Story By: TYLER ALTMEYER / BRIAN BROWN RACING – GRAIN VALLEY, MO – For much of the open wheel world, all eyes will be on Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, and for Higginsville, Missouri’s Brian Brown, it will be no different, ready to tackle the “Granddaddy Of Them All” beginning with qualifying on Thursday, August 8.
For Brown, ace of his own Brian Brown Racing, Casey’s, FVP, Andy’s Frozen Custard, Impact Signs Awnings and Wraps, Mt. Dew Overdrive, Ditzfeld Transfer, No. 21 sprint car and former multi-time 360 Knoxville Nationals champion, a “410” Knoxville Nationals championship would be a first-ever achievement, permanently placing himself in the history books alongside other winners such as Steve Kinser, Doug Wolfgang, Donny Schatz, and reigning champ, Kyle Larson.
Although unable to defend his 360 Knoxville Nationals title, “Blackjack” will roll into the 63rd running of the coveted Knoxville Nationals (August 7-10) with a recent top-five to his credit, two to be exact, finishing third during 360 preliminary action before finishing fourth in the weekend finale; he started ninth.
“We’re most definitely excited about our qualifying night on Thursday,” Brown stated. “We had a great 360 Knoxville Nationals effort. We were in a great position to win on Friday during our preliminary night, but it just didn’t play out 100 percent and we ended up third. Our car in Saturday’s final was a rocket ship. Able to drive ourselves from ninth to fourth, just needed a caution late to bunch the field back up again. Hard to tell what would have happened then.”
Adding to his recent momentum kick, Brian Brown finished tenth in the Sunday night Capitani Classic at Knoxville, followed by a ninth-place score in Monday’s Front Row Challenge at Southern Iowa Speedway. In addition, Brown set Quick Time in Sunday’s Capitani, racing on to a runner-up finish during heat race competition. Blackjack would go on to start second on the main event grid.
“In the ‘A’ we tried some things that we’ve never done before, just trying to make some extra gains,” Brown, about the Capitani, said. “Sometimes things work out and sometimes they don’t. That’s all part of racing, especially at this level. We now know what we need to do to improve and I’m confident in saying we are more than ready for Thursday.”
Brian Brown and Brian Brown Racing will continue their 2024 campaign with the coveted 63rd Annual Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, on Wednesday through Saturday, August 7-10.