Hello all of my NHRA.com Nitroholics!
We have had a busy start to the 2012 season. Between races and appearances the brothaman has been running at full speed since the season opener.
We’ve had a solid start highlighted by a runner-up and race win for the Matco Tools team, so far. We had a strong Matco Tools dragster in Gainesville but we lost a close race to my teammate. The seven-time champ, Tony Schumacher, rose to the occasion and got me off the starting line. I’m looking forward to the rest of the year because the competition is so tough in Top Fuel and it only motivates me and my guys to be stronger and perfect each round.
I went to Charlotte before the Gatornationals to promote the Four-Wide Nationals and I got to do a ride swap with NASCAR driver Martin Truex, Jr. I got to ride along in a NASCAR stock car and I showed him how we do it in NHRA drag racing with a ride in a two-seat Super Comp dragster at zMax Dragway. Here’s a link to a video and photo gallery from the day. It was a fun experience and Truex is a Jersey boy, into RC boats and is a Philadelphia Eagles fan… needless to say we never ran out of things to talk about! Now if we can only get someone to build a two-seat Top Fuel car.
We may have had the last couple of weekends off from NHRA drag racing, but I couldn’t stay away from a little racing action. The Monster SuperCross series was in Indianapolis two weeks ago and I went to go check it out at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Big thanks our partners at Toyota Racing for hooking me and all of my Matco Tools boys up. I also took my son Anson and one of his friends. We met up with my boy James Stewart before the race. Before Gainesville, I went to his place in Florida near Orlando. It was like Disneyland for motocross drivers. Unfortunately he was involved in an incident in the heat race at Indy and was unable to make the main.
Last Sunday, my wife Billie Jo and I hosted a birthday party for my son Adler, who just turned four. The theme for the party was all about Spiderman, since my little man thinks he’s Spidey. We even had Spiderman as a special guest. Adler had on his spidey outfit so we couldn’t see his face when Spiderman showed up, but you could tell he was in shock and not sure what to think. The boy was puzzled. You’d have think he saw Santa Claus.
The boys in the fab shop at DSR have built us a new chassis and the Matco TF boys have been working hard getting ready for testing the Monday after Vegas. Some of our DSR teams are testing Monday after Vegas. We only have four test days during the season, so we need to take advantage of it. We always have fun at the Monday Nationals.
I was in Dallas the last week with the champ Matt Hagan and NASCAR owner Michael Waltrip for the Aaron’s manager meeting. Then I was off to California for the Toyota Motorsports day where all of the Toyota drivers signed autographs for Toyota Motor Sales employees. It was great to hang with drivers across all series’. I got to see how the other half lives with Michael and Mark Martin with private jets and helicopters. Those boys are living right, let me tell you. It’s a whole different world over there.
This week before I go to Vegas I stop by Western Technical College in El Paso, Texas to talk with the students as a part of the Matco Tools TechEd program. That’s the start of a busy race week for us. It will be the fourth straight year we go to WTC before our spring Vegas race.
We have the NHRA Fan Fest at NYNY – Hotel and Casino on Thursday at 6 p.m. We will also have a special guest in our pits in Vegas. I can’t give away too much information, but here’s a hint: he’s been in our pits already this year at Pomona.
Catch me on Twitter (@AntronBrownTF) or on Facebook (Antron Brown – Top Fuel Pilot) in the meantime.
Love, peace and Valvoline NextGen grease…I’m out like a shout!
God Bless.