There are a lot of people who work in professional motorsport and they all have their own point of view. Some see the world of auto racing behind the sight of a set of keys. Some can see it through the visor of a crash helmet and the windshield of a race car. Tim Brown is one of the few who have both angles covered.
Michael Waltrip Racing started out as a driver-owned team. Waltrip’s efforts in NASCAR’s then-titled Busch Series were first conducted from a store behind his residence in the North Carolina countryside. It has grown to become the multi-car Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series operation. Brown oversees the suspension department that works with all MWR equipment and chassis.
But that doesn’t end the description of his involvement in racing. He is also a dedicated owner-driver for a modified NASCAR team that competes on the Southern Tour and at historic Bowman Gray Stadium.
Our talk begins, of all places, at a racetrack. I can find some time to talk to Tim inside his big white truck carrying his modified one. The weather forecast for the day’s scheduled race is not good. Clouds are gathering on the horizon and the bright blue Brown Motorsports car is on the pit lane, awaiting the first practice session of the day, which is only a few hours away. Still in his street clothes, the Virginia resident talks to me in the infield of Ace Speedway.
“My grandfather had race cars” answers my first question about how he first got the racing bug and also answers my modified division question before it was asked. “(He) owned mods when I was a kid and had up to five cars running at the same time. I grew up playing in them and playing in them and I grew up going to the race track and I knew from that moment that that was what I wanted.” . to do.”
Roger Hill, Johnny Johnson, and Jerry Cook are a few of the big modified names that have filled the seat of Ed Clifton-owned race cars that caught the eye of a young Tim Brown.
I continued to question him about his childhood goals, asking him if he wanted to be a professional Cup driver. “I still do,” he finished. “There are so many people that could be there that (aren’t) there. It’s all about the money. I spend more money doing this (race mods) than I can afford. This is it. I can’t go any higher.”
But the driver of the Hayes Jewelers-sponsored machine says he’ll get a chance to make his Nationwide Series debut later this season. “We’re going to run some races with Rick Ware Racing. The schedule isn’t really set, but we’re going to have some races. If I have a chance to win the (NASCAR Southern Modified) Tour here, I wouldn’t do it.” lose a race to go race that (Nationwide Series).
“If I’m leading the points in the stadium (Bowman Gray) or have a chance, I definitely wouldn’t put the championship in jeopardy just to run a few races. That may be the wrong way to look at it, but it’s a deal where after our season is over, there are still a few (Nationwide) races left to run.
Brown didn’t start his career in a beginner class, but rather in the high-horsepower modifieds, the fastest car NASCAR has under its approval. “Concord (NC) was my first race,” he said.
Another veteran pilot from the southern modified division gets high praise from Tim, Al Hill. “He has been like a second father to me. He has taught me a lot about racing and life. He is one of my best friends and a great competitor.”
But during the week he is out of the cab and makes a living helping other drivers succeed. David Reutimann and Marcos Ambrose, in addition to Waltrip, are at the controls of the cars that run on suspensions built from the department in which Brown leads.
“That’s my career. In my job, I give 120% there, to make sure my department gives 120%, so when we (MWR) show up on the track, we do a really good job. Reutimann just sat down. on pole in “Texas, Ambrose is doing phenomenal and Michael is doing great too. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t have a car in the Chase this year with the performance we’re building with that shop. Everyone at MWR is doing a great job. We’re about to win races and be competitive week in and week out.”
The Winston-Salem native describes his team owner: “With Michael it’s pretty simple, what you see is what you get. He’s always upbeat and happy. Always fun to be around. Very serious when it comes to his company.” do well in the Cup Series. It gives us everything we need to build great race cars and it’s starting to show. I love my job and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep MWR running as well as possible.”
Seven-time stadium champion Bowman Gray has a hard time narrowing down just one favorite achievement. “I enjoy it all. Every time we’re in victory lane, I’m not sure it hasn’t been sweeter than the last time just because it’s so hard to get there.” The victory resume can boast the annual season opener of 200 laps at the stadium and numerous touring checkered flags. “If I had to pick one, the first time I’ve won at Caraway (Asheboro, NC). Every time I’ve raced there, I finally won last year. That was one of the biggest wins for my team because we’ve struggled there in the past. We ran second there six times and we wonder ‘Are we ever going to win here?’
His team is full of talented people like many grassroots operations. His wife Laura, Ben Brown, Mark and his daughter Nicole Ruhmann, Tony Widner, Dennis and Travis Jarrett, Johnny Ireland, Denis Pruchnik, Brandon Smith and Marty Mitchen provide the help Tim needs.
Circle K convenience stores occupy a major patronage space on Troyer’s chassis. “Since I’m going to be driving for them on the Nationwide deal, this gives them additional publicity.”
His off-track racing activity is something Tim spends time on, but he doesn’t get the publicity that his on-track actions generate.
“Her mom and dad tried to keep it a secret,” begins the story of a birthday surprise for a young fan. “They told him ‘let’s go out for your birthday’ and they were going to a little Mexican restaurant on the way home.” The parents of her young fan told her, “If you could just stop by and say hello, it would mean a lot to her.” On her way home from work, Brown described her dad as “waiting for me outside.”
“I gave him a poster of our championship banquet and the trophy from the last race we won at the stadium as a birthday present.” Brown went on to talk about the twelve-year-old girl’s party. “It was very sweet to see the joy it brought to her and her family. Her grandmother and some of her aunts were with her and they were all very kind and appreciative.
“I try to do as much as I can. Whether or not it makes me a better person, I feel better about myself. As long as I can do things like that, I will.”
As the day grew later and practice time neared, Tim and his team had to continue their preparation for the race. Track meet meetings were scheduled and some work on the cars still needed to be completed. I thanked him for his time and left confined to the transport truck. Unfortunately, the event fell victim to rain later that night. Before our conversation ended, Brown left me with the impression of a true racer who understands the value of racing fans.
“I have a pretty hectic schedule, but I find it easy enough to take thirty minutes out of my day. If it wasn’t for the fans, we wouldn’t be here racing. If we run a race and no one came there.” as he gestures to Ace’s stands, “regardless of whether they shoot for me or you or whoever, we wouldn’t have a race.”