Tue, 15 Sep 2009, 09:20 PM News from Mike Ashley Racing - Antron Brown Charlotte NHRA Advance Release

Courtesy of Ted Yerzyk

CONCORD, N.C. -- Antron Brown on Charlotte
"I'm just excited and geared up for the new challenge. I can't wait to get to Charlotte to get back to racing at Bruton's (Smith) awesome track at zMax Dragway. Indy knocked our team back to reality a little bit on how tough this Top Fuel class really is. We have to race our own lane and do what we do. We're not going to worry about who we're racing and being conservative. We're going to race all out from this point forward."

Brian Corradi (crew chief) on Charlotte
"Every run counts now for points. We're going to do our best to be the quickest car of each session. This new points system that NHRA has installed really changes things. You can't test now on Saturday if you make a good run on Friday night. We have to have our game face on and try to make every run down the track. It's time to put up. This is survival of the fittest in the Countdown (to 1)."

Antron Brown Charlotte NHRA Notebook
Two weeks ago at the prestigious U.S. Nationals, Brown raced his Matco Tools dragster to its seventh No. 1 qualifying award of the season, a career-best for the 23-time NHRA winner. The seven-time Top Fuel winner used a tune-up from crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald to power the Matco Tools car to a lap of 3.835 seconds at 319.22 mph to pace the Top Fuel field. It was the second fastest speed in 1,000-foot racing. On race day, Brown fell in a close race to Rookie of the Year frontrunner Spencer Massey, 3.881 to 3.872. It was Brown's first opening-round loss of the season.

Last year at the annual inaugural Charlotte race, Brown raced his Matco Tools rail to the No. 3 qualifying position with a blast of 3.865 seconds at 311.20 mph. On race day, the Top Fuel rookie advanced to the final round before falling to six-time champion Tony Schumacher 3.882 to 3.923. It was Brown's fifth final-round appearance of his rookie Top Fuel season.

Brown secured the top spot in the Countdown to 1 at the Reading NHRA race. The Matco Tools flagship racer will have a 30-point lead entering the Countdown to 1 six-race playoff that begins at the Charlotte race next month. Brown has five wins in eight final round appearances, along with seven poles, all category-bests. In July, Brown made NHRA history becoming just the seventh professional driver to sweep the grueling Western Swing (Denver, Seattle and Sonoma, Calif.). Brown also clocked the fastest run in 1,000-foot racing at 319.75 mph at Bristol, Tenn. in May. Brown has not ranked lower than second this season and has been atop the standings following 12 of 17 races, including the last nine events.

Antron Brown... Did You Know?
-Brown was a track star at Mercer Community 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 (7 TF/16 PSM).
-Brown's team owner, Mike Ashley, is a three-time NHRA Funny Car winner, including the prestigious U.S. Nationals in 2007.
-Brown's co-crew chief, Mark Oswald, won the 1984 NHRA Winston Funny Car championship. Oswald is one of 14 drivers in NHRA history to have won races in both Top Fuel and Funny Car.

Antron Brown's Career Results at zMax Dragway at Concord
Year Qualified Finish/Winning Driver
2008 No. 3-3.865 secs. Runner-up-Tony Schumacher

Brown's Charlotte NHRA Schedule
Date/Time Event/Location
Thur., Sept. 17, 11:30 a.m. NHRA Media Luncheon, zMax Dragway
Thur., Sept. 17, 6-9 p.m. Matco Tools Customer Event, The Pit Indoor Karting
346 E. Plaza Drive, Mooresville, NC 28117
Fri., Sept. 18, 3:30/7 p.m. TF Qualifying 1/2, zMax Dragway
Sat., Sept. 19, Noon/3:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, zMax Dragway
Sun., Sept. 20, Noon Final Eliminations, zMax Dragway

Carolinas Nationals TV Schedule (ESPN2)
Date/Time (ET) Coverage
Sat. Sept. 19, 11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Qualifying Highlights
Sun., Sept. 20, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day
Sun., Sept. 20, 7-10 p.m. Final Eliminations

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