Antron Brown on Richmond
"We're excited to get to Richmond and get it all going in the right direction again. We ran well there last year; I think we made our quickest pass of the season at Richmond. It's all or nothing for our MAR Matco Tools team. We have nothing to lose. It's about going out and having fun and enjoying what we do. We want to go rounds and try to get back to the final round and cut into the point's lead that Tony (Schumacher) has built up in this Countdown (to 1). Our car continues to qualify really well, so we know we can run well and there's no doubt we're going to run well at the last three races for Matco and all our distributors."

Antron Brown Richmond NHRA Notebook
Last weekend near Memphis, Tenn., Brown raced his Toyota/Matco Tools dragster to the No. 2 qualifying position with a lap of 3.836 seconds at 318.99 mph. It was the third fastest 1,000-foot speed and the third time that Brown started in the No. 2 spot this year. On Monday, the race was delayed one day due to rain showers, Brown was matched-up against No. 15 qualifier Tim Cullinan. Brown's red and white dragster lost traction early on the pass and Brown suffered his third opening-round loss of the season and third in four races as Cullinan scored the win 4.614 to 5.708. After posting a mark of 42-13 in the 18-race regular season, Brown is 1-3 in the three Countdown to 1 events.

Last fall at Virginia Motorsports Park, Brown qualified his Matco Tools dragster eighth with a lap of 3.823 seconds at 308.57. On race day, Brown posted his quickest lap in the opening round at 3.803-seconds in a win over Brandon Bernstein. He was defeated in the second round by six-time champion Tony Schumacher, 3.779 to 3.847.

This season, Brown has five wins in eight final round appearances, along with seven poles. 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 has clocked the three fastest runs in 1,000-foot racing at 319.75 (Bristol), 319.22 (Indianapolis) and 318.99 mph (Memphis). His 319.22 mph blast at the U.S. Nationals in September is the NHRA Top Fuel speed record, and Brown is the only driver to surpass 319 mph at 1,000-feet. Brown led the points entering the Countdown to 1 and after 13 races this season. He trails Schumacher by 120 points or six rounds of racing and ranks fourth in the Countdown to 1 standings, his lowest placing of the season. Brown's average qualifying position this season is 3.43 and 3.33 in the three Countdown to 1 races.

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.

Brown's Richmond Schedule
Date/Time Event/Location
Thur., Oct. 8, Noon NHRA Media Luncheon, Jefferson Hotel
101 West Franklin St., Richmond, VA 23220 Fri., Oct. 9, 2/4:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 1/2, Virginia Motorsports Park Sat., Oct. 10, 12:30/3 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, Virginia Motorsports Park Sun., Oct. 11, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, Virginia Motorsports Park

Virginia NHRA Nationals TV Schedule (ESPN2)
Date/Time (ET) Coverage
Sat., Oct. 10, 10:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Qualifying Highlights Sun., Oct. 11, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day Sun., Oct. 11, 7-10 p.m.
Final Eliminations

Courtesy of Ted Yerzyk