Indianapolis Pre-Race Report
NHRA U.S. Nationals
Event 16 of 22
Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park
Indianapolis
Sept. 2-5, 2022
Event 16 of 22
Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park
Indianapolis
Sept. 2-5, 2022
ANTRON BROWN: Driver of the Matco Tools Top Fuel Dragster
U.S. Nationals Event Highlights:
Three-time U.S. Nationals champion
Top Fuel (2011)
Pro Stock Motorcycle (2000, 2004)
Four-time No. 1 qualifier (2009, 2011-2013)
2021 Indianapolis Recap:
Qualified No. 15; First round exit (defeated by Steve Torrence in E1)
Last Event (Brainerd):
Qualified fifth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Clay Millican in E1; defeated by Steve Torrence in E2)
2022 Statistics:
15 races; one win
Career Statistics:
476 races; 69 wins (16 Pro Stock Motorcycle); 49 No. 1 qualifiers (11 PSM)
U.S. Nationals Event Highlights:
Three-time U.S. Nationals champion
Top Fuel (2011)
Pro Stock Motorcycle (2000, 2004)
Four-time No. 1 qualifier (2009, 2011-2013)
2021 Indianapolis Recap:
Qualified No. 15; First round exit (defeated by Steve Torrence in E1)
Last Event (Brainerd):
Qualified fifth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Clay Millican in E1; defeated by Steve Torrence in E2)
2022 Statistics:
15 races; one win
Career Statistics:
476 races; 69 wins (16 Pro Stock Motorcycle); 49 No. 1 qualifiers (11 PSM)
Noteworthy:
Brown, a resident of nearby Pittsboro, Ind., has both Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle victories at Indianapolis, and is seeking his first Indianapolis win as a team owner
The U.S. Nationals is a hometown event for AB Motorsports, which is headquartered two miles away from the famed Indy dragstrip in Brownsburg
Adding to the race weekend excitement, the event will feature a 25-car Top Fuel field with only 16 drivers qualifying for Monday’s elimination show
Brown carries the momentum of his Topeka triumph and Brainerd quarterfinal finish into the ‘Big Go’ and enters the weekend ranked ninth in the standings. With Indy’s points-and-a-half format, the AB Motorsports team will be looking to make a move. Technically, Brown could finish the weekend ranked as high as fifth to start the 2022 Countdown to the Championship.
Fan Events:
Brown will join his TGRNA teammates for a Team Toyota autograph session at Toyota’s midway display on Sunday from 10:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Quotable:
“We always look forward to Indy, it’s our biggest race of the year; the U.S. Nationals, the Big Go, but our Matco Tools team here at AB Motorsports is really geared up for this weekend at I.R.P., a Lucas Oil facility. The car has been running great. We had a solid test Monday after Brainerd. We have a few night runs under our belt, and we’re ready to throw down coming off of that 3.68 during the first round at Brainerd. We have some things to show and prove. We need to qualify well. That’s key. This will be a stout field with 25 cars and we need to qualify well, in the top five, and then take it one round at a time on race day on Monday and try to put our Matco dragster in the winner’s circle for all of our great partners like Lucas Oil and Toyota and Hangsterfer’s. We’re very excited.”
About AB Motorsports
Established in 2019 and making its on-track debut in 2022, AB Motorsports is a single-car NHRA Top Fuel team owned and operated by three-time world champion Antron Brown. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., the team competes on the 22-race NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series circuit thanks to the support of Matco Tools, Lucas Oil, Toyota, SiriusXM, Hangsterfer’s Metal Working Lubricants, and Summit Racing Equipment.Brown, who serves as both the owner and driver of the AB Motorsports Top Fuel dragster, is the only competitor in NHRA history to have won races in both the Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle categories. Brown is a 69-time NHRA national event winner and became the first Black driver to win a major U.S. auto racing championship when he captured the 2012 NHRA Top Fuel series title.
