Joliet: Antron Brown preview

Antron Brown on Chicago

"We just want to keep the momentum of this Matco Tools dragster rolling along. I'm excited about Chicago. I've done well there on the bikes, so I can't wait to get on that awesome Joliet track in the Matco dragster. We'll have awesome support from some of the best Matco distributors and the country. We want to go out and win the race for them."

Lee Beard (crew chief) on Chicago

"Normally, the track at Chicago has an excellent racing surface, but if it's hot, there could be tricky conditions like we had last weekend in Topeka. We've done well there in the past and

Antron (Brown) continues to do a great job driving the car. We're looking to continue to go rounds."

Antron Brown Chicago NHRA Notebook

Last weekend in Topeka, Kan., Brown qualified the Matco Tools dragster fourth with a run of 4.584 seconds. It was the fourth time this season that Brown qualified in the No. 4 position. He advanced to the semifinals before falling to two-time champion Larry Dixon. It was Brown's first career race at Heartland Park Topeka and his first semifinal finish in Top Fuel.

Brown enters the 10th race on the 2008 NHRA schedule ranked second in the Top Fuel standings. He trails category-leader Tony Schumacher by 109 points. Brown has two wins, Houston and Atlanta, in three final rounds this season. He also has one pole (Pomona 1).

In 10 career races at the ultra-quick Joliet track, Brown scored two wins at Route 66 Raceway. The 16-time PSM winner won consecutive events in 2000 and '01. In 2000, Brown won when Angelle Sampey fouled at the start. A year later, he defeated Craig Treble, 7.217 to 7.264, at the Chicago race.

Brown has qualified for 154 consecutive NHRA events. He hasn't missed the cut since the Gainesville race in 1998 after being disqualified for bad fuel at his first career race. It is the second longest qualifying streak in the professional ranks (Angelle Sampey--170).

Brown became the eighth different driver that crew chief Lee Beard has tuned to the pole award and 10th different racer Beard has tuned to a win in Top Fuel or Funny Car. Beard has 52 career wins and 56 poles. He tuned Whit Bazemore to the win at Route 66 Raceway in 2001 and '03, and Kenny Bernstein in 1998.

-credit: dpm