BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Oct. 12, 2016) – Antron Brown and the Matco Tools “Tools for the Cause” team will look to continue their winning ways as the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series heads to the Texas Motorplex near Dallas this weekend for the 31st annual AAA Texas Fallnationals.
Although the Mello Yello tour took a weekend off last weekend, Brown found himself at the dragstrip. Brown is heavily involved in the Midwest Jr. Super Series where his three children compete in the NHRA Jr. Dragster youth racing program.
“Going to the junior races in St. Louis has definitely put a different perspective on things, it wore me out,” Brown said. “I hit the (practice Christmas) tree with my kids all weekend, so I got plenty of practice. Even when I’m not racing, I’m still at a race.”
That provides Brown the motivation to continue seeking his third Top Fuel world championship title in five years as the Countdown to the Championship continues this weekend at the Texas Motorplex. The Matco Tools “Tools for the Cause” dragster that carries the names of 350 breast cancer fighters and survivors currently leads the Top Fuel points standings by 77 over Doug Kalitta.
Brown and crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald with assistant Brad Mason were able to pad their lead by winning two weeks at Maple Grove Raceway for their sixth Mello Yello title of the season through 21 races and two of three in the six-race Countdown to the Championship.
“I’m just pumped up, excited to get to Dallas. I feel like our team has momentum going and we just want to continue doing what we do and that’s executing. Reading was good, it was a nail-biter for sure.
“With good weather in Dallas it looks like we’ll see four good rounds of qualifying and that’s four rounds of bonus points up for grabs. We just want to get everything that we can get right now because it’s still a dogfight. All it takes is one bad race and you’re back in the same predicament that we were in after St. Louis. Our main focus is executing and hitting every round like it’s our last round.”
Brown’s most recent win at Maple Grove Raceway was during conditions in the high-60s where teams will face temperatures in the high 80s throughout the weekend near Dallas.
“That’s what Brian and Mark do, they’re really good at adapting and going back to our notes. I think this weekend will be similar to Charlotte and that was a good race for us. I think we should be good and we’ve ran good in the hot weather and we’re looking forward to getting out there and getting good quality laps in during qualifying. Our goal is to qualify in the top-five and take it from there.”
ANTRON BROWN: Matco Tools’ Tools for the Cause/U.S. Army
Last event: Reading (Sept. 30-Oct. 2): Qualified No. 2, won in championship round over Brittany Force
A year ago at Dallas: Qualified No. 7, lost in semifinals to Richie Crampton
Career at Dallas: Wins 2 (1999-PSM; 2012-TF); Runner-up 0; Poles 0
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L
2016 1st 21 6 4 3 6 3 2 0 47-15
CAREER 355 60 47 72 93 81 46 3 615-292
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 Reading; 3 of 6 playoff races; wins in parenthesis; DSR drivers in CAPS)
Top Fuel
- ANTRON BROWN (6) 2377 —–
- Doug Kalitta (3) 2300 -77
- Brittany Force (3) 2259 -118
- SHAWN LANGDON (3) 2258 -119
- TONY SCHUMACHER (2) 2236 -141
- Steve Torrence (2) 2214 -163
- LEAH PRITCHETT (1) 2188 -189
- JR Todd (1) 2183 -194
- Richie Crampton 2159 -218
- Clay Millican 2136 -241