A near miss at a win, a top five and a top ten made for a solid first weekend with the World of Outlaws for Brian Brown and the Casey’s General Stores/FVP #21 team. Last Thursday, the Grain Valley, Missouri driver led most of the feature in Las Vegas before contacting an infield tire ended his night. He followed that up with a fourth place run in the finale. He would finish tenth Sunday at a new track for him, Arizona Speedway near Queen’s Creek. FVP was a sponsor for the weekend’s action as well.
You were fourth and third quick in Las Vegas, and you set the new track record with quick time Sunday at Arizona Speedway.
Things went somehow how we drew it up. We went in and qualified well each night. I can’t remember a time we’ve been quick time with the Outlaws to be honest. Charlie Garrett has done a phenomenal job all winter long to get our engines running better than ever. As a team, over the winter, we kind of put our heads together to try to come with some ideas to qualify better. To have those things work out for us so far is great.
…and the Outlaws are starting their heats heads-up in relation to qualifying this year.
With the new format, it’s even more critical to qualify well. You want to start up front in the heat. We were able to win our heat Thursday and the pill draw for the Dash saw us start third in that. We were able to drive by Joey (Saldana) and Brad Sweet to win that. Really, we were full of confidence going into the A.
You were the class of the field from the start of Thursday’s feature.
We got a really good start and we were able to lead there. We had a few yellows and we were able to pull away. We had a good car all night long. Coming to the end there, the track got right around the bottom, and it was going to be tough to pass unless someone made a mistake. We were the ones to make a mistake. I got into the infield tire. I’m not a fan of those for a lot of reasons, and this didn’t help that.
You broke your front axle and that was it.
It was unfortunate. It was disappointing not only for FVP, who had customers and employees there, but for Casey’s and all our partners. Chad (Morgan), Wyatt (Burks) and Michael (Williams) did a phenomenal job to get in position there. They worked their tails off all winter long. You hate losing them like that, but it probably won’t be the last time in my career that happens.
You bounced back on Friday. After timing in third quick you were back on the pole of a heat.
We were able to win the heat. We didn’t feel we were as good as we had been Thursday. We were searching a little bit and we tried some things in the Dash that didn’t work. We went from fourth back to sixth. We were able to get by another car and got back to fifth.
You ran strong again in Friday’s feature.
We were able to get a good start and got up to third. We were riding there with Brad leading and Joey running second. We were biding our time there and taking care of the tires. We had a double-file restart there, and Donny (Schatz) was able to get by us. At that point, we pushed the issue a little bit, but we weren’t quite good enough to challenge for the win. We ended up fourth. To come out of the first weekend with a chance to win and a top five showed a testament to our entire team and how hard they’ve worked.
You set the track record Sunday at Queen’s Creek, but ended up fourth in the heat.
I didn’t get going like I felt I should have. Brad and I kind of drag-raced to start it and he had me kind of pinned down. I couldn’t make my arc like I wanted. He did his job and I didn’t do mine. We came off of two in fourth and that’s how we finished. It was a bummer, but it shows you how tough running with the Outlaws can be.
You started outside row five for the feature.
We were able to run up to about seventh. We tried to make something happen on a double-file restart, and fell back to tenth. That’s kind of where we finished.
You have to be excited about the speed the team showed in its first weekend with the Outlaws this year.
Overall, as an owner, I’m really proud of the weekend. With a chance to win, a top five and a top ten…I think this is the best start we’ve had with the Outlaws. I’m really looking forward to racing at Tulare and Stockton.
The Tulare Thunderbowl bullring awaits this Friday and Saturday.
We’ve run really well at Tulare, and we’ve struggled. I think I’m looking more forward to racing there this year than I ever have been. I feel we have a package that should run well there.
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
- administrator on Mar 08, 2016
- Article Date: 3/7/2016