BROWNSBURG (Sept. 7, 2026) – Five-time U.S. Nationals winner Antron Brown returned to one of his most successful tracks seeking a sixth victory at the prestigious event. The four-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion opened eliminations with his quickest pass of the weekend before his pursuit ended in the second round at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Brown, who won the U.S. Nationals twice in Pro Stock Motorcycle in 2000 and 2004 and three times in Top Fuel in 2011, 2022 and 2023, qualified the Matco Tools Eagle Experience Top Fuel dragster in the No. 10 position.
The NHRA top 75 driver began the five-session qualifying format with a 4.206-second pass at 207.94 mph, placing him in the provisional No. 15 position. He made a strong move during Friday’s second session, powering to a 3.797 at 330.07 to lead the round, earn three bonus points and move into the No. 6 spot.
Brown added another qualifying bonus point Saturday afternoon when his 3.937 at 313.73 ranked third quickest of the third session. He encountered tire smoke near half-track during the fourth qualifying round and slowed to a 4.996 at 146.18, dropping to the No. 10 position.
In the fifth and final session, Brown guided the Matco Tools Eagle Experience dragster straight down the track in 3.885 seconds at 316.97 mph to secure the No. 10 starting position.
Brown opened Monday’s eliminations in a marquee matchup against Ida Zetterström. He gained the starting-line advantage and never trailed, racing to his best performance of the weekend with a 3.737 at 333.74 to earn the round win.
In the second round, Brown posted a solid 3.838 at 319.82, but it wasn’t enough to defeat Tony Stewart’s 3.740-second pass at 336.74 mph, ending Brown’s pursuit of another U.S. Nationals victory.
“We definitely made a good lap the first lap and then felt comfortable going in that last round,” Brown said. “They went out there and ran a 3.740, so hats off to them and you’ve got to give credit where credit is due. We dropped a hole before the 330, so we were right there on pace with them. We looked at the data, and it should’ve been a lot closer drag race, but they still would’ve got it.
“I didn’t say it wasn’t a bad weekend – it wasn’t a great weekend. We really would have liked to take it home, but this is the U.S. National, so it was a feat to qualify here and to get past first round. But we’ve got a lot more racing left to do. If we can’t get the U.S. Nationals [win], it’s time to go after trying to get that championship.”
With the NHRA regular season complete, Brown now turns his attention to the Countdown to the Championship. The four-time Top Fuel world champion enters the playoffs fifth in the standings as he begins his pursuit of a fifth championship.
Brown and the Matco Tools team will return to competition at the inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan.
Watch Antron Brown’s full post-race recap here.
Qualified: No. 10 (3.797 E.T. at 330.07 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 3.737 E.T. at 333.74 MPH defeated Ida Zetterström 4.760 E.T. at 154.92 MPH
E2: 3.383 E.T. at 319.82 MPH defeated by Tony Stewart 3.740 E.T. at 336.74
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel Point Standings (Unofficial):
BROWNSBURG (Sept. 7, 2026) – Angelle Sampey defeated reigning Top Alcohol Dragster world champion Shawn Cowie on her way to a quarterfinal finish at the NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
A two-time U.S. Nationals winner in Pro Stock Motorcycle, Sampey returned to Indianapolis pursuing her first victory at the prestigious event in Top Alcohol Dragster. She was also looking to finish what she started in 2024, when a fuel leak derailed her bid for the win in the final round.
Sampey opened qualifying with a 5.563-second pass at 257.97 mph, placing the Hangsterfer’s FVP Mission Foods A/Fuel dragster in the provisional No. 7 position. She followed with a 5.612 at 252.24 during the second session and entered the final qualifying round ranked No. 10.
In her final opportunity, Sampey improved to a 5.449 at 267.69, securing the No. 14 starting position.
That paired the AB Accelerate driver against Cowie in the opening round of eliminations. Sampey gained the starting-line advantage before Cowie moved ahead early in the run. When Cowie encountered tire shake and was forced to pedal his dragster, Sampey reclaimed the lead and powered to the finish line in 5.402 seconds at 269.89 mph to earn the round win.
Sampey faced former Top Fuel driver Richie Crampton for the first time in her career during the quarterfinals. The two were nearly even leaving the starting line, with Crampton recording a .036-second reaction time to Sampey’s .038. Sampey made another consistent run with a 5.414 at 268.65, but she was unable to overcome Crampton’s 5.269 at 264.65.
“I had a really good reaction time – a .038 light – and still got left on because Richie had a .036,” Sampey said. “That shows how tough this class is. The competitors are fierce, the cars are fast, and all of the teams are amazing. I know my team is one of them; we just haven’t had luck on our side yet.
“I’m not going to let myself get down about the fact that I still haven’t gotten that Diamond Wally. I’m going to remind myself how blessed I am to be here and how much fun I’m having. My racing career could have been over, but it’s not, thanks to Antron, AB Motorsports, Hangsterfer’s, FVP, Mission Foods, Impact and the good Lord above. Whether that diamond Wally comes or not, I’m going to keep chasing it and keep having fun.”
Brown and the Michalek Brothers Racing team will head north to compete at the inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan.
Watch Angelle Sampey’s full post-race recap here.
Qualified: No. 14 (5.449 at 267.69 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 5.402 E.T. at 269.89 MPH defeated Shawn Cowie 5.482 E.T. at 272.12 MPH
E2: 5.414 E.T. at 268.65 MPH defeated by Richie Crampton 5.269 at 264.65 MPH
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Brown, who won the U.S. Nationals twice in Pro Stock Motorcycle in 2000 and 2004 and three times in Top Fuel in 2011, 2022 and 2023, qualified the Matco Tools Eagle Experience Top Fuel dragster in the No. 10 position.
The NHRA top 75 driver began the five-session qualifying format with a 4.206-second pass at 207.94 mph, placing him in the provisional No. 15 position. He made a strong move during Friday’s second session, powering to a 3.797 at 330.07 to lead the round, earn three bonus points and move into the No. 6 spot.
Brown added another qualifying bonus point Saturday afternoon when his 3.937 at 313.73 ranked third quickest of the third session. He encountered tire smoke near half-track during the fourth qualifying round and slowed to a 4.996 at 146.18, dropping to the No. 10 position.
In the fifth and final session, Brown guided the Matco Tools Eagle Experience dragster straight down the track in 3.885 seconds at 316.97 mph to secure the No. 10 starting position.
Brown opened Monday’s eliminations in a marquee matchup against Ida Zetterström. He gained the starting-line advantage and never trailed, racing to his best performance of the weekend with a 3.737 at 333.74 to earn the round win.
In the second round, Brown posted a solid 3.838 at 319.82, but it wasn’t enough to defeat Tony Stewart’s 3.740-second pass at 336.74 mph, ending Brown’s pursuit of another U.S. Nationals victory.
“We definitely made a good lap the first lap and then felt comfortable going in that last round,” Brown said. “They went out there and ran a 3.740, so hats off to them and you’ve got to give credit where credit is due. We dropped a hole before the 330, so we were right there on pace with them. We looked at the data, and it should’ve been a lot closer drag race, but they still would’ve got it.
“I didn’t say it wasn’t a bad weekend – it wasn’t a great weekend. We really would have liked to take it home, but this is the U.S. National, so it was a feat to qualify here and to get past first round. But we’ve got a lot more racing left to do. If we can’t get the U.S. Nationals [win], it’s time to go after trying to get that championship.”
With the NHRA regular season complete, Brown now turns his attention to the Countdown to the Championship. The four-time Top Fuel world champion enters the playoffs fifth in the standings as he begins his pursuit of a fifth championship.
Brown and the Matco Tools team will return to competition at the inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan.
Watch Antron Brown’s full post-race recap here.
Qualified: No. 10 (3.797 E.T. at 330.07 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 3.737 E.T. at 333.74 MPH defeated Ida Zetterström 4.760 E.T. at 154.92 MPH
E2: 3.383 E.T. at 319.82 MPH defeated by Tony Stewart 3.740 E.T. at 336.74
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel Point Standings (Unofficial):
| 1 | Doug Kalitta | 1352 |
| 2 | Shawn Langdon | 1344 |
| 3 | Leah Pruett | 1095 |
| 4 | Tony Stewart | 900 |
| 5 | Antron Brown | 893 |
| 6 | Maddi Gordon | 863 |
| 7 | Josh Hart | 754 |
| 8 | Billy Torrence | 710 |
| 9 | Justin Ashley | 691 |
| 10 | Clay Millican | 589 |
Angelle Sampey Finds Positivity After Advancing to U.S. Nationals Quarterfinals in Top Alcohol Dragster
BROWNSBURG (Sept. 7, 2026) – Angelle Sampey defeated reigning Top Alcohol Dragster world champion Shawn Cowie on her way to a quarterfinal finish at the NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
A two-time U.S. Nationals winner in Pro Stock Motorcycle, Sampey returned to Indianapolis pursuing her first victory at the prestigious event in Top Alcohol Dragster. She was also looking to finish what she started in 2024, when a fuel leak derailed her bid for the win in the final round.
Sampey opened qualifying with a 5.563-second pass at 257.97 mph, placing the Hangsterfer’s FVP Mission Foods A/Fuel dragster in the provisional No. 7 position. She followed with a 5.612 at 252.24 during the second session and entered the final qualifying round ranked No. 10.
In her final opportunity, Sampey improved to a 5.449 at 267.69, securing the No. 14 starting position.
That paired the AB Accelerate driver against Cowie in the opening round of eliminations. Sampey gained the starting-line advantage before Cowie moved ahead early in the run. When Cowie encountered tire shake and was forced to pedal his dragster, Sampey reclaimed the lead and powered to the finish line in 5.402 seconds at 269.89 mph to earn the round win.
Sampey faced former Top Fuel driver Richie Crampton for the first time in her career during the quarterfinals. The two were nearly even leaving the starting line, with Crampton recording a .036-second reaction time to Sampey’s .038. Sampey made another consistent run with a 5.414 at 268.65, but she was unable to overcome Crampton’s 5.269 at 264.65.
“I had a really good reaction time – a .038 light – and still got left on because Richie had a .036,” Sampey said. “That shows how tough this class is. The competitors are fierce, the cars are fast, and all of the teams are amazing. I know my team is one of them; we just haven’t had luck on our side yet.
“I’m not going to let myself get down about the fact that I still haven’t gotten that Diamond Wally. I’m going to remind myself how blessed I am to be here and how much fun I’m having. My racing career could have been over, but it’s not, thanks to Antron, AB Motorsports, Hangsterfer’s, FVP, Mission Foods, Impact and the good Lord above. Whether that diamond Wally comes or not, I’m going to keep chasing it and keep having fun.”
Brown and the Michalek Brothers Racing team will head north to compete at the inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan.
Watch Angelle Sampey’s full post-race recap here.
Qualified: No. 14 (5.449 at 267.69 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 5.402 E.T. at 269.89 MPH defeated Shawn Cowie 5.482 E.T. at 272.12 MPH
E2: 5.414 E.T. at 268.65 MPH defeated by Richie Crampton 5.269 at 264.65 MPH
Continue reading...
