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Brian Brown – Top Three Blues!

(Bill W) August 20, 2008 – It's been a little tougher to get over that "winning hump" for sprint car driver Brian Brown in 2008. The Grain Valley, Missouri resident scored two more top three finishes in events in Minnesota and Missouri last weekend, but left wanting a bit more. Five wins would be a good season for most, but after winning 29 shows in 2006 and 2007, expectations were a bit higher this year. Now his focus turns back to the Knoxville Raceway, where the 2007 track champion has been gaining momentum the last two months, and is now into the top five in the point standings.

The Jackson Nationals is rich in tradition, and this year it was a 360 show. Two nights of racing began on Friday, and Brian got off to a rocky start in his heat. "We drew fifth and had some tough guys behind us, so we needed to get going," he says of the passing points system. "It was pretty one lane, and we got caught behind a car, got into him, and knocked the front end out. We weren't able to finish the heat and that hurt our passing points."

Starting at the tail of the B main, Brian roared to a fifth place finish, one spot out of a transfer to the preliminary feature. "It made it kind of a short night, but looking at the six-car pileup at the start of the feature, you have to remember that we could have been a part of that," he says. "On the other hand, maybe we could have been like Wayne (Johnson), and started in 18^th and went for the win. We knew we had a fast car."

Things started much better on Saturday, as Brian again started in row three of his heat, but this time found his way to the front in the Tim and Gina Doogs SuperClean #21, edging Jerry Richert Jr. for the win and qualifying for the dash. "We needed to do a better job on Saturday, and we did," he says. "The track was slicker. We were able to get the heat win from the third row, and then drew a good number for the dash and won that too."

Brian felt good starting on the pole of the $5,000 to win finale. "Going in, I thought we had a real shot at winning it, even with Wayne and Billy (Alley) behind me," he remembers. "Our car was so good in the dash; I may have outguessed myself a little bit by tightening it up a bit. That resulted in us being a little tight the first five or six laps."

After being sorted back, Brian came back strong to finish second behind Alley. "We fell back to fourth there for awhile behind Billy, Wayne and Gregg Bakker," he says. "We were able to get by Bakker and Wayne on a restart to finish second. After what we went through on Friday night, it wasn't a bad result with the caliber of cars there. We just haven't been able to rack the wins up like we have in years past. They'll come if we keep running strong like we are."

Confidence was high heading into Sunday's Winged Outlaw Warriors show at the Missouri State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, and he won his heat from row two. "Sedalia is pretty much our home track, and the atmosphere at the State Fair is electric," says Brian. "We had been able to win three in a row there during the Fair. We felt good in the heat race."

Starting fourth in the main event, he moved to the front. "We were able to get the lead early, and unfortunately, we got together with Jonathan Cornell on the front straightaway on the second lap," says Brian. "My left rear got into his right front and sheared his right front spindle off. Obviously, he's going for the point championship (WOW), and I didn't want to see that happen to him. I've always gotten along with Jonathan, and that wasn't what I was looking for."

Brian rebounded from the contact and set sail on the high side of the ½ mile. "We were kind of in cruise mode up on the top, but the guys behind me were finding some rubber through the middle of the track," he says. "It was a classic case of it being better to be running second. One minute I'm leading on the cushion, and the next, guys are driving by me in the rubber."

In the end, he was third behind family members Danny Lasoski (1^st) and Jon Corbin (2^nd). "I guess I should have been looking around for the rubber, but that's hard to do when you're leading," Brian laments. "You don't want to change your line too much."

This weekend it will back to weekly action at the Knoxville Raceway.

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

Madelyn in Oskaloosa, IA asks: What are your goals for the last two weeks of the Knoxville Raceway season?

Brian answers: We're still within striking range of third in the points. We're also trying some new stuff heading into next year. We have a different Maxim, and we're looking towards 2009. There's not much time to test during the race season, but this late in the year, we really don't have a lot to lose. We'll try to figure some things out for next year.

Got a question for Brian? Send it to us at [email protected], and we may answer it in this section! Put "? for Brian" in your subject line.

Brown's Bits

Brian is just 125 points out of third in the Knoxville Raceway point standings after being as far back as outside of the top ten earlier this year. His first full year running in the 410 class was 2003. Brian drove Lonny Parsons' #6 to a 7^th place finish in the standings. After returning to Knoxville on a full-time basis in 2005 with the Doogs, Brian has finished 4^th (2005), 2^nd (5 pts. from 1^st in 2006) and won the championship (2007).

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:

Tire Gloss

Get a showroom shine every time! Rejuvenate your tires with SuperClean Tire Gloss. Our unique formula clings to tires, giving them a long-lasting luster while protecting against dirt, dust and road grime.

Accuvision

When wet weather hits, rest assured that SuperClean AccuVision will help you drive safely by keeping your windshield clear and the road in sight! Our advanced technology improves visibility by repelling rain, sleet, and snow without any rubbing, buffing or waxing. Use it on any glass surface for a long-lasting, high-quality treatment.

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 – Ditzfeld Transfer

Ditzfeld Transfer has been with Brian since the start of his racing career, and was his first sponsor. The Sedalia based family owned trucking business has been in operation for over 45 years, and has a commitment to maintaining the highest level of service. Currently, Ditzfeld Transfer utilizes more than 50 power units and 160 trailers. To learn more about Ditzfeld Transfer, visit www.DitzfeldTransfer.com!

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 [email protected] 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!

(Daniel Beard Photo)

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