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Toyota NHRA FallNationals Preview – Dallas

BROWN RETURNS TO SITE OF FIRST NHRA WIN – Antron Brown returns to the Texas Motorplex this weekend as the defending Top Fuel winner after defeating Steve Torrence in the finals in 2016. The track also holds a special memory for Brown as the site of his first-ever NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series victory when he won the Pro Stock Motorcycle final in 1999.  The three-time world champion also won at the facility in 2012 and will be looking for his third Top Fuel win in Dallas this weekend. He went on to earn the Top Fuel world championship in both seasons that he has previously won at the Motorplex.

DeJORIA ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT – Long-time Toyota Funny Car driver Alexis DeJoria announced on Monday that she will retire at season’s end.  DeJoria is in her seventh season in the Tequila Patrón Camry and has registered five career victories, including Brainerd earlier this season. Among her other triumphs was the 2014 U.S. Nationals. DeJoria is the only driver to have claimed a win in each of the Funny Car, Top Alcohol Funny Car and Super Comp categories and was the first female Funny Car driver in history to run a sub 4.00-second pass. Each of her 138 career Funny Car races has been in a Toyota.


TITLE HUNT CONTINUES – Five Toyota drivers will continue their hunt for a world championship this weekend. In Top Fuel, Doug Kalitta currently sits second, while two-time defending champion Antron Brown is fourth and Shawn Langdon holds down the tenth position.  Camry drivers J.R. Todd and Cruz Pedregon are currently eighth and tenth, respectively, in the Funny Car standings.

TOYOTA DRIVERS SHINE IN BIG D – Six of the eight Toyota drivers scheduled to compete this weekend in Dallas previously won at the Texas Motorplex in Nitro competition. Antron Brown (2016, 2012), Doug Kalitta (2013, 2002), Richie Crampton (2015) and J.R. Todd (2008) have each won in Top Fuel. In addition, Camrys have won three of the last six Funny Car races at the track with Del Worsham winning in 2015 and Cruz Pedregon winning in 2013 and 2011. Overall, Pedregon is a four-time winner at the track, while Worsham has three victories. Todd, who has two Funny Car wins to his credit already this season, will seek to join Don Prudhomme and Kenny Bernstein as just the third driver in history to win at the Motorplex in both Top Fuel and Funny Car.

TALKING TEXAS:

Antron Brown: “Our car is running good and we’re running consistent. We have three races left and the last race is points and half. So we’re going to be right in the thick of things. Our game is elevating at the right time. We’re going to go into Dallas and give it all we’ve got and we’re not going to leave anything behind.”

J.R. Todd: “I’m a fan of any track that I’ve won at, so I’m looking forward to going to Dallas. To be able to go back and win there in a Funny Car would be great. I’d love to get one of those cowboy hats (awarded to the race winners) and to do it near Toyota’s new U.S. headquarters would be really special.”

Richie Crampton: “I got my last professional win in Dallas in 2015, so it’s pretty special. It’s the legendary Billy Meyer and the Texas Motorplex. It’s an all-concrete track and in the fall it’s super fast.  There’s something I love about racing in Texas, so hopefully I can get another belt buckle and cowboy hat like I got last time.”

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