BROWNSBURG, Ind. – Antron Brown plays many roles as the driver of the Matco Tools dragster but none are more cherished as a father to his daughter Arianna and sons Anson and Adler.
He smiled bigger than after a 330-mph run as a proud father this past Saturday night while watching his daughter, 10, participate in the American Coed Pageant in Indianapolis.
Arianna, much like her father, exceled in interviews and stage presence en route to placing first runner-up in her category and third overall.
“I was her escort in the pageant,” said the proud father. “She was all dressed up and looked so beautiful. I was just there watching her do her thing on stage.
“In her category there were about 13 girls and she was the youngest. It was funny to see her on the stage because she was so tiny and small but she held her own.”
Brown will have his opportunity to own his stage this weekend as the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing series heads 130 miles northwest of Minneapolis. Brown and the Matco Tools team are the defending event winner at Brainerd International Raceway.
“It’s always a good track to go to,” Brown said. “I really enjoy going up to Brainerd. It’s one of those racetracks that is refreshing. The weather is always right and it’s going to be cool this weekend.
“It’s a place that has always been good to me, even dating back to when I was riding a Pro Stock Motorcycle,” he said of winning four motorcycle titles there from 2000 to 2006. “That track is always tight. You’re able to run hard and strong up there and that’s what this Matco team is all about.”
Brown also pointed out that Brainerd has something unique throughout the weekend, “The Zoo,” a notorious campground site where NHRA fans gather.
“The fans at ‘The Zoo’ are some of the best on the NHRA tour,” he said. “They love their drag racing and it shows. Plus, ‘The Zoo’ helps take your mind off of all the pressures. It puts you in a comfortable state of mind.”
The following are Brown’s statistics, Full Throttle points standings and other notes:
ANTRON BROWN, Matco Tools DSR dragster
2011 at Brainerd: Qualified No. 5; defeated Tony Schumacher in championship round
Career at Brainerd: Wins 5 (Top Fuel: 2011; Pro Stock Motorcycle: ’00, ’01, ’03, ’06), Runner-ups 2 (PSM: ’01, ’03), Poles 2 (’01, ’04)
2012 Pts Races Wins Rup Poles DNQ Win/Loss
2nd 15 4 3 2 0 33-11
Career Races Titles Rup Poles DNQ Win/Loss
254 35* 34 31 2 427-217
(*19 Top Fuel)
NHRA FULL THROTTLE STANDINGS
(Through Kent, Wash., 15 of 23 events; DSR drivers in CAPS; * clinched spots in Countdown)
TOP FUEL
1. *SPENCER MASSEY, 1,236
2. *ANTRON BROWN, 1,231
3. *TONY SCHUMACHER, 1,109
4. *Steve Torrence, 1,108
5. Doug Kalitta, 902
6. Shawn Langdon, 839
7. Morgan Lucas, 829
8. Brandon Bernstein, 766
9. David Grubnic, 756
10. Bob Vandergriff, 633
FULL THROTTLE NITRO SCHEDULE:
Friday: Qualifying, 3 and 6 p.m. (CT)
Saturday: Qualifying, 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. (CT)
Sunday: Eliminations at 11 a.m. (CT)
ON ESPN2
Saturday: Qualifying, 11 p.m.-1 a.m. (ET), delayed
Sunday: Eliminations, 9-11 p.m. (ET), delayed