Sonoma: Antron Brown preview

Antron Brown on Sonoma

"We're looking forward to getting back to Sonoma and ending this Western Swing on a high note. I love racing at Infineon Raceway and had some success there in Pro Stock Motorcycle and we want to continue that in Top Fuel with the Matco Tools team."

Lee Beard (crew chief) on Sonoma

"It's always exciting to race at Sonoma. I have a lot of great memories from that track like winning there with Gary Ormsby. I have compared Antron (Brown) to Gary and hopefully we can get back to the winner's circle at Infineon Raceway this season."

Antron Brown Sonoma NHRA Notebook

Last weekend at Pacific Raceways near Seattle, Brown made his first career start at the Seattle NHRA race. The former Pro Stock Motorcycle star spent 10 seasons in the two-wheel category, which competes on a part-time basis. Brown qualified his Matco Tools dragster third with a run of 3.831 seconds at 312.06 mph. He was defeated in the opening round for just the second time this season when his Matco Tools dragster smoked the tires early in the run.

Brown enters the 15th race on the 2008 NHRA schedule ranked second in the NHRA Top Fuel standings. He has two wins (Houston, Atlanta) and two poles (Pomona 1, Englishtown) this season. He became the first driver in NHRA history to win races in both the Pro Stock Motorcycle and Top Fuel classes when he nipped Larry Dixon in the final round at Houston Raceway Park on March 30. He has ranked second in the standings since winning the Atlanta race in late April.

-credit: dpm