The Brown Bulletin The pre-race release of 18-time NHRA winner Antron Brown and the Matco Tools Top Fuel team Contact: Ted Yerzyk, (317) 852-6363 o, or (760) 207-9767 c ted@davidpowersmotorsports.com 54th annual U.S. Nationals Aug. 24-Sept. 1, 2008 O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis Clermont, Ind. Antron Brown on Indy “I’m ready to rock for Indy. This is going to be the big showdown of the year. This is like winning the championship if you win the U.S. Nationals and I feel that our Matco Tools team is up for the tremendous challenge.” Lee Beard (crew chief) on Indy “There are two things that people remember at the end of the year, that’s who wins the championship and who wins Indy. I’d like nothing better than to go there with a rookie Top Fuel driver and to win the U.S. Nationals. To do that with Antron (Brown) would be great and having momentum going into the Countdown (to the Championship) is necessary.” Antron Brown Indy NHRA Notebook At the last race in Reading, Pa., Brown qualified his Matco Tools dragster in the top half of the field for the 15th time in 17 races this season. He qualified seventh at 3.892-seconds at Maple Grove Raceway. He advanced to the semifinals for the third time this season before falling to Larry Dixon after a rocker arm broke in the motor of the Matco Tools dragster. Brown made an immediate impact since making the move from Pro Stock Motorcycle to Top Fuel. The New Jersey native earned the pole at the 2008 NHRA season-opening event at Pomona, Calif. and hasn’t looked back. He won in just his fourth start and has two wins in four final-round appearances in the Matco Tools dragster. Brown also has three poles this season. He has been in second place in the standings since winning the Atlanta race in April. Last year at the U.S. Nationals, Brown qualified ninth on his U.S. Army Suzuki at 7.012 seconds at 190.19 mph. He advanced to the second round before falling to Chip Ellis. Brown is a two-time winner of the prestigious U. S. Nationals. He defeated John Smith in the final round at ORP to capture his first U.S. Nationals “Wally” in 2000 and knocked off Shawn Gann to earn his second U.S. Nationals victory four years later. Brown has qualified for 162 consecutive NHRA events and hasn’t missed the cut since the Gainesville race in 1998. It is the second longest qualifying streak in the professional ranks (Angelle Sampey—177). In 10 races at ORP, Brown has an average starting position of 5.4. His average qualifying position in 17 races this season is 4.7. Brown became the eighth different driver that crew chief Lee Beard has tuned to the pole and 10th different racer Beard has tuned to a win in Top Fuel or Funny Car. Beard has three career wins (1992, ’96, ’01) and four poles (1987, ’90, ’01, ’02) at the U.S. Nationals. 2008 NHRA Top Fuel Standings 1. Tony Schumacher (10) 1,650 - - - 2. ANTRON BROWN (2) 1,124 -526 3. Larry Dixon (1) 1,082 -568 4. Cory McClenathan (1) 1,019 -631 5. HOT ROD FULLER (1) 1,015 -635 6. Brandon Bernstein 974 -676 7. Hillary Will (1) 907 -743 8. Doug Herbert (1) 843 -807 9. David Grubnic 736 -914 10. Doug Kalitta 732 -918 11. Morgan Lucas 726 -924 Antron Brown’s Career Results at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis Year Qualified Finish/Winning Driver 1998 No. 5 Semifinals—Matt Hines 1999 No. 4 Semifinals—Matt Hines 2000 No. 2 WINNER—def. John Smith 2001 No. 2 Semifinals—Shawn Gann 2002 No. 7 Semifinals—Shawn Gann 2003 No. 7 Semifinals—Shawn Gann 2004 No. 2 WINNER—def. Shawn Gann 2005 No. 4 First round—Geno Scali 2006 No. 12 Semifinals—Matt Smith 2007 No. 9 Second round—Chip Ellis Brown’s Indy Schedule Date & Time Event and Location Thur., Aug. 28, Matco Tools Truck Ride—Indianapolis w/Matco Tools DBR Randy Harris Fri., Aug. 29, 6:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 1, O’Reilly Raceway Park Sat., Aug. 30, 1:45/6:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 2/3, O’Reilly Raceway Park Sun., Aug. 31, 12:45/3:40 p.m. TF Qualifying 4/5, O’Reilly Raceway Park Mon., Sept. 1, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, O’Reilly Raceway Park Brown’s Career-Best Performances Top Fuel E.T.—4.495 seconds Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2008 MPH—331.94 mph Madison, Ill. May 2008 E.T.—3.805 seconds* Sonoma, Calif. July 2008 MPH—316.45 mph* Sonoma, Calif. July 2008 *1,000-foot Pro Stock Motorcycle E.T.—6.930 seconds Gainesville, Fla. March 2007 MPH—193.24 mph Englishtown, N.J. May 2002 U.S. Nationals TV Schedule (ESPN2) Date & Time (ET) Coverage Sat., Aug. 31, 12:30-1:30 a.m. Qualifying Highlights Sun., Aug. 31, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day Sun., Aug. 31, 11:30-2 p.m. Qualifying Highlights Sun., Aug. 31, 5-7 p.m. Qualifying Highlights Mon., Sept. 1, Noon-2 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage Mon., Sept. 1, 7-10 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage www.matcotools.com www.davidpowersmotorsports.com