Antron Brown starts fifth for Sunday's NHRA Nationals at zMax Dragway

September 17

 Piloting the Aaron’s Dream Machine/Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster, Antron Brown took the fifth starting spot here Saturday during final qualifying for the fourth-annual NHRA Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

Brown’s 3.802-second pass at 324.44 miles per hour from Friday’s second qualifying session was good enough to fall in behind his Don Schumacher Racing teammates Tony Schumacher and Spencer Massey, as well as Larry Dixon and Del Worsham in the race-day order.

A five-time winner in 2011, Brown will line up alongside 12th-place qualifier T.J. Zizzo in the first round of final eliminations on Sunday beginning at noon EDT.

“We slipped little bit today in the lineup, but, overall, we had two good days of qualifying,” offered the New Jersey native. “I feel very good about our chances going into race day. I know my team is ready to for the Countdown to the Championship to begin.”

Heading into the six-race Countdown, Brown held second-place in the standings and was 30 points behind Worsham.

“When the points were reset two weeks ago (after the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis), we were suddenly within arm’s length of first-place,” said Brown. “We want to go out tomorrow and try to seize the moment. We would love nothing better than to leave North Carolina with the points lead.”

To be sure, Brown has been on a roll of late. He posted victories in three of the last four races of the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule.

“We have been performing extremely well in recent races,” he said. “But, we can’t rest easy. We have to remain focused, work hard and exhibit plenty of determination. I truly believe this team can win the world championship. It all starts here in Charlotte.”