Toyota Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals – Brainerd Preview

BROWN ON A ROLL HEADING TO BRAINERD  – Antron Brown fell just short of sweeping the Western Swing with two wins and a runner-up finish to his credit and will arrive in Brainerd as the Top Fuel point leader.  The Matco Tools/Toyota driver has advanced to the final round seven times in the last nine races.

With his most recent victory in Seattle, Brown has now won 34 races since the start of the 2012 season – 18 more than any other driver in the series. In addition, he has closed to within three wins of Joe Amato for third on the all-time Top Fuel win list. The three-time world champion has gone to the winner’s circle twice previously in Brainerd where he was victorious in 2011 and also won the final round of the 2016 Seattle event that was pushed back to Brainerd two weeks later after rains halted action In Seattle after three rounds.

WORSHAM’S WILD BRAINERD RUN – Del Worsham holds the rare distinction of having both won and lost in the Funny Car finals at Brainerd last season. He lost to Ron Capps in the rain-delayed final from Seattle on Saturday and then defeated Matt Hagan in the regularly scheduled Brainerd final on Sunday, coming in his 500th career Mello Yello Drag Racing Series start. Worsham arrives in the Land of 10,000 Lakes with a new team this season, having returned home to his family-run Worsham-Fink Racing Team to run with his father, Chuck. He is currently in a battle for the final Funny Car playoff berth.

FUNNY CAR PLAYOFF BATTLE HEATS UP – With five drivers separated by just 49 points fighting for one playoff berth, this year’s Funny Car playoff race is about as heated as any in history. Toyota drivers Cruz Pedregon, Del Worsham and Alexis DeJoria all are eying that final position with Pedregon currently holding down the tenth spot with an eight-point advantage over his closest rival.  Worsham is just 28 points behind Pedregon, while DeJoria is 49 points out of tenth. A total of 310 points are still available, with the playoff chase expected to go down to the final round of the regular season at the U.S. Nationals.

TALKING BRAINERD:

Del Worsham: “Looking at least year, half of it was good and half of it was bad. To lose one and then win one, I felt a little redemption. It was a little sad because we had run so well in Seattle that I was just sure our Camry was going to win and then to have it finish up at Brainerd and lose that final, was a little disheartening.  But we pulled it together and we were able to get the win at the Brainerd race and it made up for it. It’s a cool race – one of the last ones before the Countdown. The biggest thing I like about Brainerd is the fans. They come out and camp and just have a great time. They are really a big part of the event.”

J.R. Todd: “The DHL Camry that I’m driving won Brainerd last year and it’s always good to go to a track where the team has had success. That track is one place where you know the fans are amped up and ready to see us come to town. It’s a huge party and the drivers love interacting with the fans. We’d love to go back up to Minnesota and double up in our Camry.”