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 21st annual FRAM-Autolite Nationals June 25-27, 2008 Infineon Raceway Sonoma, Calif. Antron Brown on Sonoma “We’re looking forward to getting back to Sonoma and ending this Western Swing on a high note. I love racing at Infineon Raceway and had some success there in Pro Stock Motorcycle and we want to continue that in Top Fuel with the Matco Tools team.” Lee Beard (crew chief) on Sonoma “It’s always exciting to race at Sonoma. I have a lot of great memories from that track like winning there with Gary Ormsby. I have compared Antron (Brown) to Gary and hopefully we can get back to the winner’s circle at Infineon Raceway this season.” Antron Brown Sonoma NHRA Notebook Last weekend at Pacific Raceways near Seattle, Brown made his first career start at the Seattle NHRA race. The former Pro Stock Motorcycle star spent 10 seasons in the two-wheel category, which competes on a part-time basis. Brown qualified his Matco Tools dragster third with a run of 3.831 seconds at 312.06 mph. He was defeated in the opening round for just the second time this season when his Matco Tools dragster smoked the tires early in the run. Brown enters the 15th race on the 2008 NHRA schedule ranked second in the NHRA Top Fuel standings. He has two wins (Houston, Atlanta) and two poles (Pomona 1, Englishtown) this season. He became the first driver in NHRA history to win races in both the Pro Stock Motorcycle and Top Fuel classes when he nipped Larry Dixon in the final round at Houston Raceway Park on March 30. He has ranked second in the standings since winning the Atlanta race in late April. Last July at Infineon Raceway, Brown qualified his U.S. Army Suzuki 10th with a run of 7.027 seconds at 190.92 mph. He was defeated in the opening round by Eddie Krawiec 6.967 to 7.077. Brown is a two-time PSM finalist (2004, ‘06) at the Sonoma NHRA race. Brown has qualified for 159 consecutive NHRA events. He hasn’t missed the cut since the Gainesville race in 1998. It is the second longest qualifying streak in the professional ranks (Angelle Sampey—173). 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 won the Sonoma race in 1990 with Gary Ormsby (Top Fuel) and tuned Whit Bazemore to the Funny Car pole at Infineon Raceway in 2001. 2008 NHRA Top Fuel Standings 1. Tony Schumacher (7) 1,297 - - - 2. ANTRON BROWN (2) 940 -357 3. Larry Dixon (1) 901 -396 4. ROD FULLER (1) 852 -445 5. Cory McClenathan (1) 840 -457 6. Brandon Bernstein 834 -463 7. Hillary Will (1) 751 -546 8. Doug Herbert (1) 738 -559 9. David Grubnic 617 -680 10. Doug Kalitta 598 -699 11. Morgan Lucas 588 -709 Antron Brown’s Career Results at Infineon Raceway Year Qualified Finish/Winning Driver 2002 No. 5 Second round—Shawn Gann 2003 No. 13 Second round—Geno Scali 2004 No. 2 Runner-up—Angelle Sampey 2005 No. 5 Semifinals—Andrew Hines 2006 No. 3 Runner-up—Chip Ellis 2007 No. 10 First round—Eddie Krawiec Brown’s Sonoma Schedule Date & Time Event and Location Wed., July 23, 2 p.m. Matco Tools Truck Ride—San Jose, Calif. w/Matco Tools DBR Jeff Sheldon Fri., July 25, 4/7:15 p.m. TF Qualifying 1/2, Infineon Raceway Sat., July 26, Noon/3 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, Infineon Raceway Sun., July 27, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, Infineon Raceway 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.—3.831 seconds* Kent, Wash. July 2008 MPH—312.06 mph* Kent, Wash. 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 FRAM-Autolite Nationals TV Schedule (ESPN2) Date & Time (ET) Coverage Sat., July 26, 6-8 p.m. Qualifying Highlights Sun., July 27 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day Sun., July 27, 7-10 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage www.matcotools.com www.davidpowersmotorsports.com