NHRA’s Antron Brown to Test K&N Series Car; Troops Honored at Sunday Luncheon

NHRA CHAMP BROWN TO TEST NASCAR: Rev Racing will partner with Toyota Racing to have 2012 NHRA Mello Yellow Drag Racing Series Top Fuel Champion Antron Brown test a NASCAR K&N Series Toyota Camry Tuesday at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va.

Brown, the first African-American to win a major auto racing championship, will test alongside NASCAR Drive for Diversity drivers Bryan Ortiz, Daniel Suarez, Mackena Bell and Ryan Gifford.

Brown said he has been interested in stock car racing for many years but had never been offered the opportunity to test a quality car.

“I know I can go straight,” said Brown. “Now I gotta see if I can throw a left-hand turn in there. You know, I drive for four seconds at a time right now. So this is a lot different. I know there is a big learning curve. We are just trying to take that step to see if I can do it.”

Brown would not admit to a desire to run NASCAR full-time, or much of anything else beyond Tuesday’s test session. But he acknowledged that he wouldn’t be doing the test if it weren’t with a top team that he felt had the ability to take him to the next level.

“Rev Racing helps train drivers, not just go out there in great race cars,” Brown said. “They involve them in all aspects. That’s what really intrigued me. That if I want to get the chance to go oval-track racing, I was going to have a good shot at going out there and learning from this experience. I have positioned myself with a great team.”

Rev Racing CEO Max Siegel was excited to have Brown on board with his team, which is well known for its diversity efforts.

“We have the opportunity to work with one of the great talents in motorsports,” said Siegel. “We have worked for three years now with Antron, and now is the right time for this. We have been part of NASCAR for the last five years with the Drive for Diversity program. We are very proud of what we have built. We have a pretty robust driver development program. We have the opportunity to work with a great ambassador to motorsports, and we have the opportunity to help him with his pursuit of NASCAR.”

QUOTES FROM ANTRON BROWN

(Where do you want to go with this?) “I have never been one of those people who just want to jump tothis right here. I just want to get through the test session and take it one step at a time and just be really focused on it and get everything I can get out of it. It would be great to actually race in a race one time. We are going to take it one step at a time and we can actually grow for the next time we test.”

(Do you want to race in NASCAR?) “We are going to test a K&N [Series] car and then eventually do some late model stuff down the road. My deal is that I am very competitive in whatever I do. That’s why you compete. When I go out there, I am going to learn the right way and position myself with the right organization as in drag racing. That’s why I take steps to learn everything and develop my driving ability. I just want to focus on what I have on hand. To race in NASCAR, you have skipped over 50,000 steps. You can’t just jump into NASCAR and race and compete. You have to take the appropriate steps. My focus right now is to go testing and do it to the best of my ability.”

(What is your biggest challenge?) “I think the hardest part is trying to get in shape to drive – conditioning shape – to drive a car. I have to learn that craft. That takes time behind the wheel to get that proper training at the top level. You know, I drive for four seconds at a time right now. So this is a lot different. I know there is a big learning curve. We are just trying to take that step to see if I can do it.”

PAR-TY! PIZZA PARTY!: Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway is always a stirring patriotic tribute to the many men and women protecting our country’s freedom. This year will be no exception, with a variety of very special events planned for military members and their families in attendance for the Coca-Cola 600 weekend.

Sunday will kick off with an enormous luncheon hosted by Papa John founder John Schnatter, who will provide more than 3,000 pizzas to feed and honor some 10,000 active military and family members.

This special event will be emceed by HLN host Robin Meade, who will also sing the national anthem for the Coca-Cola 600, and will include an appearance by Lt. Col. Oliver North (ret), NASCAR driver Kurt Busch and Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, among others.

The event will be held at zMAX Dragway from 11a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will also feature live music and a drag racing exhibition with Smith and “Papa” John Schnatter.

Hundreds of troops will then be loaded onto buses to take part in a parade lap around the speedway as part of the “Welcome Home Our Troops” pre-race show. Fans will be able to salute the troops as they exit the buses and march up through the grandstands.

The pre-race program will also feature 10 vintage warbirds, the flight of an American bald eagle, a rendition of “Amazing Grace” by the Charlotte Fire Department Pipe Band, Taps by a bugler from Fort Bragg and a 21-gun salute by the Fort Bragg firing squad.

Fans can still help honor this country’s military heroes by purchasing a $25 ticket to send an active duty member of the military to Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 through the “Let The Troops Race” program.

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