|
Brown
Shooting for the Record in Mission
Courtesy of Will Hanna/ Pro Race Communications
MISSION, B.C.
--
Most racers go into an event just hoping for a win,
or to just go a few rounds. That's not the case for
Federal Mogul Dragster driver Kevin Brown. This weekend,
Brown and team will head to Mission, B.C., for the NHRA
Division 6 Federal Mogul Drag Racing Series event there
this weekend.
At his last outing there, Brown ran an elapsed time
of 5.31 seconds, less than .01 off of the national elapsed
time record of 5.303 seconds set almost two years ago.
Brown, from Clearfield, Utah, still considers winning
the race as his main goal, but feels with more experience
and favorable weather conditions forecasted again this
weekend, he should be able to improve on his 5.31. In
fact, he feels that 5.20's aren't out of the equation
as well.
"What we are really trying to do is repeat from
where we left off up there," said Brown. "Last
time we had minor problem in the fuel system, and I
think with that problem rectified, we can move on and
win the event. We would really like to get back to the
performance of that 5.31 and possibly set the national
record. We think that the car has it in it for sure.
We're just going to go up there and have some fun."
At the last event held at Mission in March, racers encountered
near perfect air and track conditions to run some of
the most impressive times and speeds seen this year.
With Mission's history of favorable racing conditions,
Brown feels they might see those conditions again this
weekend.
"It's really hard to say if that will happen again,"
commented Brown. "If Venus and Mars do line up
again and we get those kind of conditions, who's to
say we can't go out there and run a .28 or so. I think
that there will be a lot of racers there capable of
running in the mid to low .30's. But I definitely want
to be the first one to run a .20 up there if anyone
does. We're going to give it our best shot."
Brown also hopes to improve his fourth place standing
in Division 7 this weekend.
"We decided to skip Sacramento because of the heat
and the altitude," stated Brown. "We substituted
that race with the first Mission race because we knew
we would see better conditions for running one of these
A/Fuel cars up there. We didn't win the race, but did
pretty well. When we got back from that race, there
was close to 150 emails from the fans that were requesting
us to come back up there. We hadn't planned on returning
for the second race there, because we have so many races
this time of the year, but we do this for the fans,
and when you get something like that from the fans,
you can't tell them no."
"The track there in Mission is the best I've raced
at in the NHRA," continued Brown. "I'd like
to go up there and see if we can't bring back home the
little 'Wally' this time."
Qualifying begins at 4 p.m. on Friday for the Federal
Mogul Dragsters. Stay tuned to SummitRacing.com's Drag
Race Central for round by round updates of the racing
action from Mission. For more information about the
team, visit their website at
JokersWildRacing.com.
For more news in the world of Federal Mogul racing,
check out InsideFMRacing.com
Engine
Problems Slow Brown during Qualifying
Courtesy of Will Hanna/ Pro Race Communications
MISSION, B.C.
-- Coming
into this weekend's NHRA Division 6 Federal Mogul Drag
Racing Series event in Mission, B.C., Federal Mogul Dragster
pilot Kevin Brown had high hopes of becoming only the
second driver in the class to clock sub 5.3 second elapsed
times. While the goal was in sight during qualifying,
it remained just out of his reach, as engine problems
slowed him on both runs.
Brown, who restores classic cars in Clearfield, Utah,
qualified his "Joker's Wild" A/Fuel Dragster
fifth with an elapsed time of 5.56 seconds at only 221
mph. During his first outing at Mission earlier in the
year, Brown ran a career best e.t. of 5.31 seconds at
over 260 mph. This weekend, Brown's problems have been
associated with blown head gaskets.
"We've had a little bit of a problem torching heads,"
said Brown. "We've been chasing what nozzles to put
in the fuel system. We're just feeling this new combination
out. We feel good about it. We didn't hurt it too bad.
We have parts, so we should be ok for first round tomorrow."
Brown's first round opponent will be No. 3 qualifier Gregg
Lawrence, the only other A/Fuel Dragster at Mission. Brown
feels confident of his chances if he can correct his problem.
"We've definitely loaded the car for bear,"
commented Brown. "Gregg ran a career best of a .38.
We know that he has a little more left in it, but we think
that we have a little something for him as well. It's
going to be two A/Fuel cars, so we'll just battle it out."
Brown also has not given up hope of running 5.20's this
weekend, as well.
"I still think we have a shot at the .20's,"
explained Brown. "If I can make it to the second
round when it starts to cool off, I think we definitely
got a .27-.28 car. We have the power, and the track seems
to be there. If we can get the corrected altitude down
below 500 ft, we should be good to go."
Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. Stay tuned to
SummitRacing.com's Drag Race Central for round by round
coverage of the action from Mission. For more information
about the team, visit their website at
JokersWildRacing.com
Brown
Still Looking for First Win at Sears Point
Courtesy of Will Hanna/ Pro Race Communications
SONOMA, Calif.
-- Just
one weekend after coming up short of his goal of setting
the national record in Mission, B.C., NHRA Federal Mogul
Dragster pilot Kevin Brown hopes to rebound during this
weekend's NHRA Division 7 Federal Mogul Drag Racing Series
event at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. Brown has
consistently been one of the top cars in qualifying this
year, and hopes to be the top car on raceday this weekend.
Brown, from Clearfield, Utah, will be looking to fall
back on the same hot weather performance he had in Bakersfield,
Calif., earlier in the year. At that race in April, Brown
qualified No. 1 with an elapsed time of 5.342 seconds
at 252.66 mph on his way to a semifinal finish.
"We're looking for some solid 5.40's this weekend,"
said Brown. "I think the adjusted altitude will be
around 2000 feet. I feel we have a combination that will
get us in the .40's, and that's what I think it will take
to be a player this weekend. With the hitters in Division
7, I think it will be a great weekend. I really think
we have a low .40 package together here."
Brown currently sits third in Division 7 standings, and
hopes to gain on points leaders Mike Strasburg and Brandon
Bernstein this weekend.
"Currently, we're only No. 3 by about seven or eight
points," stated Brown. "My good friend Brandon
Henkelman will be there, and he's right behind us in fourth
place. It's going to be a real battle. Strasburg just
took over the No. 1 spot, and they're a tough bunch. Bernstein
and Darien are obviously a tough bunch as well. If I can
finish up in the top five this year, I'm a happy man.
Coming from two years of not qualifying to being in the
top five, I have nothing to snivel about there at all."
Qualifying begins on Friday at 4 p.m. for the Federal
Mogul Dragsters. Stay tuned to InsideFMRacing.com for
the latest news in the Federal Mogul Categories. For more
information about the team, visit their website at JokersWildRacing.com.
Brown
Smokes the Tires during First Session
Courtesy of Will Hanna/ Pro Race Communications
SONOMA, Calif.
-- Most
drag racers will tell you that hot weather, high horsepower,
and a 'greasy' racetrack usually don't go together well.
During Friday's first qualifying session at this weekend's
NHRA Division 7 Federal Mogul Drag Racing Series at Sears
Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., Federal Mogul Dragster
driver Kevin Brown found out first hand. Brown left the
line on a strong launch, but lost traction at around the
300' mark.
"We were a little bit more aggressive on the tune-up
than what we should have been for those track conditions,"
said Brown, from Clearfield, Utah. "We had it a bit
healthy on the fuel and the clutch. Not super bad, but
obviously, we missed just a hair. The track temp was about
140 degrees, and it just didn't want to take the horsepower
I was trying to give it. It blew the tires off, and now
we'll see what happens tomorrow."
Brown will have one more qualifying session today to attempt
to better himself in the 16 car field. Brown currently
sits tenth with his aborted 8.32 second elapsed time at
only 108 mph in his Injected-nitro dragster. Fellow Division
7 racer Brandon Henkelman leads the field with a 5.680
at 249.59 mph.
"I think we can get it down to a mid to low .60.
The forecast is for about 78 degrees tomorrow with some
clouds, so we might see some .50's. I think we have the
tune-up in the car, and we can do it. We just need Venus
and Mars to line up and give us a break, and we'll be
ok."
The Federal Mogul Dragsters will have one more qualifying
session at noon today. First round will follow at 4 p.m.
Stay tuned to InsideFMRacing.com for the latest news in
Federal Mogul Racing. For more information about the team,
visit their website at JokersWildRacing.com.
Brown
Advances to Final Eliminations
Courtesy of Will Hanna/ Pro Race Communications
SONOMA, Calif. --
In drag
racing, a driver's main goal is to win his race or 'get
the win light.' Whether it's a world record run, or a
slow run, if the driver wins the round, it was a success.
Case in point, NHRA Federal Mogul Dragster driver Kevin
Brown's first round win during this weekend's NHRA Division
7 Federal Mogul Drag Racing Series event at Sears Point
Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.
In Saturday's first round, Brown defeated Daryl Hitchman
with an off-pace 6.29 second elapsed time at 221 mph to
Hitchman's trailing 6.50 at 168 mph. Not exactly what
the team had hoped for, but mission accomplished for that
round. Brown, from Clearfield, Utah, qualified his "Joker's
Wild" A/Fuel Dragster ninth with a 5.841 at 223.61
mph. In his first round race with Hitchman, both drivers
smoked the tires and were forced to pedal the car several
times. Brown came away the victor of the pedal contest,
and advances to round two.
"It was a little bit of a smoke-fest," said
Brown. "I was on and off the throttle a half dozen
times. It was whoever was quicker on the pedal, and whoever
dropped cylinders later than the other. We was lucky enough
to take the stripe [win] on that one."
In today's quarterfinals, he will face the Top Fuel points
leader Kenny Bernstein's son, Brandon. Bernstein was the
No. 1 qualifier, and Brown plans to step it up for the
'Bud Prince.' "Now we have Bernstein, and if we get
by him, my prediction is that we will have Mr. [Brandon]
Henkelman," Brown commented. "We've thrown everything
we got in the trailer at it, so if we come up lucky again,
so be it, if not, we've still had a good weekend."
"I've pretty much thrown everything that I know and
can do to this car," continued Brown. "My crew
stayed up until 1:30 last night getting this thing dialed
in and ready to rock. If the track will hold what we're
trying to do, we should be right along side of him at
the top end. If the track won't hold it, obviously, we
won't. [Jerry] Darien's group [Bernstein] has been very,
very strong this weekend, so I just hope like hell I can
get close to the performance they have been running this
weekend. I know the car has it in it, it's just trying
to find it is the problem."
Final eliminations will start today at noon. Stay tuned
to InsideFMRacing.com for the latest news and results
from the world of Federal Mogul racing. For more information
on the team, visit their website at JokersWildRacing.com.
Brown
Hopes to Regain Early Season Performance in Seattle
Courtesy of Will Hanna/ Pro Race Communications
KENT, Wash.
-- After
struggling at his past two races, NHRA Federal Mogul Dragster
driver Kevin Brown hopes to return to the near record
breaking performance he experienced earlier in the year
during this weekend's Prolong Northwest Nationals presented
by Napa Auto Parts at Seattle International Raceway just
outside of Seattle. Brown has run as quick as 5.31 seconds
down the quarter mile this year, and hopes that this weekend's
projected cool racing conditions will help him get back
into that performance zone.
Brown, who runs a classic car restoration shop in Clearfield,
Utah, lost in the second round at his last race, a divisional
event in Sonoma, Calif. , three weeks ago. Brown and his
team have not been idle in their downtime, however. Rather,
they have been working diligently to find the cause to
their problems of late, and believe they may have the
solution this weekend.
"Sonoma was obviously a very hot track and had hot
conditions," said Brown. "I believe with the
overcast skies and what they are projecting as far as
weather for this weekend, I think we have a pretty good
shot. We've been struggling. We find a few things here
and there every time, though. If you aren't learning something
every time, you're either dead or the champion. I feel
that we have just as good a shot as anybody else to do
quite well here."
"I think we have found the problems that this car
has had the last few races," continued Brown. "I
don't know what it will run, but I would like to get my
old 5.40 race car back. Maybe even head into the 5.30's,
but at this point, we would be happy just to run some
good numbers again."
Looking at the second half of the season, Brown and team
hope to put their struggles of late behind them, and put
together a run towards a strong national points finish.
"We're going to be limited this year for the second
half," stated Brown. "I am running this deal
out of our own pocket. We haven't found any corporate
backing yet. I would really like to do the Brainerd-Indy
swing, and maybe hit Dallas, too. I still think we can
be a potential player if we can get a handle back on this
car. If we can do that, I still feel strongly that we
can have a top 20 finish, maybe better. That's what we
are shooting for."
Qualifying begins on Friday for the Federal Mogul Dragsters,
starting at 1 p.m. and another session at 4 p.m. Stay
tuned to InsideFMRacing.com for the latest news in the
world of Federal Mogul Racing. For more information on
the team, visit their website at JokersWildRacing.com.
Brown
Looking to Put Problems behind Him in Sonoma
Courtesy of Will Hanna/ Pro Race Communications
SONOMA, Calif.
-- NHRA
Federal Mogul Dragster driver Kevin Brown hasn't had the
summer of racing he had hoped for. After nearly setting
a new national record in April with a stellar 5.31 second
run, the season looked full of promise. Instead, it has
been filled with enough parts breakage and headaches to
fill an Excedrin commercial. After fighting the same problems
last weekend in Seattle, Brown and team believe they have
found the culprit and hope to return to their early season
form during this weekend's Fram-Autolite Nationals at
Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.
Brown's main problem this year has been blowing head gaskets
during the run. After consulting with fellow A/Fuel racer
David Baca, the class' quickest and fastest driver, they
believe they have a handle on the problem. The Clearfield,
Utah, resident feels that if they can put that problem
behind them, strong runs are just around the corner.
"Our problems really started back at the second Mission
race," said Brown. "Going into Seattle, we figured
we had the tune-up set, and we did, but other problems
have jumped up and bit us in the backside. As it turns
out, our problem was in the cylinder o-ring, and we thought
it was a problem with our tune-up. We got some help from
some of Baca's boys, they did some machine work for me.
We think the head gasket situation is a done deal. Hopefully
we can get back to where we can tune this thing to run
some .40's and .50's, and maybe even pop off a .30. This
is a humbling game. One day you're running .30's, the
next day you're lost."
Brown ran a Division 7 race here last month, where he
lost in the second round to eventual winner Brandon Bernstein.
He hopes to use the data he collected here last time to
help him dial in his combination this weekend.
"We'll be going back into the log book for a tune-up,"
explained Brown. "We're always looking at the tune-up
paperwork, from one run to the next. Even on the 'botched'
runs, we analyze the data. One of the runs in Seattle,
I was out of the throttle at 3.6 seconds into the run,
when it ran out of power because it torched the head,
and coasted through to a 5.70. The car has an awesome
run in it. We haven't been able to tune the car because
it has been wanting to blow the heads off. I don't think
the tune-up itself is an issue, I think we have a handle
on it. I think if we can keep everything happy and all
eight lit, we'll be back in the hunt."
Qualifying begins on Friday for the Federal Mogul Dragsters
with sessions at 1 and 5:30 p.m. Final qualifying will
be ran noon Saturday, with first round following at 3:30
p.m. Final eliminations will conclude the event on Sunday.
Stay tuned to InsideFMRacing.com for the latest news from
the world of Federal Mogul racing. For more information
on the team, visit their website at JokersWildRacing.com.
Brown
Appears to be Back "In the Groove"
Courtesy of Will Hanna/ Pro Race Communications
SONOMA, Calif.
-- After
fighting mechanical problems with his racecar at his last
few races, NHRA Federal Mogul Dragster driver Kevin Brown
appears to be close to returning to his early season form
when running near record setting runs was the norm for
the Clearfield, Utah, based team. After Friday's qualifying
at this weekend's Fram-Autolite Nationals at Sears Point
Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., Brown currently sits No. 6.
With the apparent cause to his head gasket problems found,
Brown feels it is only a matter of time before his A/Fuel
Dragster starts running respectable numbers again. His
first and only run of 5.582 seconds at only 222.84 mph
was far from perfect. He feels there is much room for
improvement for today's final qualifying session and first
round.
"We went into today very confident we had the head
gasket problem fixed," said Brown. "That was
our only real concern for today. There's only 15 cars
here, so making the field isn't a worry, so we only made
one shot. We wasn't trying to go out there and be the
No. 1 qualifier, we were just looking for a clean point
A to B pass, and have my racecar together on the top end."
"At the hit of the throttle, the car set me back
really hard, and I knew at that point, for at least the
first 60 feet, I had my old racecar back," continued
Brown. "Come to find out, it had went the best 60'
time it had ever went, a .917. At about 1.8 seconds into
the run, it rattled the tires, I pedaled it, got back
in it, then at about 800 ft, it started to nose over,
because it obviously didn't like my pedal job. So I clicked
it off early. That explains the low mph. The cylinder
heads did not get torched, and everything looks great
in the motor. I think we're back."
With his 'Point A to B' run behind him, Brown plans to
make a shot low e.t. in today's last qualifying session
at noon.
"I think the car has No. 1 capability with the tune-up
it has on it," stated Brown. "I gave one of
my mentors a call after the pass, Steve Watson, from Sudden
Impact Racing, a nostalgia top fuel team that is coming
together in Utah. Steve has helped us all year with tuning,
and he agrees, that from looking at the incrementals,
and the computer readings that I was reading to him that
we have a very solid 5.30 racecar here, if the track will
hold it. The gameplan for Saturday is to leave it alone,
because I think if I hadn't of pedaled it, and ran it
out the back door, we could have ran a low .40 in that
round. Not to be too overzealous, but I think we're back
in the groove, and have a car that is to be reckoned with.
If they measured it by pure enthusiasm from the crew,
I'd be a world champion. These guys just will not let
me go down. There just awesome. I think we're going to
leave it alone for tomorrow, and hope the track is better."
Final qualifying for the Federal Mogul Dragsters is at
noon, and will be followed by first round of eliminations
at 3:30 p.m. For more news from the world of Federal Mogul
Racing, visit InsideFMRacing.com. For more information
on the team, visit their website at JokersWildRacing.com.
Brown
Loses Close One in Round 1
Courtesy of Will Hanna/ Pro Race Communications
SONOMA, Calif.
-- NHRA
Federal Mogul Dragster driver Kevin Brown came just .007
of a second away from picking up his first national event
round win of the year during this past weekend's Fram-Autolite
Nationals at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.
During Saturday's first round, Brown nearly upset A/Fuel
powerhouse David Baca, but came up short by a mere seven-thousandths
of a second (roughly two feet at 250 mph). While he did
not accomplish his goal of winning the race, Brown is
still happy with the progress his team made this past
weekend. The Clearfield, Utah, resident found and cured
the culprit to the team's cylinder head problems, which
not only kept the team from winning rounds, but put a
serious dent in the team's budget.
With those problems behind him, Brown was able to make
some respectable laps in his "Joker's Wild"
injected-nitro dragster, qualifying No. 9 with a 5.582
second pass at 222.84 mph. In his first round matchup
with Baca, Brown took a .037 of a second holeshot off
the line, but couldn't hold off Baca, who came around
him with a 5.530 at 255.39 mph to Brown's right-there
5.574 at 232.55 mph.
"We ran the last qualifier Saturday morning,"
said Brown, "and the car moved really good, then
went out and dropped cylinders when my timed events started.
We got back from the run, and felt that it was too fat
(term used for overly rich fuel condition) and made a
fuel adjustment. We was thinking that the adjustment would
get it past our timed event, and we would be fine. Unfortunately,
that was not the case. I was ahead of him all the way
down the racetrack, and was quite 'stoked' thinking that
I had one of the baddest cars beat. I gave him everything
I could, and he beat me by seven-thousandths of a second."
Looking back on the team's 'Western Swing,' although the
team struggled, Brown feels the progress the team has
made over the last few races was well worth it, along
with giving them a fresh outlook on their upcoming races.
"I feel pretty confident about the rest of the year,"
stated Brown. "You have to be confident no matter
what whenever you go out there. I think we have found
what needs to be done to the fuel system to cure our cylinder
dropping problems. I feel pretty good about our next races.
We've learned quite a bit, and I'm proud of my guys. Within
three laps, my guys figured out our cylinder head problems,
as the same heads stayed on the car all weekend long.
As long as you learn something every pass, sooner or later,
you're going to win something. Sooner or later, you're
going to be the champion."
For more information on the team, visit their website
at JokersWildRacing.com For the latest Federal Mogul racing
news, log on to InsideFMRacing.com |
|
