Brian Brown and the Casey’s General Stores/FVP #21 team can’t seem to shake the bad luck monkey they’ve been hauling around at Knoxville Raceway this season. The Grain Valley, Missouri driver was fast again in preliminary action Saturday but got tangled up for the third time this season and suffered a DNF. This weekend would be a good time for the tide to turn, as Brian will be racing with the World of Outlaws at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa Friday and the FVP National Sprint League at Knoxville Saturday.
You ran Friday at Salina Speedway in Kansas with ASCS. The night started with you driving from sixth to third in the heat.
Salina has kind of been a thorn in our side. We just have never been really good there. We felt like we were average in the heat. We didn’t feel dominant by any means. We were able to make the redraw and drew the six.
Did you make any changes for the feature?
We didn’t feel like we were good enough to win in the heat, so we thought that we’d think outside the box. We did something we normally wouldn’t try and it just didn’t work for us. We had a good start the first time, but the yellow came out. We just weren’t any good after that. We were just kind of there.
Jeff Swindell definitely shot into your line when he made a pass in three and four.
He kind of barged in there, and did what about anyone would have done. I was on the outside of an inside move there. That stuck me out in the middle. I wanted to come back and do the same to him, I just wasn’t fast enough! We ended up finishing eighth.
At Knoxville on Saturday, you were again fast in time trials, qualifying third quick.
If you don’t have the result you want come feature time, you always need to look for the bright points. Our qualifying is right there in the hunt, and our heat race program, I feel, is as good as it’s ever been. Hopefully, those things show in August.
Again, you went from sixth to win your heat.
We had a good heat. We were able to go from sixth to first again. We got by a couple of good cars. Obviously, Terry and Austin (McCarl) are really good at Knoxville.
You started the feature inside row three.
We got a pretty good start. We were racing there with Danny (Lasoski) trying to find a way around. We got to traffic going 130 miles per hour, and you had lapped traffic that was doing around 100.
That bit you when you got tangled with a lapped car and got upside down.
Sometimes, it’s hard to judge where they’re going to go. Especially on a night like we had with the rain and a narrow track on Saturday. I just judged wrong and got into the back of one. That got me into the fence. That’s the thing with sprint cars…if you hesitate on where to go, you pay the price.
Unfortunately, that ended your night.
It was unfortunate, but it could have been a lot worse. We lost the wings and a Jacob’s ladder. Other than that, we got away to fight another day. You have to keep your head up and plug away. A little bit of luck can change everything.
This weekend would be a good one to get that luck going.
We’re excited to get back to Burlington. We’ve been good there in the past. We’re really looking forward to the NSL starting back up and it’s $5,000 to win this week at Knoxville. If there’s any time to get the monkey off our back, this would be a good week.
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 the 2008 Sprint Invaders finale over a 39-car field at 34 Raceway. After starting seventh, he passed leader Jack Dover after a restart on lap three. Bobby Mincer charged to second, ahead of Dover, Mark Shirshekan and Josh Higday.
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.FaxMeService.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 – AkzoNobel Sikkens
Sikkens is the premium brand of AkzoNobel, one of the world’s leading suppliers of paints and services for vehicle repair. Our partnership with McLaren brings together two world-class companies with equal desires to innovate and develop new coatings for the demanding world of Formula 1. Sikkens Creating Together: Celebrating one of our many successful partnerships. Visit them online at www.akzonobel.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!
Photo: Brian races at Knoxville (Rob Kocak Photo)
- administrator on Jun 24, 2015
- Article Date: 6/22/2015 by Bill Wright