BROWNSBURG, Ind. (May 18, 2016) – There is no rest for the weary on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour and that includes Antron Brown and the Matco Tools team.
The Matco Tools/U.S. Army team has reached at least the semifinals in the past four Mello Yello events, including when they scored their first event title of the season near Las Vegas last month.
While his team traveled between near Atlanta to Indianapolis before leaving for the NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka, Brown was working to better himself for his team.
Early Monday morning after returning from Atlanta Dragway where he reached the semifinals, Brown was at VFit Elite Athletes in Brownsburg, Ind., working to stay fit for an upcoming grueling stretch of four consecutive Mello Yello Series events in June.
“The thing about it is, I’m just trying to stay on top of my game,” Brown said. “My crew chiefs, the guys on my team, they don’t stop working. It’s our job to come back and put the work in even when we’re not at the track. So I feel like I need to do my part and for me that’s getting in the gym, getting my workout in, staying mentally and physically focused as best as I can.”
Hard work from the team and Brown off the track is paying dividends on track. Brown looks to score his first career event title from Heartland Park Topeka this weekend.
“We’ve been pretty darn good recently,” he said. “We’ve been working on some to make our car stronger and we accomplished that last weekend in Atlanta. We’re looking good right now.
“Topeka is a race that we always want to do well at. We always qualify well there. We haven’t won there yet but we’re working hard to try and bring a win home from there this year.
“It’s one of the few racetracks that we haven’t won at. We’re looking for wins at Topeka, Epping and Bristol because I haven’t won at those yet, so those are definitely on the top of my list.
“There’s a lot of history at that racetrack. Gary Ormsby, one of my heroes and mentors, you see his name on the property when you pull in. The game plan is to go there and try do the best that we can do and try to bring a win home.”
Two-time and reigning world champion Brown moved into second in Top Fuel points standings at Atlanta Dragway last weekend. He sits 64 points behind leader Doug Kalitta entering this weekend’s event in Topeka.
ANTRON BROWN: Matco Tools/U.S. Army
Last event (May 17), Atlanta: Qualified No. 1; won in championship round against Leah Pritchett
A year ago at Topeka: Qualified No. 9; lost in first round to Khalid alBalooshi
Career at Topeka: Wins 0; Runner-ups 0; Poles 3 (2012, 2010, 2009)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L
2016 2nd 7 1 1 2 2 1 0 0 12-6
CAREER 341 55 44 71 89 79 44 3 579-283
Best Time, Speed: 3.680 sec.-national record, first 3.6 (2015, Brainerd); 331.12 mph (2015, Brainerd)
NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES STANDINGS
(Unofficial through Atlanta, wins in parenthesis; DSR DRIVERS IN CAPS)
TOP FUEL
1. Doug Kalitta (2) 586
2. ANTRON BROWN (1) 522
3. Brittany Force (2) 518
4. Steve Torrence (1) 474
5. JR Todd 418
6. Clay Millican 387
7. TONY SCHUMACHER 349
8. Richie Crampton 337
9. LEAH PRITCHETT (1) 308
10. Terry McMillen 293
11. SHAWN LANGDON 292