Topeka: Antron Brown Saturday notes

BROWN QUALIFIES MATCO DRAGSTER FOURTH AT TOPEKA TOPEKA, Kan. (May 31, 2008) -- Antron Brown sped his David Powers-owned Matco Tools dragster to the No. 4 qualifying position Saturday afternoon at Heartland Park Topeka with an elapsed time of ...

BROWN QUALIFIES MATCO DRAGSTER FOURTH AT TOPEKA

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 31, 2008) -- Antron Brown sped his David Powers-owned Matco Tools dragster to the No. 4 qualifying position Saturday afternoon at Heartland Park Topeka with an elapsed time of 4.584 seconds. It is the seventh time he has qualified in the top half of the field in nine races this season.

Brown qualified the Matco Tools/iLocate GPS rail fourth on Friday evening with a run of 4.584 at 292.77. The two-time Top Fuel winner used a Lee Beard tune-up to clock low elapsed time of Saturday's first qualifying session at 4.601 seconds at 312.06 mph. Brown remained fourth in the Top Fuel order. On his final attempt of the weekend, the 18-time NHRA winner blasted the Matco/GoFast car to a pass of 4.677 at 293.54. Brown's 4.601-second pass was the quickest Top Fuel lap of the day. Brown qualified in the No. 4 position for the third straight race and the fourth time this season and has qualified for 154 consecutive races.

"Man, we're confident heading into race day," Brown said. "We had low E.T. of the day on Saturday at Topeka with that 4.60 and we just have a great race team and car with the Matco Tools dragster. We're fired up to go some rounds for all the great Matco distributors in this Topeka area. I'm just really excited."

Brown will face off against No. 13 qualifier David Grubnic in the opening round of Top Fuel eliminations at 11 a.m. (CT) on Sunday at Heartland Park. Brown is 1-0 versus Grubnic this season.