Toyota NHRA Houston Preview

POINTS LEADER BROWN RETURNS TO SITE OF FIRST TOP FUEL WIN – In 2008, Antron Brown was a rookie Top Fuel driver who had just made the move up from Pro Stock Motorcycles when he earned his first win in a dragster at Royal Purple Raceway. This week, Brown returns to Houston with 32 Top Fuel victories, a World Championship and the current series point lead. He also is the only driver in the series to have won a race every season since that first win in 2008. In addition, he’s the defending Spring Nationals champion after defeating Khalid alBalooshi in an all-Toyota Top Fuel final. Brown’s next victory will be his 49 th in Mello Yello Drag Racing Series competition, which will tie him with the legendary Don “The Snake” Prudhomme for 10 th all-time.

BACK TO THE STRAIGHT LINE – While the NHRA Mello Yello Series was off last weekend, it didn’t stop Antron Brown from getting behind the wheel of a race-prepared Scion FR-S to compete in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Pro/Celebrity Race. Brown was running second in the pro division before getting collected in a crash which involved NFL great Willie Gault. It’s not the first time Brown ventured into other forms of racing. In 2013, he tested a NASCAR K&N Camry with Rev Racing at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Virginia.

CRAMPTON LOOKS FOR ANOTHER HOUSTON WIN – THIS TIME BEHIND THE WHEEL – Three years ago, Richie Crampton left Royal Purple Raceway as a victorious member on the crew of Morgan Lucas’ winning Top Fuel car as the team’s clutch specialist. How things have changed. This week, Crampton arrives in Houston as the most recent Top Fuel winner (Las Vegas) and just 36 points out of the series lead. Crampton, the 2014 NHRA Rookie of the Year, also is the only driver in the series to win at least one round in each race this season.

TOYOTA DRIVERS FIGHTING FOR POINTS LEAD – Three Toyota Top Fuel drivers will enter Houston in the top five with Antron Brown currently leading the point race. Shawn Langdon sits third, 15 points behind Brown, while Richie Crampton is fifth, just 36 points out of the lead. Each of the three has registered one victory in the season’s first five events. In addition, Toyota Camry driver Del Worsham, who was the top qualifier in Houston last year, is second in points, just nine points behind series leader Matt Hagan.

TOYOTA HOUSTON WINNERS – Toyota Top Fuel drivers have won the Spring Nationals four of the last five years with Larry Dixon winning in 2010, Del Worsham winning in 2011, Morgan Lucas in 2012 and Antron Brown in 2014.

LIVE ON ESPN2 – The NHRA O’Reilly Auto Parts Spring Nationals eliminations can be seen live on ESPN2 with coverage beginning at 2 p.m., Sunday.