Perkins loses podium, Brown fights gremlins

In the field for Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity race at Portland, were two names that Supercars fans are likely very familiar with.

Will Brown, driving the No. 11 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing, is the defending Supercars champion, while Jack Perkins, driving the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, is a veteran of over 150 races in Supercars. Both are from Australia, and each were eager to take on the stars of NASCAR this weekend.

For Brown, things never seemed to go his way. A transmission change after qualifying meant that he had to start from the rear of the field, and while he battled through the back of the field, he sustained some nose damage.

He made it up to 21st by the end of Stage 2 before a broken trackbar mount ended his day, leaving Brown with a 35th place finish and a DNF. Adding insult to injury, his cool suit also failed just before falling out of the race. Brown also ran a Cup race with Kaulig earlier this year on the streets of Chicago, and misfortune found him there as well. He was involved in a race-ending wreck on Lap 2 of that race.

Will Brown, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: David Jensen / Getty Images

But what about Perkins? The 39-year-old impressed in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, ending Stage 1 in ninth before improving to seventh by the end of Stage 2.

Perkins was battling Xfinity regulars as he steadily marching forward, reaching as high as third with just a few laps to go.

Unfortunately, with a podium finish in sight, he went off-track in the final corner and could not get back rolling. There were just four laps left in the race. He ended up finishing 31st, and was left to wonder what could have been after a stellar showing turned sour.