Whew, Antron wins Again at the Motorplex!

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Brother Antron won Top Fuel Sunday at the AAA Texas  Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex near Dallas.

In the Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship.
Brown claimed his fifth victory of the season and moved into a tie for the points lead with the driver he beat in the final round, teammate Spencer Massey. Brown drove the  Matco Tools dragster to a 3.898-second run at 311.49 mph to hold off Massey’s FRAM dragster, which finished with a 3.945 at 300.60.

Antron Brown

“This is definitely the way to rebound,” said Brown, the playoff top seed who dropped to fourth in the standings after a first-round loss at the playoff opener last weekend in Charlotte. “I have to give credit to my team for sticking together. We were winning in the first round in Charlotte when we broke an input shaft. It’s so easy to get down after something like that. We came here, and the car was throwing us fits by being overaggressive. Brian [Corradi] and Mark [Oswald, co-crew chiefs] kept backing it off until they got a good handle on it in the semi's.”

Brown and Massey lead seven-time world champ Tony Schumacher by 24 points and the suddenly surging Shawn Langdon is now 41 points back as the playoff race in the 8,000-horsepower category gets intense.

“In that final, we had to give it everything we had against the FRAM car,” said Brown, who beat three Countdown contenders — David Grubnic, Langdon, and Morgan Lucas — in the first three rounds. “We edged them, and it felt really good to win and to tie them in the points lead. We have four races left, and it’s going to be a slugfest to the end. Everybody’s throwing haymakers. It’s an all-out battle royal right now.”

I spend so much time dwelling on the accomplishments of Antron for a number of reasons. The primary one is the fact the he is the most visible professional race car driver in the US. Recognition should be given when one is a winner in that these "streaks" are often short-lived.

I quote others and inject my own thoughts and feelings because I don't want to lose the "flavor" others put into the demanding schedule in the NHRA program.

The other is simply who he is as a man first, a competitor second and third, how he "represents" on and off the track and in the community.  

Hillary Will released From Top Fuel Team, Larry Dixon is new driver.

As the die hard's know, Larry Dixon will compete in the next few NHRA events in the ride Hillary was vacated from this week . We will talk a bit more about that later, Below is a portion of her final goodbye.  Full context is in ND.

Excerpts From her blog....

"I was released from my driving job last Sunday evening at the U.S. Nationals. At first I was upset, then sad and hurt, now I’m accepting and ready to move on. I am thankful I had the opportunity to race this year. I love driving, I love winning, and I love being a part of a team. I wish the Dote Racing team the best of luck. It is a safe and good-running car and I’m thankful I got to drive it. I’m even more thankful to have had the opportunity to get to know some of my former Dote teammates: Doug, Glen, Charlie, Steve, Chris, Brandon, Ryan, Tad, Justin, Steve B., and Whitey. Special thank you to one of our sponsors and a good friend of mine, Dave Stickland. He came to a number of our races, helped out where he could, and provided us with all the Adam’s Polishes we could ever need.

I have always asked myself whether my racing career was doing anything to contribute to the world in a positive way. In order for me to get a sense of fulfillment from my job, which I need, I have to know I’m giving something back. Eventually I realized that I was. I realized I could be an example to women and girls of all ages by showing that a woman can succeed in a male-dominated field. I made it my platform to help females see that they can succeed in any male-dominated field such as politics, law, construction, truck driving, flying, engineering, law enforcement, and the list goes on. I strongly believe that our country can only benefit from more women joining the work force and pursuing traditionally male-dominated careers. Then we can be an example to the rest of the world. I could write an entire book on this subject.

Now I will continue this platform and contribute to the world in a different way but not by way of being a race car driver. I am starting a new chapter and starting a new career. I feel like I have had a successful racing career. The opportunity to drive a car at over 330 mph is not something many people can say they have done. While this was awesome, racing gave me so much more than I could have imagined and I will forever be thankful.

Drag racing allowed me the chance to work with the late Scott Kalitta. I have great memories from him teaching me and mentoring me through my transition into Top Fuel. I still have the hand-written notes he gave me about how to do the warm-up procedure when I was first learning in 2005. One of my favorite wins was in Australia for the Scott Kalitta Memorial Race in 2008. 

I loved driving for team owners Ken and Judy Black. They are terrific people, and I will be forever thankful that they gave me the opportunity they did. 

I’ve been fortunate enough to work under the tutelage of crew chiefs, Bucky Austin, Dick LaHaie, Jim Oberhofer, and Tom Conway. They are all very smart and it was a privilege to work with them. Jim “O” never gave up on me when I was struggling as a rookie driver. He was always very encouraging.

I wouldn’t have even been on the Top Fuel radar if it hadn’t of been for Bucky Austin risking his reputation and helping our upstart, family-owned Top Alcohol team. We didn’t know what we were doing and didn’t even have the right tools, but he took us under his wing and taught us how to be a winning team and taught me how to be a winning driver. I will forever be grateful to him as well.

Racing allowed me the once-in-lifetime opportunity to do two goodwill tours in war zones where I met men and women risking their lives for our country on a daily basis. They were very inspiring and I came back a changed person.  In the beginning of 2008, I went to Qatar and Afghanistan with former NASCAR drivers Ricky Craven, Randy LaJoie, and Jeff Fuller. Then in late 2008, I went to Kuwait and Iraq with race car drivers Jeff Bodine, Arie Luyendyk Jr., and Scott Wimmer. Both tours were life changing. I will forever remember the soldiers I met and the stories I heard.

Ken Black and Grandpa

I loved racing with my family and getting to spend so much time with my Dad and Grandpa when I raced in the sportsman ranks. We have so many amazing memories that we talk about all the time.  My Dad and Grandpa have always been so supportive of whatever I do. Before racing, it was gymnastics. They go above and beyond what most parents and grandparents would do. And sometimes they are just there to lend an ear. I can’t tell you how many times my Dad has been there for me on the other end of the phone while I vent my frustrations or concerns and sometimes shed some tears.

So my next move is to get a job that isn’t driving a race car. I have a lot of areas I’m interested in career-wise so it is time to pursue some of them. One of my good friends suggested I write a book about my life as a professional racer. I think it might be a good idea because it would be an entertaining read. Maybe now since I’m not traveling to Ohio every week and traveling to races I will have a better case to make for getting that dog I’ve been wanting. I will go to races as my job allows to support Matt, see my friends, and to support my sister who races super gas and my Dad who races Top Dragster.

In closing, I have nothing but gratitude for the opportunities I have had in racing. I am truly blessed and forever thankful for the support from my family, friends, and fans. Cheers to the next chapter". (From National Dragster

 

Schumacher "eeks" out the win at Indy and makes history!

Sunday, September 09, 2012

Tony Schumacher raced to a record ninth Top Fuel victory Sunday at the rain-delayed Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.

 Schumacher moved past “Big Daddy” Don Garlits for the most  Top Fuel wins at Indy and into a tie with Pro Stock great Bob Glidden for most Pro category wins at the world’s most prestigious drag race. In the final round, Schumacher powered his U.S. Army dragster to a 3.806 at 315.34 to hold off Spencer Massey, who trailed with a 3.828 at 319.37 in his FRAM/Prestone dragster.

Tony Schumacher

“It may be sweeter [than the first Indy win],” said Schumacher of his second victory of the season and 69th of his career. “Anymore, it’s more difficult to win a race, by far, than it has probably ever been. There was a time where we were a tenth ahead of everybody and just needed to not make any mistakes, but the top seven cars are all so close that it’s pretty gratifying.”

Schumacher beat Hillary Will, Morgan Lucas, and top qualifier Shawn Langdon in early rounds to advance to his 11th career U.S. Nationals final round.

“To have a chance to win a ninth against my teammate who was running as good if not better and had lane choice made it a perfect moment,” Schumacher said. “I didn’t feel like I was stellar on the lights, but I left on everybody, Mike Green [crew chief] made the car run fast, and we got the trophy.”

Another Don Schumacher Racing driver, Antron Brown, secured the top seed in the Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship, and Bob Vandergriff Jr. held off Clay Millican and Khalid alBalooshi for the 10th and final playoff spot in Top Fuel.

Now we look to the future in the it is possible in 2013, Schumacher will be carrying a different banner on the car.  Rumor has it, the Army's logo will not be on the side of the car as well as on the trailer.  New sponsor in the wind?  Hope so.