[i (Bill W) August 31, 2009]
Brian Brown entered Saturday night hoping to draw closer to point leader, Johnny Herrera in the race for the Season Championship at Knoxville Raceway ending this weekend. Instead, he lost some ground despite a strong fifth place finish after starting back in row six. There is still an outside chance that he could grab his second championship, but it is pretty slim. He will head into the Season Championship looking for a strong finish to his Knoxville season on Saturday, before trying to win his second Lake Ozark Speedway 360 Nationals on Sunday.
The Grain Valley, Missouri driver has qualified well all season, but timed in 18th on Saturday at Knoxville. “For the last month or so, we’ve been battling steering issues,” says Brian. “We’ve been going into the corner, and it locks up on us. It did it during hot laps, and we didn’t have time to change it before qualifying. We just weren’t able to get a good lap in.”
The SuperClean #21 team replaced the steering, but it didn’t help their problem. Brian held on for second in the heat after starting on the pole. “We changed it for the heat, but we had the same results,” he says. “We’re not sure what is going on with that. It was doing the same thing out there. We tried to stay on the top where we didn’t have to turn the wheel much rather than roll the bottom and finesse it. Lynton (Jeffrey) was able to sneak by us on the bottom there.”
The issues were never resolved, and Brian was slated to start inside row six for the feature. “We fell back a bit at the beginning, and kind of got rolling towards the end,” he says. “The track was getting better as the night went on. The steering problem was big, and the car was really steering me a little bit rather than the other way around. We’re going to do what we have to do to fix it.”
Still, Brian picked his way forward and was into the top eight early on. “It’s always tough at Knoxville, and we did pass some fast cars,” he says. “When you can get by (Kerry) Madsen, Tony Bruce Jr. and (Dusty) Zomer, things are going pretty good. At the end, I thought we may have a third place car, but there really was nowhere for me to go with the guys in front of me racing side by side. We put ourselves there with the qualifying.”
Instead, Brian settled for fifth. Coming in, he trailed Herrera by 69 points, but the New Mexico driver’s second place finish gave him a 101 point cushion heading into this weekend. “To salvage a fifth out of that night was not ideal with the point situation,” says Brian. “Johnny had a very good night, and we’re pretty close to throwing in the towel with the point difference, unless something major would happen.”
Season Championship night always sees more dough on the line, and Brian will try to grab some more Sunday at the LOS Nationals near Eldon, Missouri. “I’m excited for Lake Ozark Speedway on Sunday,” he says. “I always enjoy going there. There will probably be a great field of around 40 cars there. Guys like (Jesse) Hockett and (Randy) Martin will be tough, and Tony Bruce Jr. and Jack Dover will be there too. I’m excited to get in there and see what I have for those guys. We were able to do it a couple of years back (2006), and I hope we can again.”
Website
For up to date information on Brian Brown, visit www.BrianBrownRacing.com!
T-shirts
T-shirts are available and can be ordered at Brian’s website (www.BrianBrownRacing.com), or catch us at the races!
Brian's Q&A
Ken Berryhill from Arlington, TX asks: Will you be coming back to the Cowtown Nationals (Kennedale, Texas, October 9 and 10)? Your last lap pass for the win was awesome last year!
Brian answers: Most definitely. We’re planning on racing all those big shows. We have a busy schedule after Knoxville is done. We’ll also go to Devil’s Bowl and Little Rock. If we can get some help with diesel fuel, we may even go the Western World in Tucson, Arizona. That one is up in the air, but our schedule is pretty full through October. You can check it out on our website.
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 has six wins in twelve feature tries at the Lake Ozark Speedway. In addition he has seven top fives, and has only missed the top ten on one occasion, when he suffered a DNF. His 2006 LOS 360 Nationals championship came aboard the Doogs #21, as he finished ahead of Jesse Hockett, Bobby Hawks, Robbie Standridge and Foster Landon.
SuperClean
SuperClean is the “super product” for your home, auto, outdoor and marine cleaning jobs. Whether it is grease, oil, wax, tar or dirt that you need to clean from concrete, wheels or just about anything else, SuperClean is the product for you! To learn more about SuperClean, visit www.SuperClean.com!
SuperClean Products include:
Tire Gloss
Get a showroom shine every time! Rejuvenate your tires with SuperClean Tire Gloss. Our unique formula clings to tires, giving them a long-lasting luster while protecting against dirt, dust and road grime.
Accuvision
When wet weather hits, rest assured that SuperClean AccuVision will help you drive safely by keeping your windshield clear and the road in sight! Our advanced technology improves visibility by repelling rain, sleet, and snow without any rubbing, buffing or waxing. Use it on any glass surface for a long-lasting, high-quality treatment.
Tough Task Cleaner-Degreaser
If you have tough, caked-on grease, then SuperClean Tough Task Cleaner-Degreaser is the multipurpose cleaner you need. This concentrated, industrial strength formula quickly removes grease, oil, wax, tar, and dirt on contact leaving your surface as clean as new.
All Wheel Cleaner
If you love your car more than you love your…well you know, then SuperClean All Wheel Cleaner is for you. This custom-blend formula instantly releases road grime and brake dust, leaving wheels clean to the original finish.
Car Wash
Use SuperClean Car Wash for the shine your car deserves.
See Heather at a grandstand entrance near you or visit the team’s trailer to get your free sample! SuperClean is available at Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone, Casey’s, Menard's, Mills Fleet Farm, O'Reilly Auto Parts, NAPA, Pep Boys, Wal-Mart, and many other fine retailers, to find a retailer near you, visit www.SuperClean.com/where.php.
Factory Value Parts
Factory Value Parts specializes in the battery that you need. They know it has to be tough, and priced right. They have a line of high-performance batteries for SUVs, trucks, cars and other specialty vehicles that give you quality without breaking the bank. To find a dealer near you, visit them on the web at www.fvparts.com/locator.php!
Marketing Partner of the Week – Don Long’s FaxMeService.com
Receive faxes through your e-mail when you’re away from the fax machine! Visit www.FaxMeService.com for easy sign-up options! It’s the simplicity of a fax through the convenience of e-mail. It’s easy to use, with no setup and a low fee!
Associate Marketing Partner of the Week – Arctic Cat
For over 40 years, World Class Snowmobiles™ have been wearing the Arctic Cat name. Arctic Cat is equally proud to make Arctic Cat ATVs, too. They represent dedication and commitment to advanced manufacturing techniques, engineering innovation and industry leadership. Arctic Cat Inc., based in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, designs, engineers, manufactures and markets snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) under the Arctic Cat brand name, as well as related parts, garments and accessories. The Company markets its products through a network of independent dealers located throughout the contiguous United States and Canada, and through distributors representing dealers in Alaska, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and other international markets. The Arctic Cat brand name is among the most widely recognized and respected names in the snowmobile and ATV industry.
Brian would like to thank SuperClean, Ditzfeld Transfer, Searsboro Telephone Company, www.FaxMeService.com, Housby Trucks, Maxim Racing, Champion Racing XP, NOS Energy Drink, My State Insurance Rates, Smiley’s Race Products, Impact Sign and Lighting, Arctic Cat, Michael Ross Memorial Foundation, K&N Filters, Hostiowa.net, FSR Race Products, Fuel-Safe Tanks, Awesome Racewear, Wolfe Eye Clinic, Weld Wheels, Bell Helmets, Paul's Auto Body Supply, Engler Machine, All Pro Cylinder Heads, Butler Built Seats, Rod End Supply, Winters Performance Products, ISC Racers Tape, Racing Optics, Pro Shocks, Don's Truck Wash, Gardner Farms, Hoosier Tires, XYZ Machining, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Peterson Fluid System, Red Devil Brakes, Schoenfeld Headers, www.Impact4800.com, WSIB Insurance and Rubbin’ Repair for all their help!
[b Photo - Brian at Knoxville (Danny Howk Photo)]
- Bill Wright on Aug 31, 2009
- Article Date: 8/31/2009