Another Good Thing for the World Champion!

Matco Tools will enter 13th season as marketing partner with Don Schumacher Racing as Brown’s primary sponsor

December 03

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BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Dec. 3, 2012) – Matco Tools and Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) became marketing partners in 2000 and that relationship will continue in 2013 with a contract extension to serve as the primary sponsor on the Matco Tools Top Fuel Dragster for 2012 NHRA world champion Antron Brown.

Matco is a manufacturer and distributor of premium quality automotive equipment, tools, and tool storage for professional technicians.

“Matco Tools is pleased to continue our relationship with Antron Brown and Don Schumacher Racing,” said John Green, vice president of marketing at Matco Tools. “Our employees, distributors, and customers look to Antron and the Matco Tools’ racing team as a part of our family and we look forward to another year of high visibility generated through this racing partnership.”

Matco started with DSR in 2000 as an associate sponsor on the U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster driven by Tony Schumacher before moving to primary status on a DSR Funny Car in 2001. In 2008, Matco Tools became the primary sponsor for Brown when he moved from riding Pro Stock Motorcycles to piloting 330-mph Top Fuel Dragsters.

“This truly is a blessed day for me because I can continue to fly the colors of Matco Tools,” said Brown, 36, a native of Chesterfield, N.J., living with his family in Pittsboro, Ind.

The contract extension is one of several that DSR owner Don Schumacher expects to make before the end of the year. DSR was started in 1998 and has won 196 NHRA national event titles and 11 NHRA world championships since then. This season, DSR fielded seven professional teams out of its 120,000-square-foot headquarters that employs 120 in Brownsburg, Ind.

“Matco Tools is one of our first marketing partners, and I always will remember the faith they showed in DSR during our earliest years,” Schumacher said. “We consider each Matco distributor across the country to be members of our team.”

Brown has won 21 NHRA event titles with Matco Tools including six this year. He has advanced to 42 championship rounds and earned No. 1 qualifying honors 21 times during his tenure with Matco.

The New Champion in NHRA Top Fuel!

It is Always a Team Effort ro get to the Winners Circle!!

Antron Brown Wins the World Championship!

"Antron Brown became the first African-American to win a major U.S. auto racing title Sunday at the Auto Club NHRA Finals.

Brown, who lost in the opening round of eliminations, had to wait until the final round before he could grab the championship trophy, when Tony Schumacher lost in a photo finish to Brandon Bernstein.

Brown entered Sunday’s eliminations 67 points ahead of Tony Schumacher and for a while it appeared that Schumacher would put together another magical come-from-behind victory to take the title. Schumacher's U.S. Army dragster lost the final to Bernstein's ProtectTheHarvest.com dragster by eighth-thousandths of a second.

Antron Brown

When the win light went on in Bernstein’s lane, Matco Tools dragster driver Brown was mobbed by his teammates, family and friends in a huge celebration at the starting line.

“I feel so blessed to be in this moment right now and this is a big huge moment,” Brown said. “I am just glad we could bring it home for Don Schumacher Racing. To win the world championship the way the competition has been this year in Top Fuel and to run and compete how we’ve been doing all season long is just phenomenal. We all switched the lead back and forth a bunch of times. Is this really happening?”

Brown, who earned six victories in 11 final rounds and was top qualifier three times en route to his title, continues the great history of diversity in NHRA..

“If I can be an inspiration for any of the kids out there who have dreams, any Americans, that’s all I want,” said Brown, who became the 18th different driver to win a Top Fuel world championship title". ##
National Dragster.

And yes, he has been an inspiration for many across the nation. This was a grueling experience for the team, in that Antron lost in the first round due to a malfunction.

It was nearly a catastrophe. As I understand it, a fuel line was not tightened correctly and fuel was blowing into the cockpit.  The heat was so intense, Antron suffered minor burns on his hands and vision was severely impaired.  As I was told, "it was all I could do to maintain control and bring the race car to a stop".

Team effort?  Were it not the fact that he had a sixty-five point lead amassed throughout the year, there would have been no celebration.

As we bring the season to a close, we must conclude, if given the opportunity, and good team preparation with a vivid goal in sight, we can and will succeed.

More on Antron and the blurred road to the Championship in the next posting.

The "Dream" and History in the Making

Antron Brown on the verge of making U.S. motorsports history.

Given NHRA’s impressive history of diversity since Wally Parks founded the world’s largest motorsports sanctioning body in 1951, it might be surprising to some that an African-American driver hasn't celebrated a world championship in NHRA’s marquee Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

Female and Hispanic drivers have won NHRA world championship titles, including Shirley Muldowney, Angelle Sampey, Cruz and Tony Pedregon and Hector Arana Sr., and many African-American drivers have participated in and won Full Throttle Series races throughout the years.

If Antron Brown can have a successful finish to his incredible 2012 Top Fuel season, he will make history as the first African-American to win an NHRA Pro series title as well as the first to win a major auto racing crown in the U.S.

Brown brings a 65-point lead to the season-ending Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, Nov. 8-11, at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in the hot rodding hotbed of Southern California. If he can outlast championship rivals Tony Schumacher, Spencer Massey, and Shawn Langdon at that event, he will earn the title that he’s worked so hard to achieve during his 15-year drag racing career.

“This is a huge dream for me and for the kids who are out there now,” Brown has said. “If it helps anybody else change their dream or their story, I’m all for it. Looking at color and different stuff like that, I’m just an American. I love it. I embrace the sport, and that’s where I stand with it.”

Brown has had a great season, racing to six victories in 11 final-round appearances and posting three No. 1 qualifying positions at the controls of his 8,000-horsepower Matco Tools dragster. After building a 104-point lead following the fourth race in the Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship playoffs, Brown hit a rough spot at the penultimate event in Las Vegas. His team posted its worst qualifying position of the season (13th) and lost in the first round, scoring only 31 points at the event. Seven-time world champ Schumacher took advantage of Brown’s misstep and as the top qualifier and runner-up moved to second in the standings, cutting Brown’s lead to 65. Massey is in third place, 70 points back.

“We lost some points, but we’ll go into Pomona with the lead,” Brown said. “Our Matco boys are going to keep working hard. We had a lot of things go wrong [in Las Vegas] that usually never go wrong, like the clutch management system breaking, electrical wires breaking. All these little nit picky gremlins came out that weekend.”

Brown, who had an opportunity to win the championship title last season, says he continues to learn from setbacks and works hard to stay positive and keep moving forward.

“It is what it is, and that’s drag racing,” Brown said. “The bad part is that we’ve let these other guys get back in it, but that’s OK. It’s the Countdown to the Championship. We’re going to hit Pomona, and we’re going to give it our best shot and give it all we got.”

One thing is for sure, Brown will be tested in Pomona. FRAM dragster driver Massey is as hungry as ever to win his first championship title, and he won the season-opening Winternationals at this track. Meanwhile, Schumacher, who has won this event four times, has a legendary history at this track, where he used last-race heroics to win series titles in 2006 and 2007. Brown certainly doesn’t want to become the latest victim of a magical Schumacher come-from-behind performance.

“We’re going to keep on pressing,” Brown said. “We’re not whipped. We’ll keep digging and make sure everything is working the way it’s supposed to and be ready for Pomona. One thing is that the good Lord is an able guy; he never gives you anything you can’t handle. Things happen for a reason, and this is all part of it. We’ve put ourselves in a good position in case something like this happened.”

No matter the outcome, Brown has a special way of keeping everything in perspective. He understands that he has come a long way from growing up in Chesterfield, N.J., and dreaming of becoming an NHRA world champion. Right now, he’s in the middle of living that dream.

“We’ve just been very fortunate, and I’m just staying humble,” Brown said. “You’ve just got to be humble because if not, the sport will humble you and make you cringe. You go from hero to zero in our sport, and that’s why I just keep the same attitude I always have.”

There will be an addendum to this article, regardless of the results this week.  Dream Realized.

GM on a Roll in Retail Sales

GM U.S. Sales Increase 5 percent in October

Retail sales up 7 percent, fleet down 2 percent

2012-11-01

 

DETROIT – General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) today reported its highest October sales in the United States since 2007, with deliveries up 5 percent versus a year ago to 195,764 vehicles.  Year-over-year sales to retail customers were up 7 percent and sales to fleet customers were down 2 percent.

“GM had a solid October in a month that was marked by a devastating national tragedy,” said Kurt McNeil, vice president, U.S. sales operations.  “All of us at GM are deeply saddened by the loss of life and the extensive damage caused by the storms, but we’re really encouraged by the national and local response, which will speed the recovery.”

GM’s new cars had a standout performance in October.
“With new designs like the Chevrolet Spark, Buick Verano and Cadillac ATS, and a growing reputation for quality and good resale value, we are becoming an even more formidable competitor in every segment – not just traditional GM strongholds like trucks,” McNeil said.

Sales of GM passenger cars increased 15 percent in October compared with a year ago. Crossovers were up 3 percent and sales of full-size pickup trucks were up 8 percent.

• Passenger car sales were driven by a 37 percent increase in Cadillac car sales, a 27 percent increase in Buick car sales and a 12 percent increase in Chevrolet car sales.
• Combined sales of mini, small and compact cars were up 72 percent compared with a year ago, driven by strong Spark and Sonic sales and a 34 percent increase in Cruze sales.  Chevrolet dealers also delivered a record 2,961 Volts.
• Crossover sales were driven by double-digit increases for the Cadillac SRX, GMC Acadia and GMC Terrain.
• Overall truck sales were down 2 percent, reflecting lower sales of the GMC and Chevrolet mid-size pickups, which have been discontinued, and large SUVs.

“Year over year, the light vehicle selling rate has increased for eight consecutive quarters without a tailwind from the residential housing sector, but that is starting to change,” said McNeil.  “If these trends continue, housing may be the final piece of the puzzle that lifts sales above 15 million units on an annual basis just as GM prepares to launch even more new cars, crossovers and trucks.”
GM will replace 70 percent of its U.S. nameplates with redesigned or all-new vehicles over the course of 2012 - 2013.  In anticipation of robust demand, GM has increased its year-end inventory target from the 650,000-unit range to 660,000 to 670,000 units.  This change reflects higher planned stocks of new passenger cars.  The truck inventory target is unchanged.##

Top Fuel going into the Finals in November

Driver Standings
Top Fuel

1. Antron Brown, 2,522.
2. Tony Schumacher, 2,457.
3. Spencer Massey, 2,452.
4. Shawn Langdon, 2,406.
5. Brandon Bernstein, 2,336.

Even though  there are many other competitors and classes competing in NHRA, as you can tell, I have chose to focus on Top Fuel Standing. There are many reasons, but the primary reason is how close the standings continue to be.  The other reason is the limited information available on a continual basis, especially in the Sportsman Classes..

Next year- 2013, this will change. It is my hope to be in a position to get first hand information as to performance, specifically in Division Seven.

But if things go as planned, I will give details after the Finals in November.

SEMA Show Update for Chevrolet

Chevrolet Performance Takes Many Forms at SEMA Show

 

Expanded ‘Shop Talk’ Displays, Malibu Turbo Performance Concept featured

DETROIT – From stylized mini cars to drag strip-conquering muscle cars, Chevrolet will show its broadest-ever range of performance and personalization choices at the 2012 SEMA Show. The annual automotive aftermarket extravaganza kicks off Oct. 30.

Last week, Chevrolet previewed a squadron of small-car concepts debuting at the event, while performance-oriented visions of the new Malibu Turbo and the forthcoming 2014 Impala will also be on hand. Chevy’s display wouldn’t be complete without a few Corvette and Camaro concepts, but their details are being kept under wraps until the show opens.

“At Chevrolet, performance comes in many different forms that appeal to many different customers – and that’s exactly what we demonstrate at the SEMA Show,” said Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet marketing. “We play close attention to the reaction our concepts receive, because the feedback helps determine the viability for producing new accessories and even special-edition production vehicles.”

Chevrolet is taking its popular Shop Talk garage experience display to a higher level this year, too. Building on the success of the engine-building demonstrations last year, the new Shop Talk display will offer four “bays” of activities:

·         Crate Powertrain Systems – Chevrolet Performance’s engines, transmissions and controllers are featured, along with a crate powertrain system installed on the open chassis of a 1988 Monte Carlo SS.

·         Chevrolet Performance Parts and Accessories – Displays of new Camaro ZL1- and 1LE-based upgrade kits, along with exterior and interior enhancements are on hand, with installation demonstrations performed on a Camaro SS throughout the event.

·         Sonic Personalization Installation – Chevrolet Performance brakes, suspension components and wheels, along with Z-Spec accessories, will be demonstrated with live installation sessions on an Inferno Orange Metallic Sonic.

·         Build Your Own Crate Engine – The assembly procedures for a supercharged LS9 crate engine will be demonstrated, showing the steps customers take when they purchase the Build Your Own Crate Engine option with an LS7 or LS9 engine from Chevrolet Performance.

“Chevrolet Performance is the direct line from the factory for performance and personalization parts and the SEMA Show gives us the chance to show everything our engineers have been working on,” said Jim Campbell, GM U.S. vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “From Sonic to Cruze, to Camaro, Corvette and Silverado, we offer more parts and accessories than anyone in the aftermarket.” 

Chevrolet Performance’s range includes E-Rod emissions-compliant crate engines, which have received Executive Order numbers from California Air Resources Board – making them legal for installation in more than 20 million pre-1996 vehicles in California.

Impala was America’s best-selling full-size sedan in 2011 with sales of more than 171,000, which earned it a place among the year’s 10 best-selling cars overall, along with Chevrolet Malibu and Cruze.

More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

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Finally, a New Silverado!

New Silverado Pick-up Next Year.

DETROIT – Chevrolet will take the wraps off the all-new Silverado 1500 full-size pickup on Dec. 13 at a special event in the Detroit area. The bold exterior design of the new Silverado reflects the enhanced capabilities of the truck while features such as jewel-like, projector beam headlamps showcase the careful attention given to every detail.

The new Silverado will be on public display for the first time at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in January, and will start production next year.

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

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