Media Contact: Megan Dupuy - woodhullracewaypr@gmail.com For Immediate Release – May 24th, 2018 – Robert Symonds photo -
Sometimes the first win is one you really have to work towards. For Connor Brown it took him seven years before he got his first win. Within that seven years he never lost heart for what he loved to do, because he loved racing.
Brown is a Tioga resident who started racing when he was four years old. Brown was just 14 when he jumped into his first crate sportsman. Since his start Brown had yet to win a race until this season on April 28, Mountain Dew and Pepsi Night. Brown only raced a go-kart prior to the crate sportsman and got a top ten points finish in his first three years of racing in the NAPA Crate Sportsman division.
“The one year it was only my second year ever racing, I had almost 20 top fives and a handful of top tens, and two races I didn’t finish.” Brown expanded on about his racing career.
A lot of Woodhull drivers started out in a go-kart or youth division class. Brown remembers the difficulties he faced with jumping from a kart to a crate sportsman. One of the biggest changes was the speed. In the go-karts it’s a fairly easy set up and go whereas the crate sportsman takes a lot more when it comes to set up.
“It probably took me half a season to figure out how to run it.” Brown said.
Brown is a great role model for a lot of new drivers. This season we have seen a number of younger racers move up into the NAPA Crate Sportsman division. All of which are graduates of the Daugherty Auto Sales and Service Woodhull Warrior division. Brown was asked what advice he would give to a driver still looking to get his first win.
“It’s pretty simple. You just keep pushing, work hard, and never give up,” Brown stated.
Brown’s win on Mountain Dew and Pepsi night had nothing to do with his set up. Brown said nothing really changed from the last time he had the car on the track. The only thing he did was adjust his car to the track, which ended up favoring him.
Unfortunately we will not be able to see Brown every weekend at Woodhull Raceway do to his job in the Army Reserves. This may sound familiar because Brown’s brother, Colin, had raced the car previously and then had to leave for training for the Marines which is when Connor hopped in the driver's seat. When Colin left for the Marines in August of 2016, Connor came home from college to take over the driving role. Currently Colin is serving active duty in the Carolinas currently.
We asked Brown if it was hard for him to jump back into the car with the season almost being over?
“Yes and no. It had almost been a year since I had been in a car so it took me a little bit of time to get used to it again. It’s kinda like that saying you never forget because it’s like riding a bike.”
Even a week after Brown’s win it still seems unreal to him. He led the whole race green to checkered- which he mentioned was something even his dad hadn’t accomplished in his years of racing.
“He always started in the back or middle of the pack and won but never from the pole,” Brown added.
Brown has proved that you shouldn’t give up because good things take time. Racing is something he really enjoys and hasn’t given up because of his finishes. Hopefully this season brings some more good luck towards his way so we can see him in victory lane more often.