IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

February 24, 2006 Brian Finney Gets Orr Sportsmanship Award By Jane Smith Merritt Island, Fla. - Brian Finney was totally surprised last Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway when he received the 3rd Annual Pete Orr Sportsmanship Award. Brian, who has been racing since a child, had gone to New Smyrna to race the Pete Orr Memorial 100 on the last night of the 2006 World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. But in hot laps Brian's new motor, with only 5 laps on it, bent a valve and Brian was ready to go home before the race. "We told Brian that we wanted to see the race and that we would go out and eat and come back," said Barbara Finney, Brian's mom. "We knew about the award but Brian had no idea and we had to really convince him that we wanted to see that race." Pete Orr was many things to many people but always a "gentleman racer" which can also be said of Brian Finney. Coming from a racing family and having raced go-karts with his brother Kevin and Barry Willoughby, Brian learned early the value of sportsmanship. Fellow racer and friend Barry Willoughby had this to say when he learned Brian would get the award, "Brian is a good choice and definitely deserves this honor. He has always raced me fair and whenever I needed help and Brian could help, he was right there. Many a night we took our modified to Brian's shop where he got it ready for the next night's race." Besides racing, Brian Finney chose to be a teacher for his living. Brian replaced his dad, Wally Finney, as PE Coach at Tropical Elementary on Merritt Island when Wally retired at the end of the 2005 school year. Being an elementary teacher is not easy but it is also one of the most important jobs there is. This is the time that children learn values in life, integrity, honesty, and sportsmanship. Finney has raced with the Florida Pro Series, the Sunbelt Super Late Model Series, the Big 10 at Concord Speedway in North Carolina and won the All American Super Late Model Series at Ocala Speedway. Just like Pete Orr and his family, racing is a family affair for the Finney family. Mom, dad, brother, cousins, and Brian's Uncle Phil can all be seen at the No. 80 pit. And when time allows, even Kevin races with his brother although not often now that Kevin lives in North Carolina. "Brian Finney is a perfect choice for this award and I have watched him for many years," said Don Nerone, General Manager of Team FASCAR. "Brian has always shown that he races clean, never uses his bumper, and passes on the outside. When Brian is at the track and one of the guys have a problem, they always go to him for help." Alex Fortune, one of Brian's students at Tropical Elementary had this to say about his PE Coach, "Brian Finney does not let us get away with anything and always keeps the playing field fair. He expects us to do our best and gives us credit when we go above and beyond what we are expected to do. I love watching Brian race especially last year when he won at Ocala Speedway in the Sunbelt race and I got to give him the trophy." Sportsmanship and integrity are part of racing, part of what Pete Orr was. Helping your community was also very important to Pete Orr and every year the whole Finney family work for the Cancer Center at Cape Canaveral Hospital when they put on the yearly go-kart races that raise money for this unit. KARNAC.com was proud to present Brian Finney of Merritt Island the 3rd Annual Pete Orr Sportsmanship Award. Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! or Email KARNACto send a letter to the editor!