A solid showing Friday with the World of Outlaws at the Salina Highbanks Speedway in Oklahoma was followed by disappointment on Saturday at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Missouri for Brian Brown and the Casey’s General Stores/FVP #21 team. A sixth place finish at Salina preceded a crash in Pevely. The Grain Valley, Missouri driver is hoping to get three shows in this weekend. On Thursday, it will be ASCS National Series action at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. Friday and Saturday, the FVP National Sprint League is back in action at the Eagle Raceway in Nebraska and at the Knoxville Raceway in Iowa.
You were third quick in Salina on Friday, so you had to feel good about that.
We started off really well. We were good hot lapping and we made a few adjustments for qualifying. We set quick time for when we went out, and then we got beat by Brad (Sweet) and Paul (McMahan) later on there. To qualify in the top three puts you in a good spot all night long. You just have to get through your heat to get in the Dash.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
We got a decent start in our heat (from fourth) and kind of fell to fourth. We were cruising along there and the yellow came out. I let a car by me on the double-file restart. It was laying rubber in the middle of three and four, so that was the preferred line there. One and two was kind of all over the place. I just didn’t feel comfortable on that end. I was just trying to hold on there, and Aaron (Reutzel) got a run on us and got us on the white flag lap. That cost us a chance to be in the second row of the Dash. It was disappointing not to get my job done.
Still you made it through the B alright and started tenth in the feature.
We had a really good car. We made the right adjustments. We were able to go from tenth to sixth. The track laid rubber about halfway through. On a double-file restart, we were able to get by Kerry (Madsen) into fifth. We had another double-file restart, and Kerry had a little better start on that one. He got back by me. At that point, it was just a freight train around the bottom. Going from tenth to sixth was a solid night. Especially after not racing for a couple of weeks.
Qualifying 26th quick was not what you had in mind for Pevely on Saturday.
Pevely was a race we had high expectations for. We’ve been in contention to win there a few times. We went out to hot lap, and we felt like we were o.k. We went out late to qualify, and the problem with that is sometimes watching everything makes you second-guess. A lot of good qualifiers were running lower on the track than usual. Chris Bell went out and turned a good lap running high. You get in the car and you make a decision about what you want to do. Honestly, I went out and qualified on the wrong part of the track. I decided to go up where Chris Bell was and made two bad laps.
That sets you back for the whole night.
It puts you behind the 8-ball. You have your work cut out for you. We went from seventh to sixth in the heat, but they only took five. That put us in the B. We started sixth and we were able to get up to the lead. The cushion was right on the fence. I was trying to search for a little more speed. I got into the fence and got turned over. It was just a dumb move on my part. I need to be smarter and just cruise at that point. I should have known better.
I know FVP was active at Pevely though.
One good shining moment Saturday was FVP having 160 customers and employees there. To come out and have their hospitality area with the meet and greet…it’s just cool for me. You’re able to meet a lot of new people, but reunite with a lot of old friends too. It’s an honor to be able to meet them and give them trailer tours, etc. We’re really proud of our partnership with FVP. They do a great job with us on the track, but they also do just as great a job with us off the track. We’re just sorry we couldn’t get them a little better result on the track Saturday.
You have to be excited about this week.
It’s a new week and we’re looking forward to it. It’s not often we get to race so close to home, and Thursday we get to at Lakeside with the ASCS National tour. A lot of our friends and family will get to see us race. We’ve had some success there in the past.
The FVP National Sprint League will be hitting Eagle and Knoxville as well.
Eagle has kind of been feast or famine for us. We haven’t been the best in the world there, but the last couple years we have been solid. We were able to win the Nebraska Cup last year and we were second the year before. I’m just really looking forward to Knoxville on Saturday. With it being a FVP National Sprint League race, I think with the fans having all the rainouts…there’s no reason there shouldn’t be a huge crowd there Saturday night. Hopefully, the forecast changes a little and we can get everything in.
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 won last September’s Nebraska Cup at Eagle Raceway. Jack Dover was second, ahead of Danny Lasoski, Jay Russell and Tony Bruce Jr.
15% off of Enco Tools Purchase!
Receive 15% off of your order with Enco Tools! Just go to www.UseEnco.com and use the coupon code “BBR21”!
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 – 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.”
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 – Bell Helmets
Bell exists to inspire and enable the next generation of boundary breakers. It is built from auto racing, motorcycle and bicycle culture. They don’t just make helmets; they make possibilities. Born in a garage. Fueled by grease and will. Guided by pure intent to encourage the world to live, ride, drive and thrive. Hand-in-hand with the world’s best drivers and riders, Bell continues to enable the world’s best to be their best…as it always has. Bell—Established 1954. Proven ever since. Visit Bell Helmets online at www.BellHelmets.com!
Brian Brown Racing would like to thank Casey’s General Stores, FVP, Print Place, Searsboro Telephone Company, MC Power, Impact Signs Awnings Wraps / impact4800.com, Champion Brands, Ditzfeld Transfer, Maxim Racing, Smiley’s Racing Products, Enco Tools, Weld Wheels, Housby Trucks, Pro Shocks by 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, 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 and Flexzilla for all their support!
Attached: Brian’s Kansas City Royals 2014 American League Champions helmet (Bell helmet designed by Shell Shock Designs)
Bill W Media
Monroe, IA USA
Twitter: @BillWMedia
e-mail: sprntcar@hotmail.com
- administrator on May 07, 2015
- Article Date: 5/4/2015 by Bill Wright