Brian Brown Forges On
By Bill W:
If Brian Brown had his way, he would erase the 2001 racing season altogether. High expectations are always on this 23 year old hard-charger, but the expectations were especially high following a successful 2000 campaign. In only his first full year in the sprints, Brown captured the WOW (Winged Outlaw Warriors) series, had ten feature wins, and in his first Knoxville appearance finished an impressive fourth in the 360 Nationals. "It helped me a lot having Jimmy Carr (the long-time crew chief for Danny Lasoski and a former World of Outlaw pilot himself) with me so much that summer," says Brown.
The winter of 2000-2001 found a possible 410 ride not panning out. "That left us behind in preparation for the season. You win championships in the winter, and that hurt us last year," said the driver of the Danny Lasoski #3. Brown, his father Robert, and grandfather George Lasoski put together a car with the help of Holbrook Motorsports for the 410 class at Knoxville. "If you want to do this you have to do it right, and we just had the one motor." The first week saw the team with serious engine problems. After sending the motor back, the team waited a few weeks for it to return. Hopes of running weekly in the 410 class were dashed.
The team struggled the whole season with their power, and in their luck. After putting in a smaller powerplant in for the 360 Nationals, Brian promptly registered quick time and finished 13th in the finale on Saturday night. The 410 Nationals started out fine with a qualifying lap good enough for 19th quick on Thursday night. After registering sixth in his heat, Brian blew the motor and would not run the rest of the weekend as the mechanical gremlins plagued yet again. It was the year in a nutshell, one in which the team is glad to put behind them.
Brown, from Higginsville, MO is planning on a busy schedule in the 360 class in 2002. He will race at Knoxville on a weekly basis, unless things go south. If his second place finish on opening night is any indicator, he should be a contender for the championship, as well as rookie of the year. He will also pick up any other 360 events that he can, including the WOW series races (he bagged a third place finish in their opener at Jefferson City a few weeks ago) that don't conflict with Knoxville. "If you want to go anywhere in this sport, you have to come to Knoxville. I can win a bunch of features in another series, but this is where I need to be," says Brown. "I probably have more respect for this track than most of the other guys. I've seen people bust their butt here, and I've seen what it takes."
Brian's long-term goals include racing for a living. He sees that most of the racers that are moving to the Indy and NASCAR circuits are climbing up through the USAC ranks, primarily on pavement. "Right now I want to get as many laps under me as I can, not tear things up, and learn to be a smart racer. You don't learn anything with your car sitting in the pits." He adds that he, of course, would love to move into the 410 class, but only if it is a good deal with solid equipment.
The Lasoski Motorsports Eagle is powered by a Kistler engine, and sponsored by American Compressed Steel, Ditzfield Transfer, Holiday Lanes of Marshall, MO, Durst and Musselman and Hall Contractors. Perhaps 2001 remains in the memory, but this young sprint pilot's future looks bright, indeed.