BROWN TAKES TOYOTA TO WINNER’S CIRCLE AT SONOMA FOR FOURTH TIME

SONOMA, CA – Toyota driver Antron Brown culminated a dominating weekend by defeating Dave Connolly in the Top Fuel finals to win the 28th annual NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway Sunday. The win is the eighth for a Toyota driver in NHRA Nitro competition this season.

Brown captured the pole position after setting a new track record on Friday night and then defeated Steve Chrisman, Richie Crampton and Tony Schumacher before his final round match-up with Connolly. The triumph marks his fourth of the season and his fourth win at Sonoma in the last seven races at the northern California track. He previously won here in 2009, 2011 and 2012.

“It was a great race weekend,” said Brown, who tied Don “Big Daddy” Garlits for fifth all-time in Top Fuel wins with 35. “I’m blessed to be with this organization. The atmosphere in Sonoma is amazing. Everything just works so well here closer to sea level. The Matco boys were on their game right from the start. The stands are full from the first session on Friday all the way through the weekend. The fans are great and it just sets your tone for the weekend. It’s a blessing to be able to tie Big Daddy (Garlits). That’s the Holy Grail for me. To tie one of the greatest racers in history is just unbelievable.”

In addition to Brown’s winning efforts in Top Fuel, Crampton defeated Spencer Massey in his opening round match-up while Shawn Langdon fell in his first-round showdown with Larry Dixon.

In Funny Car, Cruz Pedregon took his Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry to the semi-finals for the second time in the last three races. The two-time world champion defeated fellow Camry driver Alexis DeJoria in his first run and then knocked off John Force in round two before losing to Tommy Johnson Jr. in the semi-finals.

In the second all-Toyota first-round battle, Chad Head defeated Del Worsham in a close race with Head getting the advantage, 4.040-4.065. He then fell to eventual race-winner Jack Beckman. Head was the second-quickest Funny Car driver of the day with his 4.040, one spot ahead of Pedregon, who ran a 4.051 in beating Force. Tony Pedregon rounded the Camry contingent with a first-round loss to Beckman, despite running a 4.12-second pass.

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series concludes its annual Western Swing next weekend with the Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Seattle, August 7-9.