An increase in speed the last month resulted in a strong weekend for the Casey’s General Stores/FVP #21 team and driver Brian Brown. Brian picked up his first FVP National Sprint League win Sunday night at Huset’s Speedway in South Dakota. He had a strong Jackson Nationals in Minnesota as well. He finished second on Friday night, before coasting home without any fuel in fourth place in the finale. The team has its sights set on the Nebraska Cup at Eagle Raceway Friday and the Jerry Richert Memorial at Cedar Lake Speedway near New Richmond, Wisconsin on Saturday.
You came out late on Friday at Jackson and still timed well.
We’ve kind of turned the corner I think and we’re getting back to where we think we should be. The Jackson Nationals is an event again now. The way the points are structured, it’s important to be fast every time you’re out on the track. To come out late and qualify fifth, put us in a good position.
You started inside row three and were able to make it to the feature redraw.
I felt all the heats were tough, but I still felt ours was the toughest. We had real quality cars out there that know how to race. We didn’t have the best of starts, but we were able to sneak in there and get to fourth. That kept us in the redraw and we were lucky enough to get the one.
What were you thinking heading into the feature?
(Crew chief) Chad (Morgan) and I thought the bottom would be there the first part of the race. We figured it would move around after that. I made a decent lap in one and two on the start. Sammy (Swindell) just made a better one. We kind of settled in behind him and felt out the car. I made a few adjustments as a driver, and we were able to stay right with him.
You had a late restart and got a nose by Sammy before you made contact.
We got a pretty good restart and made a run in one and two. We were able to get by him in two, and we came together on the back straightaway. It was fortunate that didn’t end in tears. It could have been bad for both of us. We ended up getting back by Ian (Madsen) for second, and with the circumstances, it could have been a lot worse. We were happy to lock into Saturday at that point.
You came out 28th on Saturday and were sixth quick. Then you again went from fifth to fourth in the feature.
Qualifying and the heat really mirrored Saturday night. We felt like if we could get into the top two rows, we had a good shot to win it.
You did that, and started outside row two for the finale. It took a while to get the race going.
We felt we made the right adjustments. We had three starts to try and get it going. In each of those, we got to second, or were racing for second. The one that went didn’t go our way. We came out running fourth. Really, I didn’t feel we had a car to win it. We definitely had a third place car, but we had some fuel issues starting as we came for the green on the last restart and we coasted across fourth. I made some mistakes getting off the backstretch, and to win a race like that, you need to make 25 good laps.
You came out to qualify 22nd out of the 25 cars at Huset’s on Sunday.
At Huset’s, you never know. Sometimes, it’s good to come out early, and sometimes it’s better to come out late. In our opinion, it was better to come out early. To be ninth quick at a NSL race, you know you have some work to do to get into that redraw.
You erased those doubts and won your heat from fourth.
We had a good start in the heat. We were able to sneak by Austin (McCarl) there on a restart after a red. That put us in a good spot in the redraw. Luckily enough, we got the one again. You have to be fast, but luck plays a huge part in it. We’ve had our share of the fourth row this year in the redraws too.
The track changed immensely throughout the night. What were your thoughts heading into the feature?
It’s a race of stages. When you’re up front, it’s a race to get the lead. Then, it’s make good laps on the top. Then, on Sunday, you had to start looking for the rubber. Finally, you’re trying to save your tires. It’s a process where you can’t put the cart before the horse on any of that.
There were several restarts and you were able to hold on in each of them.
The door was kind of open for Tim Kaeding to make a run on us. Tim Kaeding on a bullring…you don’t get much better than that. He showed us his nose a couple times, and we were able to hold him off. Chad Morgan did a great job of keeping me informed throughout the race with hand signals. On the red, he was able to talk to me about the track. There are a lot of things going on with a race like that. Chad, Josh Hembe and Wyatt Burks, who just came on board with us, did a great job. The driver didn’t screw it up this time. I’m proud of the whole team!
You have to be looking forward to this weekend’s events at Eagle and Cedar Lake.
Eagle wasn’t high on my list two or three years ago, but we’ve found something there. We have a pretty good package that works for us. We’ve been good at Cedar Lake in the past, but not as much lately. We’re excited about our remaining schedule, really. We feel we can do some damage late. That would really give us a boost into the offseason and 2016.
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 finished 17th in 2012 in his final appearance of the year at Eagle Raceway. Since then, he has run second (2013), won the Nebraska Cup (2014) and finished second in the NSL race there earlier this year.
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 – MC Power
With clients around the Midwest, MC Power has the experience and expertise to deliver cost-saving construction (general contracting, tenant finish/improvement, remodeling, metal building repair, roof leak repairs, concrete, carpentry, painting, drywall, plumbing, etc.), electrical (electrical design-build, electrical assessment, new construction and retrofit, ground testing, power analysis, energy back-up, power generation systems, sign repair, pole light repair, data wiring, panels, outlets, switches, etc.), solar energy (facility assessment, energy assessment, system evaluation, system engineering, financial/proforma development, solar-thermal systems, system installation, roof evaluations, ground or roof mounts, monitoring, maintenance, products & services warranty management, rebate management, etc.) and LED lighting systems (facility assessment, energy assessment, system evaluation, product evaluation, new construction or retrofit, maintenance, products & services warranty management, rebate management, etc.) for virtually any commercial or industrial application. Visit them on the web at www.MCPower.com!
Associate Marketing Partner of the Week – Mothers® Wax
Mothers® has progressive, quality-crafted formulas with a touch of traditional, old-school charm. No matter what challenge lies ahead, Mothers® car care products have a product to get the job done right. Visit them online at www.Mothers.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 and the team in Victory Lane at Huset’s (Rob Kocak Photo)
- administrator on Sep 15, 2015
- Article Date: 9/8/2015 by Bill Wright