Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Awesome! One of my favorite racers. I remember watching the Yankee at Farley, Ia one year (10 years ago?). He gave up the pole because of a mechanical problem, and tagged the field. Ran through a pretty good field of cars to take the lead at lap 77 I believe and ran away with it! Obviously there was a better field of cars at Eldora, but that one ranks up there as one of the greatest performances I have witnessed in person.

Way to go, Birky!! So happy and proud of him.

The truth is even better than your memory....

It was 10 years ago, the same year he won his first World 100. Brian was leading when he broke a rear axle around lap 20. He drove out the back gate to his hauler and everyone (including the official who followed him out on a 4 wheeler) thought he was done for the night. His crewchief somehow pulled the broken axle out and replaced it under caution (it did take an extra lap or two to get the cars re-lined up properly) and he came roaring back onto the track, coming out of the gate in turn 2 just as the leaders were taking the green. There were still 26 or 27 cars on the track at the time and he took the lead again somewhere around lap 77.

The year before he lapped the entire field at the Liberty 100. It was funny watching his father try to slow him down in the late stages of the race to conserve the equipment....he finally just gave up...he knew what Brain was going to do.

My memory was a little foggy as I believe they were still selling beer in the half gallon milk jugs for 5 dollars! I do remember watching him come through the field though. I thought it was the week after winning the World, but I wasn't for sure.

thanks for the clarification.

I was working on the backstretch lining up cars. I remember hearing over the radio that Birky had a broken axle and was done. After the last car was in line I turned my back to turn 2 and was getting ready to watch the start when he scared the crap outta me!