Brown wants to keep winning ways at this weekend’s NHRA Summer Nationals

Antron Brown winning last weekend

Coming off his second win of the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season, Antron Brown plans to drive the Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster the same as he does for any race when competition begins for the 23rd annual NHRA Southern Nationals here this weekend at Heartland Park Topeka.

The Don Schumacher Racing driver said his driving routine – doing it the same each time – was the result of the lesson he learned in last year's quarterfinals at this race.

"I red lit against Larry Dixon in the second round because I was concerned about getting off the starting line quickly," the 35-year-old New Jersey native explained. "I had a fast car all weekend, but was worried about him and it messed up my concentration."

Brown had set the Heartland Park elapsed time – 3.785 seconds – and speed – 321.96 miles per hour – records on his way to qualifying number one for the 2010 contest. He then continued his quick runs during the first round of eliminations with a 3.851-second pass. Against Dixon, his foul wasted a 3.866-second effort, which might have beaten the eventual 2011 NHRA Full Throttle champion.

"It taught me a lesson, which I still try and follow – do the same thing every time," the 35-year-old driver said in retrospect. "And that's what I'll do after Mark Oswald and Brian Corradi (crew chiefs) setup the car for whatever conditions we have to face.

"It can be hot here, which is challenging for the crew chiefs, but they can get it done. They'll give the car a setup that the track can handle.

"We will go up there and do the best we can and let the chips fall where they fall."

Recently, the Matco Tools/U.S. Army dragster team has been doing quite well. In addition to the win in Georgia, he had collected another pewter Wally in Las Vegas, as well as making a trip to the semifinals and three to the quarterfinals during the first six races of the season.

Brown's success last week at Atlanta Dragway moved him into second place on the NHRA Full Throttle Top Fuel standings. He trails Del Worsham after going around Dixon, with DSR teammates Tony Schumacher and Spencer Massey right behind him (respectively).