NORWALK, Ohio — Throughout his standout NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series career Antron Brown has found the perfect mix of entertainment and success, winning a world championship in Top Fuel while becoming one of the most popular personalities on the circuit.
It’s also a reason why this weekend’s ninth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park is an ideal race for the Top Fuel star and current points leader.
The event is annually one of the top races when it comes to entertaining fans and thrilling racing, and Brown, the defending winner in Norwalk, has always enjoyed the excitement surrounding the race that takes place during the Fourth of July weekend.
“I’m always excited to go to Norwalk because out of all our races there is no other show like what the Bader family puts on,” Brown said. “When you go there you know you’re not just there for the pure excitement our sport brings, but you’re going to be entertained from start to finish. The firework shows are just phenomenal for kids and adults of all ages.”
John Force (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) joined Brown as winners of last year’s event. The race will once again be televised nationally on ESPN2. It is the 12th event of the season and marks the halfway point of a 2015 campaign that has featured plenty of standout moments for Brown and his 10,000-horsepower Matco Tools dragster.
Despite a first-round exit at the most recent event in Bristol, Brown’s year has been filled with plenty of positives, including three victories and four final round appearances. While that is impressive, Brown and his team, led by crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald, have big goals and with only six races following Norwalk until the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship begins, the team is focused. They also have a distinct mindset heading into the busy summer months.
“Everything is crucial,” Brown said. “You have to go out and be consistent and grow with each and every run. That’s been our focus: to grow. Even if we’re struggling and don’t get the results we want we can learn from that to be better at the next race.
“For this upcoming series of races our main focus is to grow. You have to grow each and every race, and that has to continue through the Countdown so you keep working to get to a higher level.”
Brown reached a major milestone earlier this year with his 50th career win, 34 of which have come in Top Fuel, but a second world championship is the ultimate goal for 2015.
The challenge will be intense in Norwalk, as Brown will face off against the likes Richie Crampton, who has three wins this season including the most recent race, two-time Norwalk winner Larry Dixon, Doug Kalitta, defending world champion Tony Schumacher, Leah Pritchett, Brittany Force, J.R. Todd, class newcomer Dave Connolly, Steve Torrence, Spencer Massey, past champ Shawn Langdon and category veteran Clay Millican.
This weekend also starts a rigorous stretch of five races in six weeks that concludes with the Western Swing, but Brown looks at this string of races as a chance to push forward. With teams seeing a number of different weather conditions, it is an opportunity for Brown, who has two career final round appearances in Norwalk, and his team to get his dragster prepared and primed for any circumstance that can arise.
“This time of the year is when you need to be getting on your Ps and Qs so you want to be polishing your combination and trying to find your combination,” Brown said. “That’s what makes this time so crucial. At Norwalk you get some nighttime qualifying sessions where the track will be good and you get some daytime sessions where it can be hot and humid and you have to work hard to get down the racetrack.
“The first couple races of the Countdown can be like that. You definitely want to expand your log book and data so you can take more information into the Countdown and win the championship.”
In Funny Car, 16-time world champion Force raced to his second victory of the season last year at Norwalk, while points leader and defending world champion Matt Hagan is after his first victory at the track. Jack Beckman, Tim Wilkerson and Tony Pedregon are the only other active Funny Car drivers with Norwalk victories, but other class standouts include Ron Capps, Cruz Pedregon, Courtney Force, Del Worsham, Alexis DeJoria, Tommy Johnson Jr. and Robert Hight.
Enders, the reigning Pro Stock world champ, has four wins to start 2015 including the most recent race to take over the points lead but red-hot Greg Anderson, who has two career Norwalk wins, is close behind. Vincent Nobile also has two Norwalk wins, and past winner Jason Line, a two-time winner this season, is also in position to bring home a victory. Others to watch include Phoenix winner Rodger Brogdon, newcomer Drew Skillman, Shane Gray, 2012 world champ Allen Johnson and frequent No. 1 qualifier Chris McGaha.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Hines is the defending race winner and currently sits second in the points standings. He leads his category with four career wins at Norwalk while his teammate, Eddie Krawiec, was the No. 1 qualifier at the event one year ago and is the current points leader. Hector Arana Sr., who is coming off a recent win in Atlanta, his son Hector Arana Jr., Gainesville winner Karen Stoffer and two-time event winner Matt Smith will all be contenders to hoist the Wally trophy on Sunday.
As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.
Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday, July 3, with sessions at 5 and 7:45 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, July 4, at 5 and 7:45 p.m., followed by a fireworks show at 9:45 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 5.
To purchase tickets, call 419-668-5555 or visit www.summitmotorsportspark.com. For more information about the NHRA visit www.NHRA.com.
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SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA NATIONALS FACT SHEET
WHAT: Ninth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, the 12th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Drivers in four categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – earn points leading to 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships.
WHERE: Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio. The track is located at 1300 State Route 18, half way between Cleveland and Toledo; just an hour and a half north of Columbus. The Ohio Turnpike is less than 10 minutes away.
COURSE: Championship drag strip; Track elevation is 853 feet above sea level; Track direction is north to south.
WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, July 2-5
SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, July 2 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying at 9 a.m.
FRIDAY, July 3 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations
NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 4:15 and 7 p.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 5 and 7:45 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 4 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations
NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 4:15 p.m.; First round of eliminations at 7 p.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 5 and 7:45 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 5 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, July 4, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 10 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 5, ESPN will televise three hours of eliminations coverage starting at 1 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):
Saturday, July 4, 10:30 – 11 p.m. (ET), SES 2/Transponder 14C
Sunday, July 5, 5:30 – 6 p.m. (ET), SES 2/ Transponder 14C
(3980 MHz, vertical; Data Rate: 40.46147055 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 29.27 Ms; FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 36 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
2014 EVENT WINNERS: Antron Brown, Top Fuel; John Force, Funny Car; Erica Enders, Pro Stock, Andrew Hines, Pro Stock Motorcycle.
MOST VICTORIES: Andrew Hines, 4, PSM; Larry Dixon, 2, TF; Mike Neff, 2, FC; Greg Anderson, 2, PS; Vincent Nobile, 2, PS; Matt Smith, 2, PSM.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.745 sec. by Shawn Langdon, July ’14; 329.83 mph by Brittany Force, July ’14.
Funny Car – 4.000 sec. by Del Worsham, July ’14; 322.04 mph by John Force, July ’14.
Pro Stock – 6.523 sec. and 212.63 mph by Erica Enders, July ’14.
PS Motorcycle – 6.844 sec. by Eddie Krawiec, July ’14; 196.93 mph by Hector Arana, July ’14.
NATIONAL RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.701 sec. by Antron Brown, Oct. ‘12, Reading, Pa.; 332.18 mph by Spencer Massey, April ’12, Charlotte, N.C.
Funny Car – 3.965 sec. by John Force, Feb. ’14, Pomona, Calif.; 325.06 mph by Courtney Force, May ’15, Topeka, Kan.
Pro Stock – 6.455 sec. by Jason Line, March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May ‘14, Englishtown N.J.
PS Motorcycle – 6.728 sec. by Andrew Hines, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.; 199.88 mph by Hector Arana Jr., April ’15, Charlotte, N.C.
TICKETS: For tickets, call (419) 668-5555 or purchase online at www.summitmotorsportspark.com.
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NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS
GLENDORA, Calif. — Point standings (top 10) following the 11th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series (four of 16 for Pro Stock Motorcycle), number of wins listed in parentheses –
Top Fuel: 1. Antron Brown, 826 (3); 2. Tony Schumacher, 824 (2); 3. Richie Crampton, 754 (3); 4. Larry Dixon, 699; 5. Spencer Massey, 693 (1); 6. Doug Kalitta, 666 (1); 7. Shawn Langdon, 626 (1); 8. Brittany Force, 585; 9. J.R. Todd, 563; 10. Clay Millican, 511.
Funny Car: 1. Matt Hagan, 866 (4); 2. Ron Capps, 779 (2); 3. John Force, 713 (2); 4. Del Worsham, 704; 5. Jack Beckman, 669 (2); 6. Tommy Johnson Jr., 643; 7. Cruz Pedregon, 592; 8. Robert Hight, 576; 9. Alexis DeJoria, 574; 10. Tim Wilkerson, 570 (1).
Pro Stock: 1. Erica Enders, 964 (4); 2. Greg Anderson, 950 (3); 3. Jason Line, 828 (2); 4. Chris McGaha, 750; 5. Allen Johnson, 588; 6. Shane Gray, 583; 7. Drew Skillman, 573; 8. Larry Morgan, 570 (1); 9. Vincent Nobile, 561; 10. Rodger Brogdon, 526 (1).
Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Eddie Krawiec, 339; 2. Andrew Hines, 286 (1); 3. Hector Arana Jr, 273; 4. Hector Arana, 259 (1); 5. Karen Stoffer, 238 (1); 6. Jim Underdahl, 224; 7. Scotty Pollacheck, 207; 8. (tie) Jerry Savoie, 198 (1); LE Tonglet, 198; 10. Angelle Sampey, 193.
