EPPING, N.H. (June 1, 2025) – A strong qualifying performance turned into a semifinal finish for four-time and reigning NHRA Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown at the NHRA New England Nationals. Brown, the 2016 event winner at New England Dragway, drove his Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel dragster to the No. 3 seed in qualifying before turning on the first two win-lights on race day Sunday. It was a promising start to a busy stretch of four races in five weeks for Brown as he chases the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series regular season championship from the No. 3 spot.
After a mechanical issue prevented Brown from making a representative run in the first qualifying session, he came back in Friday’s second session and threw down a 3.715-second pass at 335.40 mph to end the day as the provisional No. 4 qualifier, also earning one bonus point for making the third-quickest pass of the session. He scored another three bonus points for making the quickest run of the third session, a 3.697 E.T. at 337.07 mph. That allowed Brown to take the provisional No. 1 qualifier spot from Doug Kalitta by speed. In the final session, Brown went into tire smoke early and coasted to the finish line.
Qualified third, Brown lined up against Mike Bucher in the opening round of eliminations on Sunday morning. Brown moved first and started to lose traction, but he pedaled the Matco Tools machine and charged to the finish line, winning with a 4.229 E.T. at 259.56 mph. Brown also left on Dan Mercier in the quarterfinals before the supercharger let go around half-track. Still, he had enough momentum to reach the finish line first with a 4.707-second pass. In the semifinals, Brown bounced back from the issues of the first two rounds by laying down a 3.738-second pass at 333.66 mph, but points leader Tony Stewart got the win with his 3.711 E.T.
“We fought through qualifying and did well – picked up some little bonus points there. Race day didn’t go as planned,” said Brown, who has a win, a runner-up, and a No. 1 qualifier in the first seven races of the season. “We struggled a little bit in the first two rounds, but we made it through and we put up a respectable run in the semis, but the good part is that we’re finding out what the culprit is and we’re addressing it. I think when we come out in Bristol, our Matco Tools/Lucas Oil/FVP Toyota is going to be on mean, so we’re looking forward to it and looking forward to getting out next weekend.”
Brown’s next stop is Bristol Dragway for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 6-8, in Bristol, Tenn.
Qualified: No. 3 (3.697 E.T. at 337.07 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 4.229 E.T. at 259.56 MPH defeated Mike Bucher 10.285 E.T. at 40.34 MPH
E2: 4.707 E.T. at 175.64 MPH defeated Dan Mercier 6.978 E.T. at 88.25 MPH
E3: 3.738 E.T. at 333.66 MPH defeated by Tony Stewart 3.711 E.T. at 332.34 MPH
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel Point Standings (Unofficial):
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After a mechanical issue prevented Brown from making a representative run in the first qualifying session, he came back in Friday’s second session and threw down a 3.715-second pass at 335.40 mph to end the day as the provisional No. 4 qualifier, also earning one bonus point for making the third-quickest pass of the session. He scored another three bonus points for making the quickest run of the third session, a 3.697 E.T. at 337.07 mph. That allowed Brown to take the provisional No. 1 qualifier spot from Doug Kalitta by speed. In the final session, Brown went into tire smoke early and coasted to the finish line.
Qualified third, Brown lined up against Mike Bucher in the opening round of eliminations on Sunday morning. Brown moved first and started to lose traction, but he pedaled the Matco Tools machine and charged to the finish line, winning with a 4.229 E.T. at 259.56 mph. Brown also left on Dan Mercier in the quarterfinals before the supercharger let go around half-track. Still, he had enough momentum to reach the finish line first with a 4.707-second pass. In the semifinals, Brown bounced back from the issues of the first two rounds by laying down a 3.738-second pass at 333.66 mph, but points leader Tony Stewart got the win with his 3.711 E.T.
“We fought through qualifying and did well – picked up some little bonus points there. Race day didn’t go as planned,” said Brown, who has a win, a runner-up, and a No. 1 qualifier in the first seven races of the season. “We struggled a little bit in the first two rounds, but we made it through and we put up a respectable run in the semis, but the good part is that we’re finding out what the culprit is and we’re addressing it. I think when we come out in Bristol, our Matco Tools/Lucas Oil/FVP Toyota is going to be on mean, so we’re looking forward to it and looking forward to getting out next weekend.”
Brown’s next stop is Bristol Dragway for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 6-8, in Bristol, Tenn.
Qualified: No. 3 (3.697 E.T. at 337.07 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 4.229 E.T. at 259.56 MPH defeated Mike Bucher 10.285 E.T. at 40.34 MPH
E2: 4.707 E.T. at 175.64 MPH defeated Dan Mercier 6.978 E.T. at 88.25 MPH
E3: 3.738 E.T. at 333.66 MPH defeated by Tony Stewart 3.711 E.T. at 332.34 MPH
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel Point Standings (Unofficial):
| 1 | Tony Stewart | 616 |
| 2 | Shawn Langdon | 545 |
| 3 | Antron Brown | 527 |
| 4 | Doug Kalitta | 501 |
| 5 | Brittany Force | 452 |
| 6 | Justin Ashley | 438 |
| 7 | Steve Torrence | 335 |
| 8 | Clay Millican | 328 |
| 9 | Josh Hart | 311 |
| 10 | Shawn Reed | 298 |
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