Brian Brown Triumphant With Lucas Oil ASCS At Sage Fruit Ultimate Challenge

Winning for the third time with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network at Oskaloosa’s Southern Iowa Speedway, Brian Brown captured Sunday’s $4,000 prize at the Sage Fruit Ultimate Challenged presented by STC.
 
Earning the pole through the night’s Heat/Qualifier format, Brown’s first jump to the lead was short-lived as a four-car incident with Watt, Covington, McCarl, and Crockett saw the No. 95 and No. 5j flipping while Crockett’s car ended up on fire. Helped from the car by Jordon Mallett as crews arrived on the scene, everyone was able to walk away unharmed.
 
Taking off again, Brown opened a sizable advantage before the caution on Lap 7 for Austin McCarl, who retired with rear-end issues.
 
Back to green for the final time, Brown opened things up on the field. Seemingly untouchable through the first 20 revolutions, the closing laps saw the Casey’s General Stores/Impact Signs No. 21 start picking through lapped traffic. Allowing California’s Dominic Scelzi to inch closer and closer, Brown was dealing with the car getting tight as he paced around the backmarkers.
 
To the white flag with Dominic Scelzi making up nearly 1.5 seconds on the FVP No. 21, the pair were coming up on one final slower car. Using the proximity of the lapped car to his advantage, the Scelzi Enterprises No. 41 drove deep into the final two turns for the lead. Sliding across Brown’s nose off the fourth turn, the Missouri shoe was able to pull low off on the straightaway and retake the point by 0.305-seconds.
 
“I was having a little trouble there when I got close enough to Harli [White] that I wasn’t close enough to pass, but I was close enough to be in dirty air,” explained Brown.
 
“Sometimes when you’re in second, you can take a flyer and try different lines that maybe isn’t working of me and whatnot, but I saw him come across and my car had been good enough still to be able to cut down, and it did where I was able to get the drive off and get the win.”
 
Scelzi in second marks the second time since Thursday that the Scelzi Enterprises No. 41 has been on the podium with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network. His best finish with the series, Scelzi was chased the line by Pennsylvania’s Brock Zearfoss, who battled early with Shane Golobic. Grabbing fourth in the NOS Energy Drink No. 17wg, the top-five was made up by Colby Copeland
 
Trey Starks moving up six positions to sixth. Sam Hafertepe, Jr. crossed seventh with Tim Kaeding eighth. Scott Bogucki from 13th made it to ninth with Sawyer Phillips moving forward seven spots for tenth.
 
A field of 45 drivers was on hand for the Sage Fruit Ultimate Challenged presented by STC. Originally a $3,000 to win show, Country Builders boosted the payout to $4,000 to win. Hoosier Tire of Knoxville handed out tires to SCE Gaskets Heat Race Winners, which included Colton Heath, Garet Williamson, Austin McCarl, Harli White, and Dominic Scelzi. Qualifier wins went to Tim Kaeding, Brian Brown, and Shane Golobic. BMRS B-Features were topped by Sawyer Phillips and Matt Covington.
 
Ayrton Gennetten was the night’s Hard Charger and picked up a KSE Power Steering Pump. Jack Dover, who took a hard ride in his Heat Race, received a complete set of Wilwood Brakes.
 
The next event on the ASCS calendar is the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Week powered by Smiley’s Racing Products. The standalone series begins Tuesday, August 11 at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan.
 
For other news, notes, and information on the American Sprint Car Series, from the National Tour to any of the Regional Tours that make up ASCS Nation in 2020, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com, follow on Facebook, on Instagram, and Twitter (@LucasOilASCS).
 
ASCS PR