As the NHRA drag racing community gears up for the much-anticipated U.S. Nationals, defending and four-time event champion Antron Brown is preparing to hoist the Wally once again at the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
“We’re super excited about the U.S. Nationals this weekend in Indy, the ‘Big Go,’ our Super Bowl for the NHRA,” says Brown. “We come into this race with a lot of momentum with this Matco Tools team for Lucas Oil and Toyota and Hangsterfer’s and all the great partners who support us. Brainerd was an awesome race for us, and we’re hungry to build off that. It’s the last Mission #2Fast2Tasty race of this season, and we want to win another and grab a few more Mission bonus points heading into the Countdown.”
In 2022, Brown’s powerhouse performance led his Matco Tools Toyota to the winner’s circle, marking a milestone 70th victory and his fourth Indy title. Notably, it was the first U.S. Nationals triumph for his AB Motorsports team.
The U.S. Nationals holds significant personal meaning for Brown. Not only is it a hometown event for AB Motorsports, headquartered just three miles away from the famed Indy dragstrip in Brownsburg, but the Brown family will also be rooting for two trophies. Alongside Antron, his son Anson, 19, will be competing in the Streamlight Super Comp dragster. Anson, a student at IUPUI in downtown Indianapolis, hopes to make his mark alongside his father.
As the last event of the NHRA’s ‘regular season,’ Brown starts off ranked third in the Top Fuel standings. His recent victory at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., cements his reputation as one of the most formidable contenders on the circuit. Advancing beyond the quarterfinals in Brainerd, Brown has clinched a spot to compete in the concluding Mission #2Fast2Tasty Top Fuel Challenge of the year.
This story was originally published on August 30, 2023. 
