Hello to all my NHRA.com Nitrohaulics. How are we all today? I’m in Indy right now but headed out to Las Vegas bright and early Wednesday morning. Actually, it won’t even be bright when the wheels go up on my plane to Vegas, it’s that early in the morning. Gotta get to Vegas for a Matco Tools TechEd school appearance and the NHRA press conference on Thursday way up high in the sky at Stratosphere. Looking like it is going to be a beautiful weekend and the entry list is a big one – 50 nitro cars – so we better see you out at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. I just hope Saturday qualifying goes a little quicker than last year.
Looking back on Phoenix, the Matco Tools dragster had a good weekend in the scorching sun. Our weekend started out with a great Matco Tools dinner at the track Thursday night with 130 of our closest friends hanging out. We qualified sixth and went into race day facing a pretty tough ladder. We took out Del Worsham in the second round which was a big one for points and then beat my U.S. Army teammate Tony Schumacher in the semi’s on a holeshot. We just got edged in the final round by Dixon but we left Phoenix with the points lead. Props to everyone that came to Firebird Raceway, it was hot but you all showed up to watch us do work.
With two races to go, the top four are all very close and I think it’s going to be a battle until the last round at Pomona. Given their history, you can’t even count out that Army dragster. The aggressive approach has worked for us all year and we’re not going to change that. Vegas and Pomona have been good to me in the past and we look forward to going for it at these last two. I know the saying what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but I’m hoping that Wally comes back to Indy in the Matco Tools hauler.
I had a great off weekend in Indy just spending time with my family. The weather was absolutely terrible all week but it cleared out and we had a good weekend. Last night the Brown family all carved our pumpkins we got from our trip to the patch a couple weeks ago. The kids all dug in their pumpkins bare handed, but the Brothaman put on gloves. The inside of a pumpkin is ooey-gooey and just plain gross. We baked the seeds and the kids took them to school today.
I know you all know about Master Pizza, Brian Corradi’s pizza place in Ohio. Well they are in a Pizza Playoffs competition and we need your votes! Visithttp://www.cleveland.com/foodplayoffs/index.ssf/2011/10/pizza_playoffs_round_3_southwe.html and vote for Master Pizza! If you’re in the area, stop by and see Nick. Be sure you tell them AB sent you, maybe you’ll get a discount. In fact, if you drop my name, it might be free. Just kidding Nick.
I also gotta congratulate my boy Brad Mason who got married over the weekend. Hope you and your wife, Amy, have many happy years together with your beautiful daughter Kylie. Brad is my assistant crew chief and a key member to our race team. Brad has been with me since my rookie Top Fuel season in 2008.
Well I’m off to go pack for Vegas. We’ll be at the New York, New York hotel and all the DSR drivers will be signing autographs at NYNY on Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. and before that we’ll be at Fremont Street at 4:30 p.m. Stop by and see us all.
Keep up with me on Twitter @AntronBrownTF, @shoeracing and on Facebook too – Antron Brown – Top Fuel Pilot.
With that, I’m out like a shout with some love, peace and Valvoline NextGen grease!
God bless.