KENT, Wash. (Aug. 2, 2014) – Antron Brown and the Sandvik Coromant/Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster are still chasing the points lead in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series standings and to gain ground on Doug Kalitta the team led by crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald will have to improve on Sunday.
Antron qualified a disappointing 12th for the 16-car field and won’t have lane choice for Sunday’s opening round of eliminations in the Northwest NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways near Seattle. His best time was a run of 3.884 seconds at 309.34 that was off pace for the team that leads the Top Fuel category this season with five event titles.
“We just have to go out and get it right for race day,” he said. “That’s what we’re focused on right now. We just have to learn from the runs that we’ve had out here this weekend. This Seattle track has been tricky but the good part is our teammate Tony (Schumacher) made some good runs so we know we can. We’ll go out there tomorrow and put our best foot forward and throw our best shot.
“Our main focus is to get past that first round and gain points to move closer to that No. 1 spot.”
Antron trails Kalitta by 56 points. Each round win Sunday is worth 20 points.
Three races remain in the regular season before the top-10 drivers are determined and points reset to start the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoff. Antron has locked up a spot in the field, but the points leader starts the Countdown with a 30-point lead over the No. 2 driver.
“We just have to get ourselves poised and ready for the Countdown. We’ll go out on race day and get ourselves dialed back in.”
TOP FUEL
No. 1 Qualifier: Tony Schumacher (Don Schumacher Racing), 3.804 sec., 318.32 mph
ANTRON BROWN, Sandvik Coromant/Matco Tools Top Fuel Dragster
Qualifying Position: No. 12
SUNDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP ELIMATIONS
FIRST ROUND: BROWN vs. Bob Vandergriff Jr.
QUALIFYING
FRIDAY: 4.307 sec., 193.05 mph, (Session 1); 3.884, 309.34, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 6.874, 87.53, (Session 3); 4.741, 159.97, Session (4)
About Sandvik Coromant
Sandvik Coromant is the world’s leading supplier of tools, tooling solutions, and know-how to the metalworking industry. With extensive investments in research and development, we create unique innovations and set new productivity standards together with our customers. These include the world’s major automotive, aerospace, and energy industries.
Sandvik Coromant has 8,000 employees and is represented in 130 countries.