Brenner still living a dream

For the News & Messenger

Adam Brenner had one of those dream seasons in 2007 at Old Dominion Speedway. The 32-year-old Fredericksburg driver not only won his first Grand Stock championship but won it in the season’s finale.

Brenner, who finished with four wins and 16 top fives, trailed veteran Greg Compton all season and was able to catch him the last night of the season.

It’s now five months since Brenner won the championship in only his second year in Grand Stocks and he still can’t believe he won.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet,” said Brenner, who just received his trophy at the ODS banquet in mid-February.

Brenner also won ODS’s Horizon Trophy for the driver with the most potential for success in racing. He won the same award at the MARF banquet.

He noted that his most satisfying win came in the season opener when he passed Greg Compton for the first time in his career and then notched his first win.

“When I got the run coming in the middle of turns one and two, I knew I had Greg and was just so elated,” Brenner said. “That was my most memorable race last season.”

Brenner’s most frustrating race came in the first part of the season when he and Compton tangled after running first and second the whole race and both wound up with poor finishes.

“I was disappointed in that one,” Brenner said.

This season, Brenner will compete in Late Models for the first time. With the new rule changes, he’s not certain just how things will shake out. He, along with drivers from last year’s Grand Stock class, will be driving with veteran Late Model competitors.

With the new rules, everyone will be driving on eight-inch tires and will be allowed only two new tires each week. That should save drivers about $5,000 a season on tires alone.

“I think the two tire rule is great,” Brenner said. “That’s the best idea they’ve had.”

Although it’s been a pleasant off-season for Brenner after winning the Grand Stock championship, he’s ready to race again.

“I’m ready to get back to racing,” he said. “Our goal is to be competitive and hopefully, win races again.

Brenner said he’s not sure what to expect with Grand Stocks and Late Models merging and with the new rules changes.

Late Model cars will be running a restrictor plate. Brenner believes the rule changes should make the Grand Stocks and Late Models fairly close in racing ability.

“Track officials are giving the Grand Stocks a little more power and they’re taking power from the Late Models,” Brenner said.

“The Grand Stocks will be better off the corner but the Late Model guys have more experience with shock technology and stuff like that.

“So I think they will still be really tough through the center of the corner.”

Brenner said that word has it that there should be 20 something drivers for the first race.

He expects that the hardest thing in the first part of the season will be to stay out of trouble since there will a lot of drivers not used to running against each other.

“I’m just looking forward to running with different guys and trying to learn from some of the guys who are more experienced,” he said.