(Bill W) April 19, 2010 – Friday was a good day for Brian Brown. The racetrack closest to his hometown reopened for weekly racing when the State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, Missouri conducted its season opener. A second place finish, followed by a top ten run with the Outlaws in Pevely highlighted the weekend. This week, the Grain Valley driver heads south to the “Rock and Roll 50” at the Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Arkansas.
Brian drew well for the event on Sedalia’s half-mile and took the first checkers of the season. “I’m just excited that Reid Millard and Jason Bodenhamer stepped up to the plate and reopened Sedalia,” he says. “We’re going to get there as much as we can. We have a lot of great partners in the area, and it was good to get the heat win right out of the box.”
In the end, the feature would surrender five laps to curfew, but Brian worked his way from row three up to second in the end. “Unfortunately, things moved slow all night long, and the feature was cut short five laps,” he says. ‘We were able to get to second fairly quickly. Randy (Martin) was able to get out there about a straightaway. Towards the end, we closed the gap, but we were not going to get those last five laps. He did a good job. I’ve won shortened races too, and you’ll take it every time.”
Saturday, at the I-55 Raceway in Pevely, the Brian Brown Racing FVP #21 team was able to meet and greet with some partners. “Factory Motor Parts, FVP, Splash and SuperClean had some customers and employees out to the race,” says Brian. “We were able to interact with them, and thank them for what they do for Factory Motor Parts and in turn, what they do for our team. It was nice to go out and perform well for them too.”
Despite drawing a late pill, Brian qualified 14th out of the 37 cars assembled. “We went out late to qualify, so it was very satisfying to end up where we did,” he says. “The majority of the drivers quicker than us came out very early in the order. Just watching the Outlaw guys qualify is something. They’re putting their car right up there on the fence, above the cushion on entry. They show why they are the best in the world.”
A second place finish in his heat put Brian in the dash. “We had a good race with (Craig) Dollansky there and we nearly pulled it off,” he says of the heat. “We were second by about a car length. We started seventh and finished seventh in the dash. We had a pretty good race with Paul McMahan and Steve (Kinser).”
The Maxim #21 was running well on the high-banked 1/3 mile oval. “We were maintaining about sixth through eighth for most of the race,” says Brian. “We had the yellow later on. We had a right rear tire go down to 4 ½ pounds. We were pretty much a sitting duck at that point, for anyone that wanted to slide in front of us. I was kind of a roadblock until the tire pressure got back up. We were back to 13th and came back to tenth, so overall, it was a step in the right direction. We want to be competitive when we run with the Outlaws. So far, so good. Two shows, and we’ve made the dash twice.”
Brian looks forward to his first race ever this weekend at the ¼ mile in West Memphis, known affectionately as “The Ditch”. The event will be sanctioned by the Lucas Oil ASCS National Series. “We’re really looking forward to it,” he says. “Tony Bruce Jr. is a good friend of mine. I haven’t been there, but I’ve heard it’s a tight little bullring and we’re going good on them. Next to the Nationals trophy, that guitar trophy would look pretty good on our wall. We wouldn’t break it like Kyle Busch!”
Follow Brian and FVP Racing on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube!
The FVP marketing team has launched a Twitter page, a Facebook page, and a Youtube page (make sure to subscribe to all!) to keep up to date with Brian and FVP racing! You can become a fan and follow along by clicking on the links below:
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fvpracing
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2rakgn
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=fvpracing
Web site
For up to date information on Brian Brown, visit www.BrianBrownRacing.com!
T-shirts
Catch Brian at the track for the new t-shirt, and it will also be up on the website soon!
Brian's Q&A
Thomas Cox asks: Are there any challenges for you in switching from the 360 to the 410 on back to back nights?
Brian answers: It takes a couple laps to get accustomed. You’re gaining 125 horsepower. It’s kind of old habit now. We have a car that works really well, so that makes it very comfortable. As my years go on, it becomes less and less an issue.
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 four wins with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Series. They include a win in 2005 at I-80 Speedway near Greenwood, Nebraska, a 2006 win at Sedalia’s State Fair Speedway, a 2006 win at Lucas Oil Speedway near Wheatland, Missouri, and the 2008 Cowtown Nationals at the Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale, Texas.
FVP
FVP 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.FVPparts.com!
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!
Splash
Whether it’s keeping your windshield clean or free of ice, protecting your RV, boat or pool from freezing in the winter, or your sidewalk safe to walk on, Splash Products from SuperClean are what you need! Click on the “Splash Products” link at www.SuperClean.com!
Marketing Partner of the Week – Maxim Chassis
Brian says – “Chuck and Karen Merrill are not only great people, but they put everything into putting the best car out on the market. I’ve always been a supporter of theirs, and with Brian Brown Racing, you’ll always see their chassis.”
Brian has been partnering with Maxim since 2003. After years of success as a car owner, Chuck Merrill started his chassis business in a rented three-bay garage in November of 1988. The first car was driven by Johnny Herrera at the Florida All Stars Sprint Week in February of 1989. By June of that year, Maxim moved into a 7,000 square foot facility. By 2001, Maxim had grown substantially producing 304 chassis that year. In 2002, Maxim moved to its present 12,500 square foot location in Springfield, Illinois. Maxim continues to offer their customers unmatched service and support, and currently has 17 quality employees, and builds over 400 chassis on an annual basis. Their world-famous “K-car” was designed for Steve Kinser, and has won ten Knoxville Nationals titles and fourteen World of Outlaws championships! To top it all, Maxim offers a warranty if you are not completely satisfied with your car. For more information on Maxim, visit www.racemaxims.com!
Associate Marketing Partner of the Week – Rockwell Security
Brian says, “Jeff Taylor and his son Kelby are on board for the first year with our team. They do a good job specializing in security for large malls and other venues. Hopefully, we can be together for a long time.”
Rockwell Security is a Kansas City-based company that provides security services to Kansas, Missouri and select parts of the United States. Rockwell Security is focused on delivering a total security package including uniformed security officers and comprehensive consulting services. Their management team and staff bring a wealth of experience to every project. They are fully committed to providing 100% customer satisfaction – it’s more than just a slogan to them. You can rely on Rockwell Security to meet and exceed your expectations. To learn more about Rockwell Security, call 913-362-3300, or visit them on the web at www.RockwellSecurity.com!
Brian would like to thank FVP, SuperClean, Splash, Ditzfeld Transfer, Searsboro Telephone Company, www.FaxMeService.com, Housby Trucks, Maxim Racing, Champion Brands, My State Insurance Rates, Smiley’s Race Products, Impact Sign and Lighting, Arctic Cat, K&N Filters, Hostiowa.net, FSR Race Products, Fuel-Safe Tanks, Awesome Racewear, Wolfe Eye Clinic, Weld Wheels, Bell Helmets, CP Pistons, Carrillo Rods, A1 Mortgage, Rockwell Security, Paul's Auto Body Supply, Engler Machine, Vortex Wings, Ostrich Racing Engines, Penray, All Pro Cylinder Heads, Butler Built Seats, Rod End Supply, KSE Racing Products, Winters Performance Products, Santomauro Racing Products, Cometic Gaskets, Kaeding Performance, Donovan, Magtech, 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 and WSIB Insurance for all their help!
[u (Jimmy Jones-Jones Motorsports Media Photo)]
- Bill Wright on Apr 19, 2010
- Article Date: 4/19/2010