Use the scotchbrite , you want the surface scuffed to ensure proper adhesion.

Stick with the mechanical adhesion. Do not use an adhesion promoter (like Bulldog). Just use a red scuff pad to achieve a good mechanical adhesion bond. Also I would hand sand out the shooter lane and the other bare wood areas. Make sure your inserts are solid and address the ones that might have issues. Blow off the dust with your blow gun. Then wipe is down with a pre-cleano (silicon wax removal solvent), this is the better version of naphtha. Tack it down and then shoot your tack coat of clear. A tack coat of clear is your initial thin first coat or what I call a bonding coat. Follow your flash times of the clear you are using. After the flash time, come back with a thicker (hammer) coat of clear.