Toyota NHRA New England Nationals Preview

KALITTA LOOKS FOR RARE FOUR IN A ROW – Doug Kalitta heads to New Hampshire this weekend looking to become the first Top Fuel driver in the 2010s to win four consecutive races after previously winning at Houston, Atlanta and Topeka. The Mac Tools Toyota driver would become the first Top Fuel pilot to win four in a row since Tony Schumacher registered the feat in 2008. No other driver has won in four in row in the 2000s. Kalitta has climbed into fourth all-time in Top Fuel victories with 41.

For the season, he has qualified in the top two in six of eight events and has advanced to the semi-finals or beyond in six of eight races, with four final round appearances. Kalitta will take a 95-point lead over second-place Antron Brown into New Hampshire in search of his first Top Fuel title after three previous runner-up finishes during his 19-year career. He does have one championship to his credit – the 1994 USAC Sprint Car title.

BROWN – After becoming just the ninth driver in Mello Yello Series history to reach 100 final rounds at Topeka, Antron Brown has his sights set on something else this week – fellow Toyota Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta in particular. After being eliminated by Kalitta in each of the last two events, including in the final round at Topeka, Brown is hoping to turn the tables this weekend.

Antron Brown: “We just have to keep doing what we do, and that’s going rounds. Doug’s been doing exceptionally well. We’ll be ready to take advantage of when he falters.”

Arguably the most dominant driver in a major American auto racing series over the past five years, Antron Brown has registered 30 victories – more than double the total of the next highest active Top Fuel driver (Tony Schumacher – 13). During that span, he’s won two world championships and finished in the top three in four of five seasons, while never winning less than four races. Brown has won six or more races four times since 2011.