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Written by Yaani-Mai Gaddy
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Sunday, 30 November 2008 22:30 |
DIRT TRACK BRAINS AND BRAWN Damon Brown
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Fast Facts:
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Name: |
Damon Brown
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Home: |
Havanna, IL, USA |
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Age: |
33 |
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Hgt: |
6' 1" |
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Wgt: |
185lbs |
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Ride: |
ATV - Raptor 690, Honda 450
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Barker
Parts: |
Barker Exhaust
Barker Engine with Rod and Head
Barker Powder Coated Frame
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Forum ID: |
MAD B
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Race History ('At a Glance'):
2006 ATVA Extreme Dirt Track National Series #8 Overall (Open A)
2006 ATVA Extreme Dirt Track National Series #10 Overall (Plus 25)
2006 AMA District 17 Dirt Track Champion (Open / Pro-Am Quad)
2006 AMA District 17 Illinois State ½ Mile Champion (Open / Pro-Am Quad)
2005 AMA District 17 Dirt Track Champion (Open / Pro-Am Quad)
2005 AMA District 17 Illinois State ½ Mile Champion (Open / Pro-Am Quad)
2005 AMA District 17 TT Champion (Open / Pro-Am Quad)
2004 AMA District 17 3rd Place Dirt Track (Open / Pro-Am Quad)
2004 AMA District 17 TT Champion (Open / Pro-Am Quad)
2003 AMA District 17 Dirt Track Champion (Open / Pro-Am Quad)
2003 AMA District 17 TT Champion (Open / Pro-Am Quad)
2003 Illinois Indoor / Winter Dirt Track Champion (Open / Pro-Am Quad)
2003 12 Hour Race of America, Fort Doge, Iowa. Industry Class - Top 10 Team Finish
2003 Illinois Indoor / Winter TT Champion (Open / Pro Am Quad)
2002 Indoor / Winter Dirt Track Champion (Open / Pro-Am Quad)
2002 12 Hour Race of America, Fort Dodge, Iowa. Utility Class - Top 5 Team Finish
2002 AMA District 17 3rd Place Cross Country (4-Wheel A)
** District 17 Champion finishes include multiple 'Track Points Champion Awards'
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Just like Clark Kent, Damon Brown spends his days as a corporate consultant for AIG, but hides under his suit an alter-ego that dominates the Illinois dirt track scene. Hard to believe that the AMA District 17 Champion started out at age five on a Montgomery Ward Mini Bike. With a laugh, Brown describes his first ride as a Briggs and Stratton lawn mower motor with no brakes, just a kill switch.
By eight though, Damon says he started riding a YZ80, the smaller version of his dad's YZ426. Brown says, "When I first started, I wanted to follow in the steps of my father who rode and raced everything." In the mid nineties, Brown bought his first ATV, a Warrior 350 but only played on it while he finished college and earned his graduate degree. |
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The racing started in 2000 with Brown opting to ride quads because he felt too old to do motorcross, but he enjoyed the fitness level required to do ATV dirt track. Brown's choice proved wise when he placed second in his first race and ended up winning the State Championship that year.
Four time State Champion, Brown admits the combo of Raptors and dirt track is rare, with most other riders opting for maneuverability. Brown says, "In dirt track and tt racing there's so many turns, the Raptors are a little too big for that- because they're so heavy. But I was making up for it because the engine is such a monster. I would lose a little on the turns but then just eat people on the straight-aways."
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Unlike drag racers, Brown says "I needed power from bottom to top, off and on all the time." He heard about Barker from an acquaintance and said his relationship with Tim has been top notch. "Tim is the top Raptor builder in the country. Period. And Barker's service beats all of the big names."
For Brown's immediate future, he says, "I'm running pro class, pro-production. Switching to a whole new quad. I want to go to the National level. Last year, I finished eighth in open A Class ATVA Extreme Dirt Track Nationals and that was running only half of the races because all of our efforts went to winning the State." |
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| We don't need to shake the Magic Eight Ball to know that Brown's headed for big success. See you in the Winner's Circle, Damon. |
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Saturday, February 04, 2012
