November 16th, 2002....Upland, California....Randy Brown, RB3 Racing, in the #99 Speed Truck captures the 2002 Mechanix Wear Speed Truck Challenge Championship in a 200 lap season finale race from Las Vegas Motor Speedway's "Bullring" finishing the first ever 200 lap race in second place behind the 2002 Speed Truck Challenge "Rookie of the Year" Lee Hatch.
Only 20 points separated Randy Brown in his #99 RB3 Chevy S-10 from Lee Hatch in the #91 BHRM Ford Ranger going into the season finale at Las Vegas. Randy only needed to finish in 11th place if Lee won the race, forcing a tie for the 2002 Championship, but also knew that the tie would go to Randy from his previous 8 wins this year. Lee wins the race, Randy finishes 2nd and the 2002 Championship by the slimmest margin in the six year history of the Speed Truck Challenge by a mere 18 points.
"We've held the lead in Championship points all year and really got off to a strong start by winning the first four races at the "Bullring," comments Randy Brown. "Lee was right there all year and we knew he was the one to beat. There have been some setbacks. On August 3rd and August 17th from Cajon Speedway and the Orange Show Speedway, Lee won both of these races. At Cajon Speedway on September 7th we had the lead on lap 57 of the 75 lap race and exploded an oil cooler down the front straight-a-way and a ball of flame engulfed my truck. I spun in my own oil and hit the turn 1 wall really hard. Lee went on to win this race as well, and really tightened up the points battle. We never gave up, the Championship was at hand and my crew gave everything they had right down to lap 200 at Las Vegas where we finished 2nd behind Lee and captured the 2002 Championship even with stitches in my right hand from an accident at my dad's shop two days before."
"It's an incredible feeling to win the Championship and have all the prestige that goes with it! To be able to sport the impressive "golden ring" with the word "CHAMPION" circled by 20 diamonds is a proud feeling. But, none of this would have been possible without my Crew Chief, Bob Brown {my dad} and the hard work all year long from my crew Steve Richardson, Herman Snook, David Lindow, Steve Newton and their families who have put up with the late nights and long weekends for this Championship hunt. Haz Mat Backhoe, Bar-Glo Welding, Luke's Transmissions, Good Graphix, Pennzoil and Rich's Motorsports have been with me every moment of every race this year, and without them we could have never won the Championship. And special thanks to Mechanix Wear, the 2002 Contingency Sponsors and Jay Rutherford for such an awesome racing series. We have loved watching the races on Fox Sports, Southern California cable and "This Week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway" and look forward to the upcoming broadcasts on Fox Sports starting Thanksgiving and running through February of next year." Brown concluded.
Randy Brown and RB3 Racing will continue with the Mechanix Wear Speed Truck Challenge in 2003. However, a deal is on the table for a full ride with a NASCAR Winston West team next year. There is also talk of a limited "west coast swing" in a Craftsman Truck. With 8 wins, 13 top fives, and 15 top tens in 2002, the 19 year old Brown is certainly a "desirable" property.
2002 FINAL POINTS STANDINGS - TOP 20
POSITION NAME TRUCK NUMBER POINTS
1 Randy Brown 99 924 2 Lee Hatch 91 906 3 Dan Digiacomo 31 814 4 Darren Young 11 808 5 Dave Hartsook 3 762 6 Kenny Smith 43 732 7 Casey Kingsland 88 696 8 John Burritt 21 654 9 Richard Franz 7 646 10 Danny Williams 28 632 11 Robert Sanders 8 600 12 Scott Porter 66 570 13 Doug Ingraham 97 546 14 Bobby Sayers 16 502 15 Scott Saunders 4 478 16 Jeff Rocheleau 13 454 17 Ron Nava 72 384 18 Nathan Mirth 76 350 19 Don Forman 18 344 20 Gary Bryant 94 290
