TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Three-time season champion Antron Brown raced to his first victory as a team owner Sunday in the Menards NHRA Nationals.
Brown broke a 30-event drought, beating four-time defending series champion Steve Torrence in the final round for his 69th victory and first since the third race of the 2021 season. The 46-year-old Brown had a 3.902-second run at 309.49 mph at Heartland Motorsports Park.
“We kept our heads down,” Brown said. “We faced a lot of resistance, but this AB Motorsports team, we’re all one unit. I wouldn’t want to do this with anybody else. All the people that have been behind us and supported us, this means so much. It felt so good to get this win. I love it and here we come, baby.”
Bob Tasca III won in Funny Car, Troy Coughlin Jr. in Pro Stock and Joey Gladstone in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Tasca beat 73-year-old John Force in the final with a 3.999 at 316.82 in a Ford Mustang for his second victory of the season and 11th in his career.
Coughlin raced to his second straight victory, topping defending series champion Greg Anderson with a 6.680 at 206.54 in a Chevrolet Camaro.
Gladstone also raced to his second straight victory, beating Eddie Krawiec with a 6.876 at 195.59 on a Suzuki to take the points lead.
