Antron Brown - Driver
Category: Top Fuel
Residence: Pittsboro, Ind.
Hometown: Chesterfield, N.J.
Date of Birth: March 1, 1976
2008 Car: Matco Tools dragster
Crew Chief: Lee Beard
Team Owner: David Powers
2007 Wins/Final Rounds: 0/0
Career Wins/Final Rounds: 16/33
Best Points Finish: 2nd (2001, ’06)
First Start: Gainesville 1998
First Victory: Dallas 1 1999
First No. 1 Qualifying Position: Houston 2001
Career No. 1 Qualifying Awards: 12
Career-best Elapsed Time: 4.495 seconds (Pomona 1 2008)
6.930 seconds (Gainesville 2007 - PSM)
Career-best Speed: 331.61 mph (Pomona 1 2008)
193.24 mph (Englishtown 2002 - PSM)
Wife: Billie Jo
Sons: Anson (3), Adler (1)
Daughter: Arianna (6)
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 145 lbs.
Hobbies: RC Boats, Motorcycles, Fitness

Antron Brown grew up at the drag strip, so it’s only fitting he developed into a championship-caliber drag racer. The Chesterfield, N.J. native was raised in the quarter mile racing hot bed of the Garden State and attend races with his family at historic Atco and Englishtown, N.J. and Reading, Pa.

Brown, 31, first operated a motorcycle at four-years-old shortly after learning how to ride a bicycle with training wheels. The 16-time NHRA winner first competed at 12-years-old in an 80-cc class in amateur youth motocross. His first competitive action on the drag strip came during his senior year in high school aboard a Suzuki GSXR 1100 that Brown routinely steered at runs at 9.20 seconds at nearly 160 mph.

While his passion for motorcycles never waned, Brown excelled at track and field. After graduating from Northern Burlington County Regional High School in Columbus, N.J., Brown competed on both the indoor and outdoor track circuit. The scholar athlete competed in multiple events including the long jump and 100-meter dash. He earned an Associate of Arts degree in business administration from Mercer Junior College.

It was during college in 1997 that his dream of being a professional drag racer became a reality. While at his college dorm, he fielded a phone call from star NFL cornerback Troy Vincent, who asked if Brown was capable of riding a Pro Stock Motorcycle.

“I told Troy (Vincent) to give me a shot and I’ll give it all I have,” Brown said.

Less than a year later, Team 23 Racing was a reality as Brown teamed with famed rider Dave Schultz, who mentored the animated rookie racer.

“Dave was my racing hero,” Brown said. “I looked up to him; he was my Michael Jordan. It was a dream to have someone you’ve looked up to become your teacher and mentor. He taught me so much, but really to be a professional and stay focused on and off the track.”

After a solid rookie campaign, Brown showed the rest of the two-wheeled category he wasn’t some flash in the pan. In the second race PSM of the 1999 season at Texas Motorplex, he bested three-time NHRA champion Angelle Sampey to collect the first of 16 career Pro Stock Motorcycle wins. In 10 seasons on his Suzuki, Brown amassed 16 victories in 33 final rounds, 11 No. 1 qualifying awards, and twice finished second in the points standings (2001 and ’06).

“It was incredible to get my first win,” Brown said. “It was my sophomore year and people were taking me seriously. At Dallas, every opponent red light against me. I just wasn’t a quick leaver anymore, but now I had a competitive bike. I was able to run as quick at Matt Hines and Angelle (Sampey).”

After a decade as one of the premier riders in the Pro Stock Motorcycle category, Brown inked a multi-year deal with team owner David Powers to drive the Matco Tools dragster starting in 2008. David Powers Motorsports announced on Nov. 3, 2007, that Brown would make the unique move from his U.S. Army Suzuki to the world’s fastest accelerating vehicle, a Top Fuel dragster.

“Without my family, Troy (Vincent) and my old crew chief Mark Peiser, I wouldn’t be the professional or the person that I am today,” Brown said. “The only thing I’m lacking from my career is championships. I’m looking forward to Top Fuel. I’ll do everything I can to be the best in the Top Fuel class. I can’t wait to learn and work with Lee Beard and start winning races for Matco Tools and the Matco distributors.”

Brown and his wife, Billie Jo, reside in Pittsboro, Ind. They have two children, Arianna (6) and Anson (3). When not at the race track, Brown enjoys spending time with his family. He also has a passion for RC boats, motorcycles and fitness.

CAREER FINAL-ROUND RECORD
2006
Gainesville runner-up (Angelle Sampey)
Atlanta WINNER (def. Andrew Hines)
Sonoma runner-up (Chip Ellis)
Brainerd WINNER (def. Steve Johnson)
Memphis runner-up (Andrew Hines)

2005
Englishtown WINNER (def. Karen Stoffer)
St. Louis runner-up (Angelle Sampey)
Denver runner-up (Ryan Schnitz)

2004
Houston runner-up (Karen Stoffer)
Sonoma runner-up (Angelle Sampey)
Memphis WINNER (def. Matt Smith)
Indianapolis WINNER (def. Shawn Gann)
Reading runner-up (Angelle Sampey)
Pomona 2 runner-up (Angelle Sampey)

2003
Atlanta runner-up (Geno Scali)
Brainerd WINNER (def. John Smith)

2002
Englishtown WINNER (def. Craig Treble)
Chicago 1 runner-up (Angelle Sampey)
Columbus runner-up (Craig Treble)

2001
Atlanta WINNER (def. Matt Hines)
Chicago 1 WINNER (def. Angelle Sampey)
Columbus runner-up (Angelle Sampey)
Pomona 3 runner-up (Angelle Sampey)
Denver runner-up (Angelle Sampey)
Brainerd WINNER (def. GT Tonglet)
Las Vegas 2 runner-up (Shawn Gann)

2000
Chicago WINNER (def. Craig Treble)
Brainerd WINNER (def. Tony Mullen)
Indianapolis WINNER (def. John Smith)

1999
Dallas 1 WINNER (def. Angelle Sampey)
Columbus WINNER (def. Dave Schultz)
Denver runner-up (Dave Schultz)
Pomona 2 WINNER (def. Craig Treble)

CAREER No. 1 QUALIFIER RECORD
2008
Pomona 1

2006
Atlanta

2005
Englishtown

2004
St. Louis
Brainerd
Reading

2001
Gainesville
Houston
Englishtown
St. Louis
Denver
Brainerd

Lee Beard - Crew Chief
Residence: Avon, Ind.
Birthplace: Pueblo, Colo.
Date of Birth: July 18, 1953
Drivers: Antron Brown
Team Owner: David Powers
Career Wins: 50
Career U.S. Nationals Wins: 4 (1992, ’92, ’96, ’01)
Best Points Finish: 1st (1989 – Top Fuel: Gary Ormsby)
First Victory: Denver 1980 (Top Fuel – Jerry Ruth)
First No. 1 Qualifying Position: Denver 1980 (Top Fuel – Jerry Ruth)
Career No. 1 Qualifying Positions: 56
Career-best Elapsed Time (TF): 4.493 seconds (Rod Fuller – Dallas 2005)
Career-best Elapsed Time (FC): 4.704 seconds (Whit Bazemore – Chicago 2004)
Career-best Speed (TF): 330.96 mph (Rod Fuller – Chicago 2006)
Career-best Speed (FC): 333.25 mph (Whit Bazemore – Chicago 2004)
Marital Status: Single
Sons: Zach (16), Nick (14)
Height/Weight: 5’10”, 170 lbs.
Hobbies: Fly Fishing
Notable: 1989 Car Craft Magazine Crew Chief of the Year and Person of the Year; Graduated from the University of Southern Colorado in 1974 with a B.A. in Industry Arts

Beard, 53, has long been considered one of the elite tuners in drag racing’s nitro ranks. The Colorado native cut his teeth in the 1970s where he both drove and tuned nitro-powered cars, before deciding to solely concentrate on the performance and engineering aspects of the high-speed sport of drag racing.

The 1974 graduate of the University of Southern Colorado jumped onto the crew chief scene in the late ‘70s when he teamed with famed Northwest racer Jerry Ruth. In 1980, Ruth drove his Beard-tuned dragster to the No. 1 qualifying position and win at Beard’s home track, Bandimere Speedway near Denver. It was his first NHRA national event victory. From there, the stylish tuning guru has seen nine more of his drivers make their way to the winner’s circle at drag racing’s highest level, NHRA, for a staggering total of 55 career wins.

Beard, an avid fly fisherman, has crew chiefed for winners in both nitro categories, Top Fuel and Funny Car, has set elapsed time and speed national records in the sport’s two premier categories, and has tuned both dragsters and Funny Cars to wins at the prestigious U.S. Nationals (Cruz Pedregon and Ed McCulloch – 1992, Cory McClenathan – 1996, Whit Bazemore – 2001). Beard and legendary racer/tuner Dale Armstrong are the only two crew chiefs in NHRA history to have seen their races cars join the exclusive four second and 300-mph clubs in both Top Fuel and Funny Car, win a championship, and be named Person of the Year by Car Craft magazine.

Beard reached the pinnacle of NHRA drag racing when he tuned longtime driver Gary Ormsby to six victories en route to the 1989 NHRA Winston Top Fuel championship. A season later, they carded another six victories, but finished just a few points shy of a second consecutive title. Two years later, Beard served as team manager to Larry Minor’s McDonald’s team when Cruz Pedregon stunned the racing community by defeating category icon John Force for the Funny Car championship in 1992. Beard also has tuned Jim Barnard, Pat Austin, Ed McCulloch, Cory McClenathan, Kenny Bernstein, Whit Bazemore and Rod Fuller to victories.

Following a strong run with Bazemore and the Matco Tools Funny Car team (2001-05), where the Beard/Bazemore combination won 12 races, qualified in the No. 1 position 19 times and posted two championship runner-ups, Beard joined the upstart David Powers Motorsports team in July 2005. In just his third race as crew chief for veteran sportsmen racer “Hot” Rod Fuller, the Powers team defeated four-time series champion Tony Schumacher in the final round at Memphis Motorsports Park as Fuller collected his first career Top Fuel victory. Last season, their first full season together, Beard and Fuller won two races in five final-round appearances on the way towards a fifth-place finish in the challenging Top Fuel division.

Beard tuned the Matco Tools dragster in 2007 where Whit Bazemore earned the pole at Houston, the 55th pole of Beard’s tuning career, and earned a slot in the coveted Countdown to the Championship in NHRA’s new playoff system. This season, he will work with rookie Top Fuel driver Antron Brown, a 16-time Pro Stock Motorcycle winner. Brown spent 10 seasons in the two-wheel category and was named driver of the Matco Tools rail in November 2007.

Beard now resides in Avon, Ind. He has two sons, Zach (16) and Nick (14).

CAREER VICTORIES
2006
Phoenix (Rod Fuller)
Englishtown (Rod Fuller)

2005
Gainesville (Whit Bazemore)
Las Vegas 1 (Whit Bazemore)
Memphis (Rod Fuller)

2004
Atlanta (Whit Bazemore)
Topeka (Whit Bazemore)

2003
Englishtown (Whit Bazemore)
Joliet 1 (Whit Bazemore)
Memphis (Whit Bazemore)

2002
Bristol (Whit Bazemore)
Atlanta (Whit Bazemore)

2001
Seattle (Whit Bazemore)
Indianapolis (Whit Bazemore)
Joliet 2 (Whit Bazemore)

2000
Las Vegas (Kenny Bernstein)

1998
Gainesville (Kenny Bernstein)
Joliet (Kenny Bernstein)
Columbus (Kenny Bernstein)
Pomona 2 (Kenny Bernstein)

1997
Topeka (Kenny Bernstein)

1996
Columbus (Cory McClenathan)
Indianapolis (Cory McClenathan)
Dallas (Cory McClenathan)

1995
Atlanta (Cory McClenathan)
Memphis (Cory McClenathan)
Richmond (Cory McClenathan)

1994
Phoenix (Cory McClenathan)
Topeka (Cory McClenathan)

1993
Houston (Ed McCulloch)

1992
Indianapolis (Ed McCulloch)
Topeka (Ed McCulloch)
Dallas (Ed McCulloch)

1991
Topeka (Pat Austin)
Pomona 2 (Pat Austin)

1990
Baton Rouge (Gary Ormsby)
Montreal (Gary Ormsby)
Englishtown (Gary Ormsby)
Sonoma (Gary Ormsby)
Seattle (Gary Ormsby)
Reading (Gary Ormsby)

1989
Pomona 1 (Gary Ormsby)
Houston (Gary Ormsby)
Memphis (Gary Ormsby)
Montreal (Gary Ormsby)
Dallas (Gary Ormsby)
Pomona 2 (Gary Ormsby)

1984
Pomona 1 (Gary Ormsby)

1982
Irvine (Jim Barnard)

1980
Denver (Jerry Ruth)

CAREER NO. 1 QUALIFIER RECORD
2008
Pomona 1 (Antron Brown)

2007
Houston (Whit Bazemore)

2006
St. Louis (Rod Fuller)
Memphis (Rod Fuller)

2005
Columbus (Whit Bazemore)

2004
Bristol (Whit Bazemore)
Topeka (Whit Bazemore)
Denver (Whit Bazemore)
Memphis (Whit Bazemore)

2003
Las Vegas 1 (Whit Bazemore)
Memphis (Whit Bazemore)
Chicago 2 (Whit Bazemore)

2002
Houston (Whit Bazemore)
Columbus (Whit Bazemore)
Indianapolis (Whit Bazemore)

2001
Pomona 3 (Whit Bazemore)
Denver (Whit Bazemore)
Sonoma (Whit Bazemore)
Brainerd (Whit Bazemore)
Indianapolis (Whit Bazemore)
Joliet 2 (Whit Bazemore)
Dallas (Whit Bazemore)
Las Vegas 2 (Whit Bazemore)
Pomona 2 (Whit Bazemore)

2000
Las Vegas (Kenny Bernstein)
Houston (Kenny Bernstein)

1998
Richmond (Kenny Bernstein)
St. Louis (Kenny Bernstein)

1996
Pomona 2 (Cory McClenathan)

1995
Atlanta (Cory McClenathan)

1994
Pomona 1 (Cory McClenathan)
Phoenix (Cory McClenathan)
Gainesville (Cory McClenathan)
Memphis (Cory McClenathan)
Topeka (Cory McClenathan)
Dallas (Cory McClenathan)

1993
Houston (Ed McCulloch)

1992
Englishtown (Ed McCulloch)
Denver (Ed McCulloch)

1991
Houston (Gary Ormsby)

1990
Indianapolis (Gary Ormsby)
Reading (Gary Ormsby)
Topeka (Gary Ormsby)
Pomona 2 (Gary Ormsby)

1989
Memphis (Gary Ormsby)
Columbus (Gary Ormsby)
Dallas (Gary Ormsby)
Denver (Gary Ormsby)

1986
Columbus (Gary Ormsby)

1985
Denver (Gary Ormsby)
Phoenix (Gary Ormsby)

1984
Atlanta (Gary Ormsby)
Baton Rouge (Gary Ormsby)

1981
Pomona (Jerry Ruth)

1980
Denver (Jerry Ruth)
Seattle (Jerry Ruth)

Rip Reynolds
Birthplace: Cheyenne, Wyo.
Residence: Avon, Ind.
Birth date: March 1
Position: Asst. Crew Chief
Wife: JoAnne
Children: Amanda (31), Jacquie (23)
Hobbies: Golf, flying RC helicopter, riding his Buell



 

Reynolds joined David Powers Motorsports for the 2006 NHRA season as a technician on Rod Fuller’s dragster after five years with Don Schumacher Racing. In his new role with the team in 2008, he will serve as assistant crew chief to Lee Beard on the Matco Tools dragster. Last year, he was the cylinder head specialist for the antron Bazemore/David Baca-driven rail. The veteran crew member spent five seasons as the clutch specialist on Bazemore’s Matco Tools Funny Car at DSR before making the move to the DPM camp. Reynolds also worked with Bazemore while at Chuck Etchells Racing. He broke into drag racing working on Len Seroka’s Funny Car in the mid-90s and also has worked on sprint cars.

Chris Abbott
Birthplace: Denver
Residence: Avon, Ind.
Birth date: April 23, 1981
Position: Bottom End/Short Block Assistant
Marital Status: Single
Children: Presilee (2)
Hobbies: Fine art, physical fitness, R.C. cars



 

Abbott joined the Matco Tools Top Fuel team in mid-December after spending the last three years working on Tommy Johnson’s Skoal Racing Funny Car at Don Prudhomme Racing. The veteran crew member grew up around the sport of drag racing. Abbott is the grandson of 1981 U.S. Nationals Top Fuel winner Johnny Abbott, who was inducted into the NHRA Hall of Fame last summer. Abbott also has worked for Keith Jackson Racing and Joe Amato Racing on the Darrell Russell/Morgan Lucas-driven dragsters. He will service the bottom end, build racks and assist Wayne Waite on short blocks this season.

John Benshoof
Birthplace: Mankato, Minn.
Residence: Brownsburg, Ind.
Birth date: Sept. 2, 1986
Position: Technician
Marital Status: Single
Hobbies: Hockey, bass fishing




 

Benshoof joined the Matco Tools Top Fuel team in January 2008. It is his first job on the NHRA tour. He will serve as a technician on the Antron Brown-driven dragster. Benshoof, who attended Wyotech in Laramie, Wyo., worked at Jeff Belzer Chevrolet in Lakeville, Minn. before making the move to DPM.

Tony Derhammer
Birthplace: Lafayette, Ind.
Residence: Clermont, Ind.
Birth date: June 12, 1982
Position: Fabricator/Clutch Assistant
Marital Status: Single
Hobbies: RC boats, dirt track racing, power boats




 

Derhammer brings a talented fabricating background to the Matco Tools Top Fuel team where he will serve as the team’s lead fabricator and clutch assistant to Ed Serauskis. Before joining the DPM camp, Derhammer worked as a fabricator/welder for McKinney Corp. in Lafayette, Ind. He also worked as a technician at DeFouw Chevrolet in Lafayette for five years before graduating from the automotive program at the University of Northwestern Ohio.

Mike Domagala
Birthplace: Lowville, N.Y.
Residence: Indianapolis
Birth date: March 10, 1971
Position: Cylinder Head Specialist/Team Leader
Wife: Michelle
Hobbies: Movies, fantasy football, photography




 

Known around the NHRA community as “Mighty Mike,” the upper New York native has been on the NHRA tour since 1999. Domagala has amassed 36 career wins during his tenure as a technician for antron Bazemore, Melanie Troxel, Kenny and Brandon Bernstein. Domagala’s first season in the sport was with Chuck Etchells Racing where he worked on Bazemore’s Matco Tools Funny Car. He worked for both Troxel and Bazemore in 2000 at Don Schumacher Racing. The Indianapolis resident has spent the last seven seasons assisting Tim Richards on the Budweiser dragster of the Bernsteins. Domagala was a member of Kenny Bernstein’s championship-winning team in 2001 when the six-time NHRA champion earned his final NHRA crown. Before joining the NHRA circuit, Domagala was a diesel mechanic in New York and Florida. He will be the cylinder head specialist and service the right side of the motor on the Matco Tools dragster in 2008. His duties also include team leader responsibilities which include monitoring the crew while on the road.

Brad Mason
Birthplace: Sparta, Mo.
Residence: Sparta, Mo.
Birth date: Oct. 10, 1975
Position: Superchargers/Ignition/Truck Driver
Marital Status: Single
Hobbies: Motorcycles, fishing, hunting




 

Mason joined the Matco Tools Top Fuel teaming following a one-year stint at Kenny Bernstein Racing where he worked on the six-time NHRA champion’s Funny Car. Mason also has worked for Kalitta Motorsports, Bob Vandergriff and Scott Palmer. Before going NHRA drag racing, he spent 12 years as a line technician Dennis Hanks Chevrolet in Ozark, Mo. This season, he will service superchargers and ignition on the Matco dragster.

Ed Serauskis
Birthplace: Chicago
Residence: San Jose, Calif.
Birth date: Sept. 13, 1969
Position: Clutch Specialist
Wife: Gerilyn
Children: Ellie (1)
Hobbies: Drag racing, motorcycles





Serauskis, known as “Big Ed” in the NHRA circles, joined the Matco Tools Top Fuel team for the 2008 season as the clutch specialist. Having worked on the NHRA tour since 1998, Serauskis has developed into one of the premier clutch gurus in the pits. The Chicago native began his drag racing career in 1998 when he worked on Dean Skuza’s Matco Tools Funny Car. Serauskis worked for the popular Ohio driver through the 2003 season. He took the 2004 season off from drag racing and worked as a Ford dealer technician for Mike Bass Ford in Ohio. He then spent two-and-a-half seasons working on the Johnny Gray and Ron Capps-driven Dodge Funny Cars for Don Schumacher Racing before spending the last 18 months servicing the clutch on Doug Herbert’s dragster. In 2008, Serauskis will again serve as the clutch specialist while being assisted by Tony Derhammer in the clutch department on the Matco-backed rail.

Wayne Waite
Birthplace: Elyria, Ohio
Residence: Elyria, Ohio
Birth date: Nov. 24, 1980
Position: Short Block Specialist/Truck Driver
Marital Status: Single
Hobbies: Go-karting, models, racing




 

Waite joined the Matco Tools crew following the 2007 NHRA season following a two-year stint at Doug Herbert Racing where he built short blocks, serviced the bottom end and drove truck. In his third season on the NHRA POWERade tour, Waite, 27, will continue to build short blocks on the Matco Tools rail while pulling the left cylinder head and driving the race rig. While at Herbert’s, he earned the nickname “Red.” Before joining the Herbert camp, Waite spent three seasons working on Bobby Martin’s Top Alcohol Funny Car in Pennsylvania. He also worked as a Ford dealer technician for seven years at both Mike Bass Ford and Pallotta Ford in Ohio.