NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- As the newest member of Richard Childress Racing’s driver development program, Carson Brown is doing everything possible to keep himself busy.
Just three days prior to the Clyde Hart Memorial 200, Brown was in a Late Model Stock for Lee Pulliam at Florence Motor Speedway for the Icebreaker. A solid fourth-place finish provided Brown a jolt of confidence prior to his first Super Late Model start of the year at New Smyrna Speedway.
In a field comprised of many seasoned veterans of the discipline, Brown proved he was the best among them Tuesday evening. After making short work of polesitter Tristan McKee early on, Brown pulled away from his competition to secure a dominant victory in one of New Smyrna’s most cherished events.
With Brown set to chase three asphalt championships in 2026, he made sure to cherish every aspect that went into making his Clyde Hart 200 triumph a reality.
“We definitely had a really good race car on our hands [Tuesday],” Brown said. “At the start, we were kind of hanging in third because I didn’t want to pounce too hard. Those guys were battling hard up front, and the restarts were definitely getting physical for track position. I knew I could get [the lead] as long as I waited for the opportunity.
“This track made it a little difficult, but I was able to pass on the top, seal the deal and walk away from there.”
[caption id="attachment_499640" align="alignnone" width="2560"]Brown got the head start he was searching for in his sophomore ASA National Tour campaign, but now he has to ascertain how to carry that momentum over into his other two championship pursuits.
Along with a full-time CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour bid, Brown is also joining the ARCA Menards Series East full-time with Pinnacle Racing Group. The cars in those divisions possess their own distinct characteristics that would require any driver to modify his or her race craft to optimize the performance.
Brown has experience in all three disciplines, but he admitted it was initially arduous when it came to balancing consistency across the board. Competing on dirt tracks enabled Brown to become a more versatile competitor, which is why he is approaching 2026 with optimism about contending for all three titles on his docket.
“Diversity is really important to me,” Brown said. “I’ve always run dirt, and this year we aren’t. It’s really hard [to balance everything out], but over the years, I’ve kind of learned how to flip that switch and I feel like I’ve gotten pretty good at managing [each car]. Every time I hit the track, I get better.”
Brown nearly obtained his first Super Late Model title in the ASA National Tour last season. Two poor finishes to open the season were a significant setback for Brown, but he rebounded to finish second in the point standings with three poles, seven top fives and his first victory at Madison International Speedway.
The flashes Brown showed with Anthony Campi’s Super Late Model program last year only motivated him to be even better in 2026. Even with his Late Model Stock and East Series obligations, Brown saw himself as a favorite for the ASA STARS National Tour title with reigning champion Cole Butcher moving up to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
While the Clyde Hart Memorial 200 was about as perfect a start as Brown could have imagined, he also understands that it is just the first race of many. The challenge Brown faces is replicating the New Smyrna performance consistently not just in the ASA National Tour, but also the CARS Tour and the East Series, the latter of which he only has one start in to date.
There are still plenty of components Brown needs to work through with Pulliam and PRG in Late Model Stocks and the East Series respectively. Brown does have an established rhythm with Campi’s Super Late Model program extending from last year and believes that cohesion will translate into plenty of success.
“This victory kind of sets the tone for the whole year, or at least I hope it does,” Brown said. “Driving all these different cars, being consistent in all of them and putting a whole night together is really important. You can start the night really well and then have something happen towards the end. Last year [at New Smyrna], we were running second and ran out of fuel.”
[caption id="attachment_499641" align="alignnone" width="2560"]Following the Clyde Hart Memorial 200, Brown only has a couple weeks to prepare for his first CARS Tour start with Pulliam at Southern National Motorsports Park. One month later, Brown’s quest for an East Series title begins with the season-opener at Hickory Motor Speedway.
There is also a plan for Brown to make select appearances in national NASCAR events this year as part of his development deal with Childress.
For as intimidating and compact as Brown’s schedule is, he is taking everything in stride. Every event in Super Late Models, Late Model Stocks and the East Series is an opportunity for Brown to become more versatile, a quality he knows will be critical to success in the NASCAR Cup Series one day with so many different tracks on the calendar.
Brown would not have taken on such an endeavor without faith in his ability to pull it off. He plans to rest and regroup whenever possible, but Brown’s focus is on acquiring as much experience now while he is still in his formative years.
“We don’t take many breaks,” Brown said. “We kind of take breaks during the offseason, but honestly, I haven’t gotten much of an offseason either. Once I go to bed, I kind of slow down a little bit, but my mind is always going.”
With how long and arduous his schedule is expected to be, Brown was thrilled to obtain a marquee Super Late Model victory so early into its duration. By maintaining the composure and efficiency he showed at New Smyrna, Brown can end 2026 not only with more checkered flags, but three championships to his name.