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The initial season for SST Modified racing series was 2004. Through out Upstate New York, three SST Home Tracks participated in the series. Those tracks were Wyoming County International Speedway, Chemung Speedrome, and Tioga Motorsports Park. One hundred and twenty teams competed in the first year. Three additional facilities participated as host to the SST tour, for a total of six (6) special tour events including the US Open and the historical Race of Champions. At the end of the first season, the series had it first champion. Brian Bowen and his #47 team became the first to claim the championship.
The 2004 racing season started off with a big win for team #47. Brian won the feature event at Pocono Mountain Speedway. The next day, the team came to Wyoming County Speedway for more SST competition. This race day would provide Brian with one of his biggest challenges. The #47 was spun during the SST feature. Brian remembers, “I got clipped from behind which spun the car around. One of the other cars crashed into mine. The fender on that car penetrated the firewall.” The fender slammed into Brian’s left foot. This caused a broken ankle and broken toes. Brian continued, “The doctor told me I had to stay off my feet for a month. A few days later, Brian was competing at Tioga. The #47 racer went on to win four feature wins at Tioga, two at Chemung, and the last race of the year at WCIS. Brian won two championships for 2004. The SST series and the Tioga SST track championship. Brian said, “That last race at WCIS won us the series championship. This was a special win because we overcame a great deal of adversity.”
Brian’s success continued on into the next year. The 2005 season found the #47 driver competing in the SST series and a couple of Modified races. Brian’s first time out in the modified resulted in a feature win. The second Modified race was Oswego. Brian was involved in a wreck which ended his Modified season. The #47 team continued to compete in the SST series at Chemung. Brian won eight SST features at the Speedrome. This success resulted in the #47 being 2005 SST track champion. Brian went on to win the Race of Champions SST race at Oswego. Brian remembers, “The ROC win is a special memory. There is a lot of prestige winning an ROC race.” The team finished out the year at Lancaster Motorsports Park in the US Open. Brian did not win the race but his second car did. Brian said, “The next week at Lancaster, our team car won. Bill Hebing did a great job on winning the event. Our cars won the two biggest races of the year.”
In 2006, Brian and his #47 team will return to compete in the SST Modified series. He is very optimistic about the up coming season. Brian said, “I have been very fortunate to have a very talented team. They provide me with a great car every week. These guys put in forty to fifty hours a week. I am grateful for all their hard work.” Brian’s team consists of Barry Bowen (Brian’s Dad), Ike Brown, Roger Fields, Ryan Gray, Terry Gray, Joe Griffen, Jerry Hotchkiss, Mitch Nichols, and Sean Welch. The #47 racer also wants to acknowledge the 2005 sponsors. The sponsors are Gray & Gray Trucking (Rome, Pa), Cable Racer (Rome, Pa), Snyder racing engines (Wyalusing, Pa), Baker Carburetion (Mechanicsburg, Pa), Air Gas, and Ed McGuire/McGuire Septic Service (Rome, Pa).
Brian is grateful to have the support of his family. Brian said, “I want to thank my mom and dad, my grandparents, Uncle Art and Aunt Betty, Nancy, Teddy, and Katie. They are my biggest supporters.”
The #47 racer is no doubt a major contender for the 2006 SST title. One thing is for certain, Brian will be no stranger to victory lane. Poised for another title shot, the #47 racer has a strong dedicated team. His equipment is second to none. Brian said, “None of it can be done without the benefit of my father’s extensive racing knowledge.” These are the ingredients that made Brian Bowen the first SST series champion.
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