Toyota Seattle NHRA Preview

AFTER CLINCHING PLAYOFF BERTH, NO LETTING UP FOR BROWN – With his victory last weekend in Sonoma, Antron Brown clinched his berth in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, but don’t expect the 2012 world champion to ease up on the gas pedal in the final three races of the regular season. The win in northern California tied him with the legendary Don “Big Daddy” Garlits for sixth all-time in Top Fuel wins with 35. Dating back to 2009, Brown has registered 33 Top Fuel wins – nine more than the next highest Top Fuel driver. He will enter this weekend’s Northwest Nationals just 37 points out of the top spot in the point standings:

Antron Brown: “We won’t change our approach at all. Beginning with Seattle, we’re going to race hard these next three races and go for number one heading into the Countdown.”

PEDREGON ROLLING TOWARD COUNTDOWN – With a semi-final showing last weekend in Sonoma, Cruz Pedregon has now climbed to within just 80 points of the top five in Funny Car. The two-time world champion has reached the semi-finals in two of the last three events and three times in the last six races.

WORSHAM HOLDS RARE SEATTLE DISTINCTION – Del Worsham will enter this weekend’s event at Pacific Raceways as one of just two drivers to have won in both Funny Car (1999) and Top Fuel (2011) at the Seattle track.

TOYOTA DRIVERS IN SEATTLE – Two current Toyota drivers have registered wins at Pacific Raceways. Antron Brown won in Seattle on his way to winning the Western Swing in 2009, while Del Worsham won the Top Fuel event with Alan Johnson Racing in 2011. In addition, Richie Crampton’s Morgan Lucas Racing team won in 2013 with team owner Morgan Lucas behind the wheel.

Shawn Langdon owns the track record with a 3.765-second run in 2013.