LOS ANGELES — Three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Antron Brown has joined the impressive lineup of featured speakers for the fifth annual Race Industry Week, taking place December 2–5.
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Antron Brown dreamed of driving one of the world’s most iconic racecars, but never truly believed that one day he would, let alone win three world championships.
His vibrant personality, perseverance, intelligence, athleticism, and deeply held religious convictions helped plot the course to getting a job driving in NHRA drag racing’s ultimate category of Top Fuel in 2008.
And just four years later, the New Jersey native was crowned the 2012 NHRA Top Fuel world champion along with his Matco Tools teammates while driving for Don Schumacher Racing (DSR).
Achieving that championship milestone enabled Brown to become the first Black driver to win a major U.S. auto racing season championship. That accomplishment, coupled with his commitment to helping young Americans, earned him two prestigious honors in 2013.
In January 2012, he was selected to NBC’s 2013 edition of ‘theGrio’s 100’ list that features Black industry, sports and community leaders. He was featured on a segment of NBC’s Today show to help celebrate Black History Month. Eight months later, he was at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City along with Terry Bradshaw, James Worthy, Dave Winfield, Nick Faldo, Shawn Johnson and other renowned athletes at the 28th annual Great Sports Legends Dinner to benefit The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis.
“I never sat back and thought about it, but if I can be an inspiration for kids out there – not just African-Americans, just Americans period – and give them somebody they can look up to that’s positive who actually never settled in life for things that people told them they may not ever achieve then it makes this accomplishment even more special.
“Even some of my own family members told me that I could never be a professional racer. I even doubted myself that I would someday be a Top Fuel or Funny Car racer because it just seemed to be so far out of reach.”
More impressive than Brown’s three world championships and 74 NHRA event titles (58 in Top Fuel and 16 in Pro Stock Motorcycle) are commitments to God, family, and helping to motivate high school and college students through regular speaking engagements around the country for Matco Tools.
In early 2020, Brown announced the formation of AB Motorsports, a single-car Top Fuel operation with Brown at the helm calling the shots. He has owned and driven for the team ever since.
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