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Texas NHRA Fall Nationals
Event 19 of 21
Countdown Event 4 of 6
Texas Motorplex
Ennis, Texas
Oct. 13 – 15, 2023
Antron Brown Comes Up Short in Second Round at Dallas
Qualified: No. 9 (3.679 E.T. at 335.62 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 3.682 E.T. at 329.00 MPH defeated Austin Prock 5.861 E.T. at 132.99 MPH
E2: 3.736 E.T. at 311.76 MPH defeated by Steve Torrence 3.684 E.T. at 333.19 MPH
Qualified: No. 9 (3.679 E.T. at 335.62 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 3.682 E.T. at 329.00 MPH defeated Austin Prock 5.861 E.T. at 132.99 MPH
E2: 3.736 E.T. at 311.76 MPH defeated by Steve Torrence 3.684 E.T. at 333.19 MPH
ENNIS, Texas (October 15, 2023) – Antron Brown was on his way to a fifth consecutive 3.60-second pass in the quarterfinals of the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals when the engine let go in his pink Matco ‘Tools for the Cause’ Top Fuel dragster. The three-time world champion dropped a close race with fellow Toyota driver Steve Torrence, marking the end to Brown’s weekend at the Texas Motorplex. Brown maintained his fifth-place position in the points standings at the fourth of six Countdown to the Championship races.
Before Friday night’s second qualifying session began, Brown was recognized as a Texas Motorplex Legend, an honor that came with one-of-a-kind ‘Legend spurs.’ The New Jersey native turned Indiana resident claimed his first career Pro Stock Motorcycle victory in 1999 at the Motorplex when the NHRA tour came to the Dallas area track twice per season. Brown went on to win the Fall Nationals in Top Fuel in 2012 and 2016, making him one of five drivers to have won at the Motorplex in two different pro categories.
Brown was quick and consistent through four rounds of qualifying, beginning with a 3.716-second effort on Friday. He stepped up to a 3.679 E.T. in the second session to end Friday as the provisional No. 7 qualifier. A pair of 3.68-second passes followed on Saturday, with Brown settling into the No. 9 spot in a field that saw 12 of the 16 drivers dip into the 3.60-second range.
Race day kicked off with Brown facing Austin Prock in NHRA’s Top Fuel marquee matchup. Brown moved first and maintained the lead over a tire-smoking Prock, recording a 3.682 E.T. to move on. The AB Motorsports team owner and driver was first off of the line again in the second round against Torrence, a fellow multi-time world champion, but Brown’s lead started to slip away down track as his engine expired, allowing Torrence to get the win with a 3.684 E.T. to Brown’s 3.736 E.T. at 311.76 MPH.
“All in all, we had a very good, consistent car this weekend,” Brown said. “We were working really hard and we had a part failure there. We were out front, and that's the worst way you can lose. All of our team – Brian (Corradi), Mark (Oswald), and Brad (Mason) – made the right calls. I left on (Torrence) and had three hundredths on the tree. It was really our race to win this week. I felt really good this whole weekend. But you know what? We're going to lick our wounds, get ready for the next race, and take some fury into Vegas with us.”
Brown and the AB Motorsports team will compete again in two weeks at the NHRA Nevada Nationals, Oct. 27-29, at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It will be the third and final race for Brown’s Matco ‘Tools for a Cause’ livery, which is a part of Matco Tools’ annual initiative to raise funds and awareness for the Breast Cancer Research Fund.
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Top Fuel Point Standings (Unofficial):
| 1 | Leah Pruett | 2414 | |
| 2 | Doug Kalitta | 2410 | |
| 3 | Steve Torrence | 2401 | |
| 4 | Justin Ashley | 2306 | |
| 5 | Antron Brown | 2304 | |
| 6 | Mike Salinas | 2283 | |
| 7 | Clay Millican | 2270 | |
| 8 | Brittany Force | 2249 | |
| 9 | Tony Schumacher | 2195 | |
| 9 | Austin Prock | 2195 |
Note:
Pro Stock Motorcycle icon Angelle Sampey made her Top Alcohol Dragster competition debut this weekend at the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals. Aboard the Michalek Brothers Racing A/Fuel Dragster, the AB Motorsports Accelerate Program athlete qualified her Mission Foods-backed entry 16th to earn a spot in the competitive Top Alcohol Dragster field. She defeated Mike Coughlin and Tony Stewart to advance to the semifinal round at her first event before falling short to Kirk Wolf on Sunday afternoon.
About AB Motorsports
Established in 2019, AB Motorsports is a single-car NHRA Top Fuel team owned and operated by three-time world champion Antron Brown. The team competes on the 21-race NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series circuit thanks to the support of Matco Tools, Lucas Oil, Toyota, SiriusXM, Factory Motor Parts and its FVP brand, Hangsterfer’s Metal Working Lubricants, and Summit Racing Equipment.Headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., AB Motorsports made its on-track debut in 2022, racing to three wins in four final rounds to finish second in the standings in its rookie season.
Brown, who serves as both the driver and owner of the AB Motorsports Top Fuel dragster, is the only competitor in NHRA history to have won races in both the Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle categories. Brown is a 74-time NHRA national event winner and became the first Black driver to win a major U.S. auto racing championship when he captured the 2012 NHRA Top Fuel series title.
For more information, visit www.antronbrown.com or @antronbrown on Twitter, and @antronbrowntf on Instagram and Facebook.
