BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Oct. 11, 2017) – Antron Brown typically spends his off weekends from the NHRA Mello Yello Series at a racetrack with his three children racing Jr. Dragsters in the Midwest Jr. Super Series.
But racing the half-scale NHRA dragsters last weekend at Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis was anything but ordinary for the three-time Top Fuel champion. Instead of dad teaching the racing lesson, it was one of his kids, Anson, doing the teaching.
“We had a long weekend in St. Louis and we had a great time out there racing juniors,” Brown said. “But my son, just literally shed some light on me. He showed me that anything is possible. He was 70 points down and this was the last race and my son pulled out the championship this year.”
Anson raced to the final round in the Midwest Jr Super Series event on Sunday at Gateway and took over the points lead to claim the title in the 10-12-year-old category.
Antron will continue his battle for the Top Fuel championship this weekend at the Texas Motorplex near Dallas, the fourth of six Countdown to the Championship playoff events. The Matco Tools “Tools for the Cause” team led by crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald with assistant Brad Mason sit fourth in Top Fuel standings, 94 points behind leader Steve Torrence.
“So if he can do it, why can’t we do it? Our Matco Tools team, we never give up. We are going to go to Texas with our guns blazing and get into this Texas shootout for this championship.”
The Matco Tools team elected to test at Gateway following the NHRA event there two weeks ago.
“We’re working on it. We saw some places we could make improvements after race day in St. Louis. We stayed and worked on it. We’re putting the work in. There’s a lot of racing left to do and we’re not going to give up easily.”
ANTRON BROWN, Matco Tools ‘Tools for the Cause’
Crew chiefs: Brian Corradi, Mark Oswald; Assistant: Brad Mason
Last event: Sept. 29-Oct. 1: Qualified No. 6, lost in semifinals to Steve Torrence
A year ago at Dallas: Qualified No. 1, won in championship round over Steve Torrence
Career at Dallas: Wins 3 (1999-PSM, 2012, 2016), Runner-ups 0, Poles 1 (2016)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L
2017 4th 21 4 6 4 7 0 2 0 49-17
CAREER 379 65* 53 78 100 80 49 3 670-310
* 49 TF/16 PSB
Career best time, speed: 3.667 (2017, Phoenix); 333.16 mph (2017, Topeka)
COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
(Official standings through St. Louis; 21 of 24 events; DSR drivers in CAPS)
TOP FUEL
- Steve Torrence (8) 2376 —–
- Doug Kalitta (1) 2334 -42
- Brittany Force (2) 2293 -83
- ANTRON BROWN (4) 2282 -94
- Clay Millican (1) 2235 -141
- TONY SCHUMACHER (1) 2234 -142
- LEAH PRITCHETT (4) 2224 -152
- Terry McMillen 2115 -261
- Scott Palmer 2105 -271
- Shawn Langdon 2100 -276