BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 28. 2016) – For the fifth year, Antron Brown will drive Don Schumacher Racing’s “Tools for the Cause” Top Fuel dragster for Matco Tools, featuring this year’s “Driven by their Strength” campaign to support breast cancer research.
Brown, the two-time and reigning NHRA world champion, will reveal an all-new paint scheme that he will carry to support Breast Cancer Awareness month in October beginning with this weekend’s NHRA Dodge Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa. He will also campaign the dragster in NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events near Dallas (Oct. 14-16) and Las Vegas (Oct. 28-30).
The Tools for the Cause program through Matco Tools has raised more than $700,000 for breast cancer research and awareness since it was launched in 2012.
“Breast cancer is something that affects so many of us,” said Tim Gilmore, president of Matco Tools. “Since the very beginning of the Tools for the Cause program, our distributors, employees and customers have been extremely proud to rally together to support a great cause. We are excited to once again raise funding and awareness to help find a cure.”
This year, proceeds from the program will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRFcure.org).
The 330-mph dragster will carry the names of 350 breast cancer fighters and survivors.
“This Tools for the Cause scheme is always near and dear to my heart, (because) I’ve seen two women in my family go through breast cancer,” Brown said. “It really hits home, it hits hard. It really means a lot to me that we can represent all the people going through it, have been through it and all of the families that have been affected by it. The pink color empowers all of us, and it has a great meaning for women being strong.”
Matco also is continuing its Tools for the Cause merchandise program, and information on those items can be obtained from Matco Tools distributors and through Matco’s customer service team at CustomerService@MatcoTools.com or 866-BUY-TOOL.
This weekend’s 32nd annual NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway marks the third event in NHRA’s Countdown to the championship where Brown and the Matco Tools team sit first in Top Fuel points standings.
“We always feel good going into Reading because the conditions get to be so good there,” Brown said. “We needed to test on Monday after St. Louis just to work on some things, we changed a couple of things around. In St. Louis, it bit us in qualifying. We qualified in a bad spot (12th) and raced one of the few people that could beat us first round. It made the points a lot tighter and that’s what makes this Countdown so exciting. The positive thing was that we still came out with the points lead and we have four races left to win a championship.”
The Matco Tools team led by crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald are the defending event winner’s at Maple Grove.
“Our only hope is that we can be there at the end, at the last race of the Countdown with a chance to win a championship. Reading is a big race for us, it’s a hometown race for me. I’m just excited to get out there and get after it.”
ANTRON BROWN: Matco Tools/U.S. Army – Will unveil Tools for the Cause dragster
Last event: St. Louis (Sept. 23-25): Qualified No. 12, lost in first round to Shawn Langdon
A year ago at Reading: Qualified No. 12, won in championship round over Tony Schumacher
Career at Reading: Wins 1 (2015); Runner-ups 3 (2013, 2012, 2004-bikes); Poles 3 (2011, 2009, 2004-bikes)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L
2016 1st 20 5 4 3 6 3 2 0 43-15
CAREER 354 59 47 72 93 81 46 3 611-292
Best Time, Speed: 3.679 sec., (2016, Brainerd; and first below 3.7, 2015, Brainerd); 331.12 mph (2015, Brainerd)
2016 NHRA Countdown to the Championship Top Fuel Standings
(Official after St. Louis; 2 of 6 playoff races; wins in parenthesis; DSR drivers in CAPS)
- ANTRON BROWN (5) 2258 —–
- Doug Kalitta (3) 2245 -13
- TONY SCHUMACHER (2) 2204 -54
- SHAWN LANGDON (3) 2181 -77
- Brittany Force (3) 2167 -91
- Steve Torrence (2) 2161 -97
- J.R. Todd (1) 2152 -106
- Richie Crampton 2127 -131
- LEAH PRITCHETT (1) 2107 -151
- Clay Millican 2084 -174
ABOUT BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Breast cancer knows no age, gender or race. As the most common cancer in women worldwide and the second most common cancer overall, it remains a fact of life. Nearly 1.7 million women around the globe were diagnosed in 2012, and incidence rates are on the rise.
That’s because breast cancer has no boundaries. It is the leading cause of cancer death in the world’s poorest countries and the second leading cause of cancer death in American women.
We want to put an end to breast cancer. Our goal: No more fear. No more hospital visits. No more side effects or needless suffering. No more loved ones lost to breast cancer.
The only way to achieve this goal is through research. Research is revolutionizing our understanding of cancer. Research is leading us to the core of this insidious disease. Research is transforming lives every day as women and men get the help they need.
We believe research – and research alone – has the power to bring an end to cancer. We know what needs to be done, and we have more than 200 researchers urgently working on solutions to one of the world’s greatest problems.
For more information, visit BCRFcure.org.