|
Brian Brown – Idle Threat!
(Bill W) June 4, 2008 – Despite some throttle problems last weekend, sprint car driver Brian Brown brought home a pair of top four finishes to Grain Valley, Missouri. A solid fourth place finish on another heavy surface at Knoxville Raceway on Saturday was followed by a top three run with the Midwest All Star Series at Quincy Raceways in Quincy, Illinois on Sunday. This weekend, Brian is preparing for three nights with the World of Outlaws.
An 18th place Knoxville finish on May 24 was a disappointment, so an early pill for qualifying on Saturday was welcomed. The result was the fifth quick lap of the night in time trials. "We were able to get the good pill and get a good lap down," says the 2007 Knoxville Raceway track champion. "Normally, as far as the feature goes, you don't want quick time, so right there in fifth to eighth is about where you want. It's definitely better than 22nd quick (what he timed last week) any day of the week."
The heat would transfer the top six, and Brian would finish where he started…fifth, battling Danny Lasoski for much of the race. "The track was heavy again all night long," he says. "The car reacts so much different when you are behind cars, then when it does when you are out there by yourself. We're about a month behind, because we just haven't had the number of 410 races that we've usually had up to this point in the year. We're kind of still in trial and error mode, and we tried to make it a little freer in the heat, and probably got it a bit too loose."
Adjustments were made for the 20-lap feature. "We tightened the car back up, and it really 'was what it was' as far as the track went," Brian says of the heavy surface. "They drew the six pill (for inversion), but someone missed it (a transfer) in the heat, so that put us third instead of the front row."
At the drop of the green, Brian settled in behind leader Billy Alley, and second place runner, Dusty Zomer. "We were just maintaining there in third, before Danny (Lasoski) got us right before the caution," he says. "We were able to go back to the last completed lap, and I was in front of him again. We were just trying to roll free around there as best we could. I think everyone was still turning fifteen second laps. It was wide open for twenty laps again."
Lasoski managed to get by Brian, who settled for fourth, late in the race. The relatives seemed joined all night on the track. "It was just coincidence, but it seemed we were paired up all night long," says Brian. "Unfortunately, he got the best of us in the heat and the feature. Hopefully, we'll get that turned around this week. That just shows us we've got a little homework to do to make ourselves a little bit better."
The MASS show in Quincy started with a quick time of 11.870 seconds around the newly configured 3/8 mile oval. Problems from the night before became more evident. "We had some problems with the fuel injection, and the throttle sticking," says Brian. "It wasn't as noticeable on the wide-open track at Knoxville as it was at Quincy. In the heat, I had to use my toe to kick the throttle off. I pulled a wheelie on the straightaway, and wasn't even touching the throttle, it was doing it itself. It was idling out there around 3000 rpm."
A run from sixth to third in the heat seemed impressive on the surface, but even more so when you take into consideration Brian manually working the throttle not only down, but back up. "After the heat, I told the guys if we can't fix it any better than it is now, we should probably load it up before we tear it up," he says. "We thought we had it a little bit better for the feature, so we ran it."
Starting outside of row three, Brian quickly surged to third and that is where he finished behind Jerrod Hull and Danny Smith. The problem was not fixed. "I still had to control the throttle the whole time with my toe, kicking it on and off," he explains. "If I would have been further back in the pack, I would have pulled it off, because that's not a safe situation. We're getting the fuel injection back to Tim Engler at Engler Machine and we'll have it back ready to go for this weekend. Hopefully, that cures it. Maybe it was just trying to tell me I'm running too slow!"
The WoO visits Knoxville Raceway on Friday and Saturday this week. If things go o.k., Brian plans to follow the series to Sunday's event at the Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Illinois east of St. Louis.
Brian on KGGO Friday Mornings
…by a radio station. Brian will be joining Lou, the Round Guy and Heather on KGGO "Classic Rock that Rocks" at 94.9 on the FM dial. He is calling each Friday morning at 6:45 a.m. during the race season to keep them apprised of his latest outings. Be sure to listen in!
Website
For up to date information on Brian Brown, visit the revamped www.BrianBrownRacing.com!
T-shirts
New t-shirts are available and can be ordered at Brian's website (www.BrianBrownRacing.com), www.Racingthreads.com, or catch us at the races!
Brian's Q&A
Ray in Kansas City asks: Do you do anything different when the WoO comes to town with respect to equipment, such as motors or other stuff?
Brian answers: We really don't have anything such as a bad motor. It's all good stuff. We normally do our basic deal. The biggest change is the ability to run softer tires than we can on a weekly deal. That changes the characteristics of the car, when you do something like that. We run what we normally do.
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
Sunday could mark Brian's first visit to the Tri-City Speedway with its new configuration. His last trip there was racing on the ¼ mile track in October of 2005 with the Gifford Racing #17G. He finished second behind Jerrod Hull, and in front of Tim Montgomery, Curt Trainer and Bobby Hawks. Expect Brian to make the World of Outlaws features this weekend. According to www.openwheeltims.com, he has made the last seven in a row, and nine of the last ten that he has competed at.
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!
SuperClean Products include:
Tough Task Cleaner-Degreaser
If you have tough, caked-on grease, then SuperClean Tough Task Cleaner-Degreaser is the multipurpose cleaner you need. This concentrated, industrial strength formula quickly removes grease, oil, wax, tar, and dirt on contact leaving your surface as clean as new.
All Wheel Cleaner
If you love your car more than you love your…well you know, then SuperClean All Wheel Cleaner is for you. This custom-blend formula instantly releases road grime and brake dust, leaving wheels clean to the original finish.
Concrete Cleaner
Great house…dirty driveway? Then you need SuperClean Concrete Cleaner. This concentrated, professional strength formula cuts away grease, grime, dirt, and organic stains leaving your concrete surface as clean as the original finish.
See Heather at a grandstand entrance near you or visit the team's trailer to get your free sample! Superclean is available at Wal-Mart, Autozone, O'Reilly Auto Parts, or to find a retailer near you visit www.superclean.com.
Marketing Partner of the Week – K&N Filters
Brian is a proud partner with K&N Filters. K&N Engineering, of Riverside, California, is the inventor and leading innovator of reusable cotton gauze filter technology for automotive applications. From humble beginnings as a family run business over 35 years ago, K&N Engineering, now a truly global company with offices in the U.K. and the Netherlands, continues to exist as a family owned business with an enthusiast mindset and a direct connection with motor sports that carries over throughout all levels of management and manufacturing. Today, K&N exists as both the sales and brand leader for performance filters, and maintains a stocking catalogue of over 3,500 part numbers, including an extensive line of both factory replacement drop-in filters, FIPK (Fuel Injection Performance Kit) applications, and its line of innovative Performance Gold oil filters.
Brian's Updates
Brian's Releases are an up close look at the past, present and future of 2007 Knoxville Raceway track champion, Brian Brown. To receive Brian's weekly updates, send an e-mail to sprntcar@iowatelecom.net with "Brian" in the subject line.
Brian would like to thank SuperClean, Ditzfeld Transfer, Boss Hogg Food Products, Maxim Racing, American Compressed Steel, Michael Ross Memorial Foundation, Champion Brands, Legend Suzuki, Housby Trucks, K&N Filters, Hostiowa.net, Yeager's Harley Davidson, Saldana Radiators, Fuel-Safe Tanks, Blue Springs Extreme Powersports, Awesome Racewear, Wolfe Eye Clinic, Shock Doctor, Weld Wheels, Fire-Down Graphics, Bell Helmets, CP Pistons, Paul's Auto Body Supply, Butler Built Seats, Rod End Supply, Winters Performance Products, ISC Racers Tape, Simpson, Racing Optics, Pro Shocks, Dake Law Office, Wes. Mo. Auto, Don's Truck Wash, Sunshack Tan, McCroskey Chevrolet, Gardner Farms and Hoosier Tires for all their help!
 
(Ryan Northcote Photo)
Bill W MediaMonroe, IAUSAsprntcar@iowatelecom.net
www.hoseheads.com/billw.html
|
