Rick Ware Racing’s decision to tap Modified racing legend Tim Brown for their Bowman Gray Stadium lineup at the Clash has been a real curveball—and a brilliant one at that. If there’s anyone who knows their way around Bowman Gray, it’s Brown. With 101 wins and 12 championships at the “Madhouse,” the guy’s practically holds mythological status at the place. But this isn’t just a nostalgic nod to his past; it’s a calculated move as NASCAR heads to a track where tempers are as much a part of the action as bumpers.

Let’s not sugarcoat it—this race is expected to be chaos. The Bowman Gray faithful are gearing up for a night of bodywork carnage, door-to-door shenanigans, and the kind of “hard racing” (read: borderline demolition derby) the venue is infamous for. Brown’s experience here makes him a perfect pick, but it’s not just Rick Ware’s choice of driver that’s turning heads—it’s Tim’s new outlook on racing and life.

Responsibilities as a parent force Tim Brown to turn over a new leaf

In a candid interview with TJ Majors on the Dale Jr. Download, Brown opened up about a major shift in his approach to racing—and life in general. Majors kicked things off with a bit of playful ribbing, lamenting how he couldn’t find any recent clips of Brown scrapping with other drivers. “You’ve been pretty quiet here lately,” TJ joked. “You must be getting older.”

Brown didn’t miss a beat. “Yeah, I’ve got kids now, right?” he said. “My son’s old enough now that he can get on YouTube and scroll, and then he’ll ask, ‘Dad, why are you beating this guy up?’” The prospect of that happening was the lightbulb moment for Brown. “It does change ya,” he admitted. “We go to church now, and I just don’t want to be that rough guy.”

For decades, Brown was the quintessential “Bowman Gray tough guy,” surviving—and thriving—in an environment where fists flew almost as often as the cars. “You fight your way in, and you fight your way out.” But these days, Brown’s focus has shifted. “There’s more to it now,” he said. “I want to be a role model first and foremost for all the kids out there, and I just want to be a better person.” Brown’s realistic expectation from Bowman Gray is evident from his time on the track. Even when he’s not picking fights, there’s some clash he’s involved in.

Just two years ago, during the Bowman Gray Championship, Brown was in fifth place competing against Junior Snow. With a title on the line, things got heated and Snow spun out in an incident where Brown touched his rear bumper. Things seemed like they were fine until Snow rammed his car into Brown’s not once, but twice. The damage was enough for Brown to effectively be out of contention of the title. Given incidents like this one, Brown’s switch to cooling things down is a big turn of events.

This transformation hasn’t gone unnoticed. Once known for his no-holds-barred racing and fiery confrontations, Brown now speaks like someone with a clear sense of purpose. “I’ve done my time,” he said with a laugh. And while Bowman Gray’s reputation for rough-and-tumble racing hasn’t changed, Brown certainly has.

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Tim’s thoughts on tackling the Clash—and his Cup Series dreams

For Brown, the Clash is more than just a return to a track he knows like the back of his hand—it’s the culmination of a lifelong dream. And now, at 53, he finally gets his shot. But Brown knows that even with his unparalleled experience at Bowman Gray, the Clash will be no walk in the park. The track has undergone significant changes, including the addition of SAFER barriers that narrow the racing surface. “The line that we generally run, you won’t be able to run,” Brown explained. “If the soft walls take up two and a half or three feet, now that’s three feet you can’t let the car drift out to the wall.”

Despite the obstacles, Brown is determined to put on a strong showing. He’s leaning on his decades of experience managing short-track cars and his intimate knowledge of the Bowman Gray surface. “We’ll go do our best and hopefully, we’re competitive and have a shot at winning this thing,” he said. While Brown’s debut marks a monumental personal milestone, he’s keeping his expectations realistic. “I teared up when I saw the release,” he admitted. “I gave up on being a Cup Series driver some 15-20 years ago. But Rick and Lisa [Ware], Tommy [Baldwin, competition director] thought enough of me to make this happen, and I’m really grateful.”

From his 101 victories and 12 championships at Bowman Gray to his years as a “boy in the shop” working on Cup cars, Tim Brown’s journey has been anything but ordinary. And while he’s achieved legendary status on the Modified circuit, this opportunity with Rick Ware Racing feels like a fitting encore to a career defined by grit, determination, and a deep love for the sport.

As for what’s next? That remains to be seen. But for now, all eyes are on Bowman Gray, where Tim Brown is ready to show that the “Madhouse” can be more than just a proving ground for tough guys—it can also be a place of reinvention.