Brian Trout
Brian, in Paul's '37 Chevy Coupe in 1968, was addicted to racing at a young age
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Mike, Kyle, and Christina with the completed car in 1996 prior to hitting the track for the first time
Going Five Wide at Eagle in 1996
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All cleaned and ready for action in 1997
No doubt one of the most exciting 1997 Show & Tells for the kids
Brian discovered that approximately 30 kids can fit inside the racecar!
Hot laps at Eagle in 1997
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Brian and Paul with the hardware at the 1997 Eagle Raceway Awards Banquet
A common site after the races, Brian signing autographs for the fans after a 1998 I-80 event
The Trout Family Racing Team at I-80 in 1998 - Paul, Sherri, Mike, Kyle, Christina, Chalie, Lori, and Brian
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2000 Sponsor Randy Taylor of Nebraskaland Siding & Windows poses with the race team
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At speed at Eagle during the 2000 Championship season
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Brian Trout is a name that race fans are getting very accustomed to seeing at the top of the
weekly race results and points standings. His fellow competitors are also getting very
accustomed to seeing his rear bumper on the racetrack. We now shine our Dirt Driver Spotlight
on this two-time Champion.
Brian was born to Paul and Sherri Trout on November 11, 1966 in Beatrice, Nebraska, but it was
clear that he was hooked on racing prior to that date. "Mom said I would do cartwheels
in her belly whenever they were at a racetrack, or whenever Dad turned a corner a little faster
than he should have in the family car, while she was pregnant with me," Brian laughs.
The Trouts moved to Hastings the following year, where Brian spent his childhood. Brian got a
good taste of racing at a young age, as Paul began competing at the local tracks with a ’37
Chevy Coupe before Brian reached his second birthday. Paul raced in the Stock Division under
the Central Nebraska Racing Association sanction. He frequently competed at tracks in Hastings,
Kearney, and Lexington, Nebraska and brought home a Top 10 in points in his first season.
After Paul hung up his driving helmet a few years later, the family stayed involved in racing
from the spectator side of the fence throughout the 70’s. They attended local races on a
regular basis at tracks such as Hastings, Sunset, Knoxville, and State Fair Park, and even made
the trek east to the NASCAR superspeedways at Rockingham and Charlotte, North Carolina.
At the age of six, Brian became a big brother when Paul and Sherri had their second child,
Anne. At age eight, the family moved to Omaha. Around this time, Brian took a great interest
in building plastic models, a hobby he still enjoys today. When he was 13, he learned to hunt.
He also enjoyed sports and participated on the swim team during his high school years.
Brian attended Southeast Community College in Milford to get his degree in Diesel Truck
Technology, where he learned the mechanical skills that he has used while employed at companies
such as Benson Service Center, Smart Repair, House of Mufflers, and Lyle’s Discount Tire. He
also spent time as a manager for five years at Meineke Muffler prior to his current position as
a service truck mechanic at Rental Service Corporation.
In 1987 Brian met Lori Belik through a mutual friend. "I was at her house one day and he was
there," Lori explains. "Next thing I knew he was calling me and asking me out!" Brian and
Lori decided they couldn’t live without each other and were married just ten months later. They
started a family soon afterwards and now have three children - Christina, 13; Kyle, 11; and
Mike, 10. One of the activities the family enjoys together is attending UNO Maverick and Omaha
Lancer hockey games. Brian and Lori are also very involved with Mike’s hockey playing. "Mike
just finished his sixth season of hockey and he’s only ten," says Brian. "Christina and Kyle
are also great athletes, actively involved in volleyball and basketball."
In 1995 Brian and Paul decided it was time to get a Trout back onto the racetrack. They
converted a 1974 Monte Carlo into a racecar over the winter months leading up to the 1996
season. Being die-hard Dale Earnhardt fans, they painted the car yellow and blue per Dale's
Wrangler paint scheme. The number 88 was chosen to honor the year that
Brian and Lori were married. Brian drove it in the Fam Sedan class at Eagle that year and
enjoyed immediate success. "I finished 3rd in the Feature on the first night out," Brian
recalls, "And I won the Feature on the third night!" Brian won several more Features that year
and, although he experienced more than his share of bad racing luck with flat tires, he pulled
off a 7th place finish in the points. The awards were spread out nicely among the whole family.
"My dad won the Mechanic of the Year Award and, thanks to help from my wife and kids, we also
won the Best Appearing Team Award," Brian proudly states.
Brian dominated on the track in 1997, capturing eight Feature wins and four Trophy Dash wins and
Paul successfully defended his Mechanic of the Year Award. The only disappointment to the
season was that Brian fell just a few points shy of the Track Championship to Doug Oliverius,
who, while not posting the wins that Brian had, was much more consistent throughout the season.
1998 forced some changes in the Trouts’ racing schedule. "Eagle dropped the Fam Sedan class, so
we raced at I-80 Speedway in the Hobby Stock class," Brian explains. The change didn’t phase
the team one bit, as Brian continued right where he left off at Eagle the year before. "We won
four Features and a Trophy Dash," claims Brian. More importantly, the team improved their
consistency, allowing Brian to control the points lead during most of the season and bring home
the Championship when the final checkered flag fell.
Brian and Paul decided to take the 1999 season off to enjoy the previous year’s Championship and
take a much-needed break from the hard work and late nights involved in maintaining a top-notch
racing operation. Brian did make one appearance on the track that season, which ended with
bittersweet results. "We got the itch to run on the 4th of July weekend at I-80," explains
Brian. "We won the race, got claimed, refused the claim, and sat out the rest of the year."
With support from new sponsor, Nebraskaland Windows, Brian and Paul decided to make the jump up
to the Flyer class at Eagle in 2000. Not being in a position to afford a new car, they simply
made the modifications they could to the old car to see how it would compete in the higher
class. With the more advanced competition in the Flyer class, they knew the domination they had
enjoyed in the Fam Sedan and Hobby Stock classes would likely not continue. Nevertheless, Brian
still pocketed a Feature win during the season. And the consistency the team had developed
during their 1998 I-80 Championship paid huge dividends as Brian’s numerous Top 5’s and Top
10’s, along with only one DNF, brought home his second Points Championship. Brian was also
named the Flyer Rookie of the Year.
Brian has had a lot of help along the way to the top of his sport. "We couldn’t do any of it
without the sponsors," says Brian. The companies who support the team are All Concepts
Remodeling, Nebraskaland Siding & Windows, Quality Tire, Willard Auto Machine, Sparkle Wash,
and Action Battery. Brian also thanks his family for all of their help. "Dad puts more hours
into the car than I can count," Brian admits. "Lori and Mom videotape the races and touch up
the paint and my kids keep the car and trailer looking clean." Brian is also thankful for the
help of friends. Most nights Paul serves as both Crew Chief and Crew but numerous
individuals have also helped on the car including Paul & Sean O'Brien, Rod Lee, Keith Shorley,
Josh Jones, and Don Welch.
When Brian isn’t racing, he enjoys spending time with his family. "My biggest hobbies are
taking my kids to their hockey, volleyball, and other sports practices and games," says Brian.
He also tries to make some time to hunt, work on plastic models, and follow hockey whenever
possible. Brian’s favorite food is steak and potatoes. He enjoys many varieties of music, from
AC/DC to Garth Brooks. He likes comedy movies. Fast Times at Ridgemont High, American Pie, and
Young Frankenstein are some of his favorites. His TV is typically tuned into SpeedVision or
other car shows.
Brian’s immediate future plans include defending his 2000 Championship in the Flyer class at
Eagle this season. His long-term goal is to move up to a higher class if he can obtain
sponsorship or find a car owner who is looking for a driver/mechanic. He also looks forward to
helping his kids get involved in racing someday. "Both boys have shown interest in racing
Go-Karts," Brian says.
Brian enjoys winning. That much is obvious. But even more than the victories, what Brian
really enjoys about racing are the people. "The people I’ve met through racing are second to
none," Brian states. He enjoys meeting the fans in the pits and signing autographs for them.
He especially likes talking with the kids. In 1997 Brian took his car to his kids’ school for
Show & Tell. "I would recommend this to any racer," Brian suggests. "It took half a day but
the kids still talk about it and it was a blast for me too!" Brian is also working on getting
the Make-A-Wish Foundation involved in coming to the track to allow children with
life-threatening illnesses to enjoy a night at the races as honorary guests.
Although fierce competitors, Brian and Paul are racers with their priorities in line. "Here's
our racing philosophy," Paul states. "One - We want to race clean, have fun and be competitive;
Two - Kids are our most important race fans; Three - What happens on the track stays on the
track; and Four - We'll always help out a fellow racer when we can."
Whether Brian continues to pilot the old ’74 Monte Carlo far into the foreseeable future or he
lands that sponsorship to get him a ride in a Modified or Late Model, it is likely that the fans
will continue seeing the Brian Trout name at the top of those weekly race results and points
standings. And it is also likely there will be a lot of drivers chasing that yellow and blue
#88 for years to come.
Written By Dustin Yurize
Thursday March 22, 2001
View Brian Trout's Dirt Driver Profile
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