NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

After winning in Charlotte to open the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship, Antron Brown’s quest for a second straight Top Fuel world championship is already starting to look similar to 2015. Considering his previous dominance at Gateway Motorsports Park, that is definitely a good thing heading to this weekend’s fifth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals.

Brown has posted an impressive four consecutive victories at the pivotal race in his 10,000-horsepower Matco Tools/U.S. Army dragster. A fifth straight win at the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship is on the to-do list for Brown and his talented team, and it would be a victory that would put the reigning world champion one step closer to his third career Top Fuel world championship.

“We’ve got to prepare for two days, head to St. Louis and we’ve got to go to work again,” Brown said. “I’m ready and my team’s ready, and we’ve got to be all in and we have to be ready together. That’s what it is going to take to compete and try to pull off some round wins against these teams. Nobody can relax right now. There’s still five races to go and we have to fight. This Countdown puts a lot of pressure on a lot of teams and a lot of teams step up. You can’t take anybody lightly.”

Del Worsham (Funny Car), Drew Skillman (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also last year’s winners of the event that will be televised on FOX Sports 1 for the first time. The race is the second of a three-weekend stretch and one where Brown, who has five wins this season, has enjoyed immense success.

Brown may not know the exact reason why he has dominated at Gateway Motorsports Park in previous years, but he is confident in his team’s ability to rise to the occasion in pressure situations. The Countdown to the Championship certainly qualifies as that and Brown has thrived recently, winning five of the past seven playoff races, including three straight wins to start last year’s championship run.

After losing to teammate and eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals in Indy this year, Brown and his team, led by crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald, knew they had to work even harder.

“It made all my guys take a look in the mirror,” said Brown, who has 59 wins, including 43 in Top Fuel. “We said, ‘The Countdown is coming and all of these races are just like the U.S. Nationals. We’ve got six of them in a row and how do you want to finish the season?’ We put extra effort in and go to work. We put the work in (at Charlotte) and we were fortunate enough to get a win. When the pressure comes you have to push.”

To do something as special as win a playoff event for the fifth year in a row, Brown knows he will have to be spectacular in St. Louis. He was quick and consistent during eliminations in Charlotte, beating Doug Kalitta in the finals. But Brown will continue to be challenged by Kalitta, who is second in points and seeking his first world championship.

“If we want to go out and compete for a championship, we’re definitely going to have to outdo that team,” Brown said. “That team is hungry and we have to keep working like we’re doing, and keep pressing hard. Hopefully we can be in the position where have a chance to bring another championship home.”
Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 2:45 and 5:15 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 24, at 1:45 and 4:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 15.??

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call 855-RACE-TIK (722-3845). Tickets are available online at www.gatewaymsp.com.  Kids 12 and under are free in general admission areas with a paid adult.