Toyota Summernationals NHRA Preview

BROWN BACK HOME AGAIN IN NJ – Antron Brown returns to New Jersey still looking for his first Top Fuel win at his home track in this weekend’s Toyota Summernationals, yet, no track has played a bigger role in his career than Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.  As a young boy growing up in nearby Chesterfield, Brown would go to the track dreaming about some day drag racing like his heroes.  Then after receiving his first NHRA pro license in 1997, Brown would use the track as his personal testing ground in preparation for his first season of Pro Stock Motorcycle, where he won at Englishtown in 2002 and 2005.

This weekend, the long-time Toyota driver enters the Toyota Summernationals second in points with three wins and having advanced to the semi-finals or beyond six times in the season’s first eight races, but winning in his home-state would be extra special.

Antron Brown: “Anytime you can race near home, it’s pretty special. When I can win there in Top Fuel it will be the icing on the cake for me.”

LANGDON DEFENDING NJ CHAMPION – A year ago, Shawn Langdon defeated Al-Anabi Racing Toyota teammate Khalid alBalooshi in the Top Fuel finals to win the 2013 Toyota Summernationals.  This year, Langdon returns to New Jersey starting to round into the form that won him a world championship last season.  After a finals appearance this past weekend in Topeka, he has now advanced to two finals and a semi-final in the past four races.

NEW MILESTONES IN SIGHT FOR PEDREGON – Cruz Pedregon notched his 500th career NHRA round win last week in, but two more milestones are already in sight.  With his next round win, he will become just the fourth driver in history to win 500 Funny Car rounds, while his next Funny Car event win will tie him for fourth all-time with Don Prudhomme with 35.