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Antron Brown Shockingly Exits Early at NHRA Potomac Nationals
Highlights
- Antron Brown exited early at inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals.
- Brown qualified ninth with a best pass of 3.823 seconds.
- Lost opening elimination round to Justin Ashley by 0.035 seconds.
- Brown praised fans and track despite disappointing early elimination.
- Team shifts focus to NHRA New England Nationals, June 5-7.
Four-time Top Fuel champion Antron Brown exits in round one at the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals, presented by JEGS, at Maryland International Dragway after promising qualifying speed.
Qualified ninth; best run 3.823s at 329.42 mph after an early cylinder drop.
The Matco Tools Eagle Experience dragster runs 3.950 seconds at 312.21 mph in Q1 despite a dropped cylinder, initially placing Brown ninth on the provisional ladder.
Friday evening brings the peak, a 3.823 at 329.42 mph that briefly lifts him to seventh. Saturday’s #2Fast2Tasty round pairs Brown with Leah Pruett.
Brown reacts quicker, .073 to .085, but Pruett covers the strip in 3.811 seconds to his 3.848. Subsequent tire smoke in Q4 leaves Brown locked into ninth for eliminations.
“Ashley cuts grass; I’m one tough weed,” Brown quips before eliminations.
Round one pitches Brown against Justin Ashley. Ashley launches better, .036 to .057. Brown loses traction past half-track and lifts, while Ashley survives late spin to win 3.995 to 4.030.
Lost to Justin Ashley by 0.035 seconds after mid-track traction loss.
The weekend points to a narrow tuning window. A dropped cylinder and mid-track smoke suggest aggressive clutch and fuel settings that flirted with traction as the surface tightened.
The Q2 step illustrates the upside: controlled power delivered the 3.823 baseline. But limited gains thereafter left race-day margin thin against Ashley’s consistent starting-line execution.
Brown pivots quickly to New England Dragway, June 5–7. Resetting launch balance and clutch wear will be priorities as the team targets clean passes in cooler Epping conditions.
Next stop: NHRA New England Nationals, June 5–7, Epping, New Hampshire.
Post-race, Brown praises the facility and fan turnout, calling the debut “real special.” The weekend also features standout performances, including Beckman’s No. 1 qualifier effort.
As a new stop, the event delivers strong crowds and competitive depth, underscoring a promising future. A broader recap of the Potomac Nationals weekend charts those storylines.
Visual Summary
Nicholas Rivera delivers NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car news, including eliminator-round results and reaction-time stats. He brings track-side interviews, contender profiles, and championship-point breakdowns straight from drag-racing’s biggest national events.
