BROWN SECOND QUICKEST QUALIFIER AT GATORNATIONALS

Matco Tools Top Fuel driver Antron Brown qualified second for Sunday’s 42nd annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals here at Gainesville Raceway.

Brown posted his best run in Friday’s second qualifying session of 3.822 seconds at 318.39 miles per hour. He fell just a few ticks short of claiming the number-one spot, which went to his Don Schumacher Racing teammate, Tony Schumacher, who posted a 3.184/325.45 run

Just behind Schumacher was Spencer Massey, 3.828/316.01, giving DSR a 1-2-3 punch going into eliminations.

The 35-year-old Indiana resident is looking to improve upon his semifinal finish at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season opener two weeks ago in Pomona, Calif.

“Our Matco Tools car is capable of winning this event, but so are many more,” said Brown, who finished in fourth in series points last year. “This is such a competitive category that one little hiccup will put your car in the trailer. I congratulate my teammate Tony Schumacher for qualifying number one. I would love to meet him and his U.S. Army dragster in the finals.”

Brown’s first round opponent will be No. 15 qualifier Dom Lagana.

Sunday’s final eliminations are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. EDT.