NORWALK, Ohio (June 28, 2026) – After battling through a challenging qualifying effort, four-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown and the AB Motorsports team found their stride when it mattered most, racing to a runner-up finish Sunday at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park.
The event carried extra significance for Brown and the Matco Tools team. Norwalk serves as a homecoming race with longtime partners Matco Tools and Summit Racing Equipment, headquartered nearby. Earlier in race week, Brown visited both company headquarters to spend time with employees before returning to the racetrack. The weekend also held special meaning for crew chief Brian Corradi, an Ohio native and owner of Master Pizza and Corradi’s Scoops Ice Cream Shop in the Cleveland area.
Qualifying proved difficult as Friday and Saturday’s cooler conditions gave way to significantly warmer temperatures on race day.
Brown opened qualifying with a solid 3.843-second pass at 329.02 mph before improving to a 3.828 at 329.50 mph during the second session. Despite the quicker elapsed time, Brown slipped to the No. 8 provisional position heading into Saturday.
The first round of the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge brought a semifinal rematch with Doug Kalitta from Bristol, but Brown encountered problems immediately after the hit and coasted to an 8.045-second run at 75.79 mph.
The NHRA Top 75 driver rebounded in the final qualifying session with his quickest run of the weekend, a 3.825 at 310.48 mph. Although the run wasn’t enough to improve his position, he entered eliminations from the No. 14 qualifying spot.
Facing one of the toughest opening-round matchups of the day against Leah Pruett, Brown delivered exactly what his team needed. He left first off the starting line and never trailed, posting a 3.763-second run to Pruett’s 3.781 to advance and earn lane choice.
Brown continued his charge in the second round against Tony Schumacher. Once again, he was first off the line, and when Schumacher encountered trouble down track, Brown powered to a 3.806-second pass at 329.34 mph to move into the semifinals.
The semifinal round tested both drivers as Brown and Clay Millican each battled traction issues shortly after launch. Brown expertly pedaled his Matco Tools Eagle Experience Top Fuel dragster and regained momentum first, advancing to his third final round appearance of the season.
In the championship round, Brown squared off against Maddi Gordon. Brown once again won the starting-line battle, but Gordon drove around him before the 300-foot mark to claim the victory with a 3.786-second pass. Brown crossed the finish line in 3.840 seconds to secure the runner-up finish.
“To rebound after qualifying, where we had some struggles, and then to come out on race day and throw up a 3.76 on the first lap, and with that really tough first-round matchup against Leah, that was an unbelievable job by our team,” Brown said.
“You’ve got to give credit where credit’s due. Maddi came up in that final, and they swung, and they hit a grand slam out of the park right there. We came up there, and we were a little cautious. We wanted to make sure we went down the racetrack. But all in all, it was a great day for our Matco Tools team. We just really wanted to put it in the winner’s circle for Summit and Matco. This was their hometown track. We fell a little short, but at the end of the day, it was a great, great points day.”
Brown and the Matco Tools team head west for the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge, July 17-19, at Sonoma Raceway.
Qualified: No. 14 (3.825 E.T. at 310.48 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 3.763 E.T. at 333.16 MPH defeated Leah Pruett 3.781 E.T. at 332.26 MPH
E2: 3.806 E.T. at 329.34 MPH defeated Tony Schumacher 3.891 E.T. at 268.92
E3: 4.587 E.T. at 287.11 MPH defeated Clay Millican 8.340 E.T. at 81.64 MPH
E4: 3.840 E.T. at 328.14 MPH defeated by Maddi Gordon 3.786 E.T. at 333.16 MPH
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel Point Standings (Unofficial):
NORWALK, Ohio (June 28, 2026) – Angelle Sampey continued building experience behind the wheel of her Hangsterfer’s/FVP/Mission Foods A/Fuel dragster this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, competing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Top Alcohol Dragster category at Summit Motorsports Park.
Despite battling a handful of tune-up challenges throughout qualifying, Sampey and the AB Accelerate/Michalek Brothers Racing team continued making progress and secured the No. 13 qualifying position for race day.
Friday’s opening qualifying session ended almost as quickly as it began when Sampey’s dragster overpowered the racetrack, sending the tires into smoke immediately after launch. She coasted to a 9.379-second pass at 146.16 mph to open the weekend.
The team made significant improvements during the second qualifying session as Sampey posted a 5.327 at 274.83 mph to climb to the No. 13 position.
In Saturday’s final qualifying attempt, Sampey once again encountered issues off the starting line but drove through tire shake to complete a 5.364-second pass at 274.33 mph, solidifying the No. 13 qualifying position.
Paired against Jamie Noonan in the opening round of eliminations, Sampey gained the advantage at the starting line before mechanical trouble developed near the 330-foot mark. She coasted to an 8.990-second pass at 89.85 mph as Noonan advanced to the second round.
Although the weekend ended earlier than hoped, Sampey and the team remained encouraged by the progress made and immediately shifted their focus toward additional testing.
“We’re still trying to figure this whole thing out,” Sampey said. “My team is going to stay and test tomorrow with Corey’s car, and that information will transfer over to my car. So we’re hoping we learn something. I know we’re on the cusp of getting it figured out and getting my beautiful black-and-green Hangsterfer’s, FVP, Mission Foods A/Fuel dragster where it needs to be.”
Rather than heading home after race weekend, the MBR team elected to remain at Summit Motorsports Park for a scheduled test session to gather additional data.
Sampey and the AB Accelerate/MBR team will return to action at the NHRA Brainerd Nationals, August 20-23, at Brainerd International Raceway.
Qualified: No. 8 (5.364 E.T. at 274.33 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 8.990 E.T. at 89.85 MPH def. by Jamie Noonan 5.200 E.T. at 271.13 MPH
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The event carried extra significance for Brown and the Matco Tools team. Norwalk serves as a homecoming race with longtime partners Matco Tools and Summit Racing Equipment, headquartered nearby. Earlier in race week, Brown visited both company headquarters to spend time with employees before returning to the racetrack. The weekend also held special meaning for crew chief Brian Corradi, an Ohio native and owner of Master Pizza and Corradi’s Scoops Ice Cream Shop in the Cleveland area.
Qualifying proved difficult as Friday and Saturday’s cooler conditions gave way to significantly warmer temperatures on race day.
Brown opened qualifying with a solid 3.843-second pass at 329.02 mph before improving to a 3.828 at 329.50 mph during the second session. Despite the quicker elapsed time, Brown slipped to the No. 8 provisional position heading into Saturday.
The first round of the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge brought a semifinal rematch with Doug Kalitta from Bristol, but Brown encountered problems immediately after the hit and coasted to an 8.045-second run at 75.79 mph.
The NHRA Top 75 driver rebounded in the final qualifying session with his quickest run of the weekend, a 3.825 at 310.48 mph. Although the run wasn’t enough to improve his position, he entered eliminations from the No. 14 qualifying spot.
Facing one of the toughest opening-round matchups of the day against Leah Pruett, Brown delivered exactly what his team needed. He left first off the starting line and never trailed, posting a 3.763-second run to Pruett’s 3.781 to advance and earn lane choice.
Brown continued his charge in the second round against Tony Schumacher. Once again, he was first off the line, and when Schumacher encountered trouble down track, Brown powered to a 3.806-second pass at 329.34 mph to move into the semifinals.
The semifinal round tested both drivers as Brown and Clay Millican each battled traction issues shortly after launch. Brown expertly pedaled his Matco Tools Eagle Experience Top Fuel dragster and regained momentum first, advancing to his third final round appearance of the season.
In the championship round, Brown squared off against Maddi Gordon. Brown once again won the starting-line battle, but Gordon drove around him before the 300-foot mark to claim the victory with a 3.786-second pass. Brown crossed the finish line in 3.840 seconds to secure the runner-up finish.
“To rebound after qualifying, where we had some struggles, and then to come out on race day and throw up a 3.76 on the first lap, and with that really tough first-round matchup against Leah, that was an unbelievable job by our team,” Brown said.
“You’ve got to give credit where credit’s due. Maddi came up in that final, and they swung, and they hit a grand slam out of the park right there. We came up there, and we were a little cautious. We wanted to make sure we went down the racetrack. But all in all, it was a great day for our Matco Tools team. We just really wanted to put it in the winner’s circle for Summit and Matco. This was their hometown track. We fell a little short, but at the end of the day, it was a great, great points day.”
Brown and the Matco Tools team head west for the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge, July 17-19, at Sonoma Raceway.
Qualified: No. 14 (3.825 E.T. at 310.48 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 3.763 E.T. at 333.16 MPH defeated Leah Pruett 3.781 E.T. at 332.26 MPH
E2: 3.806 E.T. at 329.34 MPH defeated Tony Schumacher 3.891 E.T. at 268.92
E3: 4.587 E.T. at 287.11 MPH defeated Clay Millican 8.340 E.T. at 81.64 MPH
E4: 3.840 E.T. at 328.14 MPH defeated by Maddi Gordon 3.786 E.T. at 333.16 MPH
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel Point Standings (Unofficial):
| 1 | Shawn Langdon | 1010 |
| 2 | Doug Kalitta | 860 |
| 3 | Leah Pruett | 731 |
| 4 | Maddi Gordon | 614 |
| 5 | Antron Brown | 608 |
| 6 | Tony Stewart | 592 |
| 7 | Josh Hart | 559 |
| 8 | Billy Torrence | 498 |
| 9 | Justin Ashley | 450 |
| 10 | Clay Millican | 439 |
Angelle Sampey and Team Focused on Continued Progress After Norwalk Weekend
NORWALK, Ohio (June 28, 2026) – Angelle Sampey continued building experience behind the wheel of her Hangsterfer’s/FVP/Mission Foods A/Fuel dragster this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, competing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Top Alcohol Dragster category at Summit Motorsports Park.
Despite battling a handful of tune-up challenges throughout qualifying, Sampey and the AB Accelerate/Michalek Brothers Racing team continued making progress and secured the No. 13 qualifying position for race day.
Friday’s opening qualifying session ended almost as quickly as it began when Sampey’s dragster overpowered the racetrack, sending the tires into smoke immediately after launch. She coasted to a 9.379-second pass at 146.16 mph to open the weekend.
The team made significant improvements during the second qualifying session as Sampey posted a 5.327 at 274.83 mph to climb to the No. 13 position.
In Saturday’s final qualifying attempt, Sampey once again encountered issues off the starting line but drove through tire shake to complete a 5.364-second pass at 274.33 mph, solidifying the No. 13 qualifying position.
Paired against Jamie Noonan in the opening round of eliminations, Sampey gained the advantage at the starting line before mechanical trouble developed near the 330-foot mark. She coasted to an 8.990-second pass at 89.85 mph as Noonan advanced to the second round.
Although the weekend ended earlier than hoped, Sampey and the team remained encouraged by the progress made and immediately shifted their focus toward additional testing.
“We’re still trying to figure this whole thing out,” Sampey said. “My team is going to stay and test tomorrow with Corey’s car, and that information will transfer over to my car. So we’re hoping we learn something. I know we’re on the cusp of getting it figured out and getting my beautiful black-and-green Hangsterfer’s, FVP, Mission Foods A/Fuel dragster where it needs to be.”
Rather than heading home after race weekend, the MBR team elected to remain at Summit Motorsports Park for a scheduled test session to gather additional data.
Sampey and the AB Accelerate/MBR team will return to action at the NHRA Brainerd Nationals, August 20-23, at Brainerd International Raceway.
Qualified: No. 8 (5.364 E.T. at 274.33 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 8.990 E.T. at 89.85 MPH def. by Jamie Noonan 5.200 E.T. at 271.13 MPH
Continue reading...
