spark Plugs, XYZ Machining, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Red Devil Brakes, Schoenfeld Headers, 6B Apparel, Garrett Racing Engines, MSD and Fortress Wealth Management for all their support!
Photo: Brian at Knoxville (Chuck Stowe-Finish Line Photo)
Bill W Media
Monroe, IA USA
Twitter: @BillWMedia
e-mail: sprntcar@hotmail.com
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