Antron Brown on Topeka
“I’m excited to get back out there to Topeka. We came up just short last year. I always like performing at Topeka because one of the guys I looked up to growing up, Gary Ormsby, has a great legacy at Heartland Park. Topeka is a fun little town and we’re ready to get back to racing and to keep this Matco Tools dragster up there in the standings.”
Brian Corradi (crew chief) on Topeka
“We always look forward to go to Topeka. That was Mike’s (Ashley) first win back in 2007. We can make some good power at Topeka and it’s always a good race track. We got to run on a hot track at Bristol and that should help us to be more consistent. As always, the goal is to be consistent and go down the track.”
Antron Brown Topeka NHRA Notebook
Two weeks ago at Bristol Dragway, Brown made NHRA history recording the fastest 1,000-foot speed, 319.75 mph. The Matco Tools flagship driver qualified his Matco Tools rail seventh at 3.898-seconds. In his opening round match against Troy Buff, Brown blasted to a lap of 3.838 seconds at 319.75. He has clocked the two fastest speeds this season, 318.02 (St. Louis) and 319.75 (Bristol). He was defeated by 17-time winner Brandon Bernstein in round two 3.862 to 3.873.
Brown made his first career start at Heartland Park Topeka last May. The veteran racer had never competed at the Topeka track as the Pro Stock Motorcycle class doesn’t compete at every race. Brown qualified his Matco Tools rail fourth at 4.584 seconds at 292.77 mph. He posted a semifinal finish falling to two-time series champion Larry Dixon.
After eight of 24 races on the 2009 NHRA schedule, Brown ranks second in the Top Fuel standings, trailing six-time series champion Tony Schumacher by 45 points. Brown has not ranked lower than second this season. The four-time Top Fuel winner has two wins in three final round appearances and two No. 1 qualifying awards this season. Brown has raced his Brian Corradi/Mark Oswald-tuned dragster to low E.T. of the meet and top speed of the meet three times this year. He also has recorded personal bests in both elapsed time (3.778 seconds) and speed (319.75 mph).
Antron Brown… Did You Know?
-Brown was a track star at Mercer College in New Jersey competing in the 100 and 200-meters, long jump, and 55-meter indoor. He ran quick enough to qualify for the U.S. Olympic trails in the 100-meters.
-Brown’s first race team owner was former NFL star cornerback Troy Vincent.
-Brown is the only driver in NHRA history to hold the points lead and win races in both Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle (4 TF/16 PSM).
-Brown’s team owner Mike Ashley has three career NHRA Funny Car wins, including the 2007 U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis. Ashley won his first of three career Funny Car races at the 2007 Topeka race. The former Pro Mod champ defeated Jim Head, 4.896 to 4.928, to earn his first professional victory.
-Brown’s co-crew chief, Mark Oswald, won the 1984 NHRA Winston Funny Car championship. He is a three-time Funny Car winner at Heartland Park (1989-91). Oswald also scored the No. 1 qualifying award at the Topeka race in 1989.
2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Top Fuel Standings
(eight of 24 races)
1. Tony Schumacher (3) 561 - - -
2. ANTRON BROWN (2) 543 -45
3. Brandon Bernstein 517 -65
4. Cory McClenathan 453 -148
5. Morgan Lucas (1) 437 -170
6. Larry Dixon (1) 402 -202
7. Shawn Langdon 375 -210
8. Spencer Massey 363 -247
9. Doug Kalitta (1) 320 -286
10. Joe Hartley 302 -326
11. Clay Millican 228 -431
Antron Brown’s Career Results at Heartland Park Topeka
Year Qualified Finish/Winning Driver
2008 No. 4-4.584 ET Semifinals-Larry Dixon
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