BROWNSBURG, Ind. – Antron Brown sums up unofficial start of the 2012 drag racing season quite succinctly.
“We’re just looking forward to burning up the Goodyear’s.”
Brown started preseason testing Tuesday at Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter, Fla., along with is six Don Schumacher Racing teammates.
After three days of private testing, the teams will participate in the PRO Winter Warm-Up on Friday and Saturday nights at the South Florida track.
Brown, 35, is a frequent visitor to DSR headquarters that is close to his home in Pittsboro, Ind. He was ready to jump into his Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster since returning from Louisiana where he spent the recent holidays.
“I’m in the same shape I was in at the end of last year,” he said. “But I have to get stronger as my car gets stronger.”
Brown, a track standout in high school and college, always is in top physical shape but plans to begin working with a new personal trainer when he returns next week from testing.
“I want a new exercise regimen for the whole year and a game plan that will having me peaking for when the Countdown for the Championship starts up.
“I want to do whatever I can to push us over the edge and bring that championship home.”
The father of three intends to improve on his remarkable 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing season when he won six titles, three top-qualifier spots and finished third in the final points standings.
He’s very pleased the way his dragsters ran last year and this team returns intact.
“There hasn’t been a lot of change. That’s a bonus for us,” he said of the Matco team led by crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald.
“We’ll have two good cars from last year in Florida, and we should have new cars by the third or fourth race of the year.”
About Matco Tools
Matco Tools manufactures, distributes and services premium quality automotive equipment, tools, and tool storage for the professional technician. The company has more than 60 years of national brand experience in the automotive equipment industry and a vast product line of more than 13,000 of the highest quality, innovative tools and accessories. The company’s franchise offering has no franchise, royalty, or advertising fees. Initial corporate and ongoing local training create and build outstanding value for the franchisee’s business. For more information on Matco Tools products or franchise opportunities, visit www.matcotools.com.
About Don Schumacher Racing
Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., consists of seven professional NHRA teams: in Top Fuel, the U.S. Army dragster driven by seven-time world champion Tony Schumacher, the FRAM/Prestone dragster of Spencer Massey and the Matco Tools dragster of Antron Brown; and in Funny Car, 2011 NHRA Funny Car champion Matt Hagan in the Aaron’s Dream Machine/Mopar Dodge Charger R/T, Valvoline NextGen Dodge piloted by Jack Beckman, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge of Ron Capps and the Service Central Dodge of Johnny Gray. DSR has won 174 NHRA national events and nine world championships.