Thu, 17 Sep 2009, 09:30 PM Antron Brown to Participate in Richard Petty Driving Experience at LMS

Courtesy of Ted Yerzyk

CONCORD, N.C. -- Before Antron Brown returns to the cockpit of his Mike Ashley-owned Matco Tools dragster on Friday afternoon at zMax Dragway at Concord to begin the Countdown to 1, the 23-time NHRA winner will trade his Top Fuel dragster for a Stock Car. The current NHRA points leader will participate in the Richard Petty Driving Experience at nearby Lowe's Motor Speedway on Friday morning before qualifying for the Carolinas NHRA Nationals, the first race in the Countdown to 1 six-race playoff.

"This is a really cool deal and I'm excited to see what this Stock Car racing is all about," Brown said. "My boy Jimmy Bruns at Connexions Sports and Entertainment called and asked if I was interested and I was like 'Are you Crazy? Of course I am.' I grew up racing motocross and then Pro Stock Motorcycles and now Top Fuel, so maybe the next move for Antron Brown is to NASCAR. They keep talking about Danica (Patrick) going to NASCAR, maybe A.B. will beat her to the punch.

"Seriously though, this is an awesome opportunity to see what it's like to drive around an oval at 160 mph. I'm sure glad there aren't 42 other cars out there bumping and passing me. I know it's going to be a lot of fun. It would be cool if 'the King' (Richard Petty) was my driving coach. I got to hang out with our greatest driver, Don Garlits, at the U.S. Nationals a few weeks back, and it would be neat to meet Richard Petty in the heart of NASCAR country."

The Richard Petty Driving Experience is available at 21 race facilities across the country. For more information, visit http://www.1800bepetty.com

Headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., Mike Ashley Racing fields the Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster driven by Antron Brown. MAR proudly represents racing partners Matco Tools, Lend America, DirecTV, Toyota, SpongeTechR Delivery Systems, Ringer's Gloves, Go Fast! Sports, Goodyear, FRAM, Autolite, Impact! Racing, Connexions Sports and Entertainment, and Forward Sports Marketing (FSM).

Mike Ashley Racing supports Autism Awareness through their support of the Hyperbaric Therapy Center. A 2007 Centers for Disease Control report found that 1 in 150 children in America today have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and an estimated 1.5 million Americans and their families are now affected. Autism is a national health crisis, and Mike Ashley Racing is working to help educate the public about ways they can get involved. Visit the Heal Autism Now website for more information about how you can get involved at http://www.healautismnow.org