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Antron Brown (Ron Lewis photo)
 Brandon Bernstein and crew (Ron Lewis photo) |
Antron Brown became the first driver in NHRA history to win races in Pro Stock Motorcycle and Top Fuel with his Top Fuel win at the O’Reilly Spring Nationals in Houston. He followed Del Worsham (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) into the winner’s circle.
Here are notes and quotes from the participants compiled from the teams’ press releases.
TOP FUEL
After qualifying his Matco Tools/iLocate GPS dragster in the No. 12 position with a run of 4.644 seconds on Friday afternoon Antron Brown bested veteran racer Doug Foley, 29-time Top Fuel winner Cory McClenathan, perennial title contender Doug Kalitta, and two-time series champion Larry Dixon to earn his first career Top Fuel win and 17th NHRA victory.
“The dream is unreal,” Brown said. “I dreamed about this as a kid growing up going to the Summer Nationals in New Jersey watching all the greats like Kenny Bernstein, Don Garlits, John Force and Don Prudhomme. I still ask myself, am I really here?”
In one of the closest races of the day, Brown’s rail nipped Dixon’s silver and blue car at the finish line. Dixon got a slight advantage at the start, but Brown drove the Matco rail to a run of 4.605 at 320.28 to earn his first-ever win at Houston Raceway Park. Dixon narrowly trailed with a pass of 4.621 at 309.06. Brown is now 17/17 in 34 career final rounds.
A loss of traction at the O’Reilly Spring Nationals denied Budweiser/Lucas Oil driver Brandon Bernstein a third victory at Houston Raceway Park. The second-generation driver, who won in 2004 and 2006, was aiming to be a three-time winner at the Texas track to tie his father Kenny’s record for the most number of Top Fuel victories here.
The Kenny Bernstein-owned Bud/Lucas Oil team had three consecutive strong runs in qualifying leading into race day competition and qualified No. 7 with a 4.596/325.77.
In a tough first round match against Tony Schumacher, Bernstein lost traction early in the run, while Schumacher streaked to the finish line with a 4.526/321.19.