Brown Clarifies, Schumacher Affirms TF Champion Not Going Anywhere

Ripples of speculation spread throughout the NHRA community following news last week that current Top Fuel champion Antron Brown said he enjoyed his stock-car test session and expressed interest in doing that again.
 
Brown completed about 120 laps last Tuesday in a Toyota Camry at Motor Mile Speedway at Radford, Va., with guidance from Rev Racing NASCAR K&N Series driver Ryan Gifford.
 
But Brown clarified this past weekend during the Toyota NHRA Supernationals at Englishtown, N.J., that he plans to remain in drag racing, at least for the foreseeable future. And he has a witness to back him up — boss Don Schumacher.
 
“I went out there to try something different. I’m a huge fan of all types of racing,” the Matco Tools/Toyota/Army Dragster driver said.

I went out there to try something different. I’m a huge fan of all types of racing. [But] I love NHRA, and I love what I do. This is the sport that I love.” – Antron Brown

But he reassured, “I love NHRA, and I love what I do. This is the sport that I love.”
 
Longtime sponsor Toyota and Rev Racing owner Max Siegel coordinated Brown’s test session.
“Toyota gave me an opportunity, and it was something I’ve always wanted to try,” Brown said. “It was a lot of fun. I was just feeling out what was going on. It was something I’ve always wanted to try.”
 
Schumacher has permitted his drivers to experiment. He did so with Funny Car’s Ron Capps and his own son, Top Fueler Tony Schumacher.
 
“All of these guys love to race, and it doesn’t matter if it’s cars, go-karts, or motorcycles,” an understanding Schumacher said.

 
“Toyota put a program together for Antron to test a stock-car, and that’s what he did. He loves trying new things, and I allowed him to do it like I’ve allowed Ron Capps to race on dirt tracks. And Tony has done different things.”
 
Saying, his drivers “have to have some times to let their hair down,” Schumacher said he tries to infuse some fun time into the job to balance out the intensity.
 
“I try to keep my drivers focused on what we’re doing out here in NHRA and the championships,” he said, “but they “have to have some times to let their hair down. You always want to work with your employees rather than make everything black or white.”
 
However, Schumacher made it clear he would put the brakes on all such merry motoring when the season reached a point his drivers can ill afford distractions.
 
“Later in the season,” he said decidedly, “I can tell you they will not be doing anything like that, because when you’re in the hunt for the championship, you can’t have any distractions like that.”
 
Brown said he understands: “My main focus now is right here in drag racing, and we are working on getting another NHRA Top Fuel championship.”

Later in the season,” he said decidedly, “I can tell you they [ my drivers] will not be doing anything like that, because when you’re in the hunt for the championship, you can’t have any distractions like that. – Don Schumacher

And just to clarify that Brown’s spinout and minor wall contact was nothing like his Pomona crashes in a dragster. In Virginia, Brown skidded out of shape on his last scheduled lap. He already had run 120 clean laps, but one of the crew chiefs wanted to see how he would do on old tires, to push him. Brown spun and just clipped the left-rear quarter panel and bumper of the Camry.
 
“I had a little bit of everything,” Brown said. “I even learned about spinning out and learned about going around the track, learned about corner speed, learned about lines and being smooth. It was a lot to take in . . . but we made some really big, big strides, and it was a lot of fun.”
He said he could keep pace with season circle-track racers: “ When the track got hot, I was pretty much running what some of the other drivers were running. I was right in the ballpark. Just worked at getting more consistent with it where I could duplicate each lap, and run on the marks, and stuff like that.”

It’s no surprise he adapted quickly. That’s what happened when he became the only competitor in NHRA history to move from a Pro Stock Motorcycle to a Top Fuel dragster. Within five years he had a series crown.
 
But any circle-track accomplishments will have to wait for awhile.