Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128232
NHRA P o w e r a d e D r a g R a c in g S e r ie s Rou n d 1 0 : B r a in e rd In tern a t io n a l R a c e w a y Bro"", Bags fr om th e 16th qu alifying sp ot. Look at our team: We won from th e 14th spot th is week end . W e j us t ke pt lo okin g for every last t ho usa ndth of a second of performance we co ul d get ou t of the bike , and it was just enough." It was just enough indeed, as Brown edg ed Minnesota native and former Brainerd Raceway t r ac k c h a m p io n John Smith in the fin al, 7 .33 to a clo se 7 .36. Both riders had respectable rea ct ion t imes , and the margin of victory at the fi nish line was just a few feet. While B ro wn was c ruising t o his best showing in m or e th an a year, his (Left) With his win in Brainerd, Brown became t he sixth different winner in 10 races th is season on the NHRA Powerade drag racing tour. (Be low) U.S. Army ri de r Antron Brown (left) won for the first time in more than a year when he claimed a narrow 7.33 t o 7.36 victory over John Sm ith's Kawasaki (ri ght) in the Brainerd fina l. Brown now has 11 NHRA victories in his career. S T O RY AND PH OTO S BY K EVIN M cK E N NA BRAINERD, M AUG. 14-17 N, D Ow quickly things chang e. Just we eks ago , Antron Brown and his Team 23 t eammate Ang ell e Sav oie were wit hou t a maj or sponsor and were in da nger of fo lding t he t eam . Th en , former Funny Car legend Don Schumach er invite d th em to join his U .S . Army-backe d team . It was an offer too good to refus e. "We we re o ut of m o ney , and we we re just a bou t to park the bikes wh en Don ca lle d and to ld us th at th e U .S . Arm y want ed t o sp onsor us ," Br ow n said . "When you ge t an offe r li k e th at , you don't as k q uestions, you j ust say 'Yes, sir' and go racing." F i n a ll y equipped with the heavy artillery ne eded to compete at the sport's highest level , Brown ended a yearlo ng w inless drought in Brainerd , a tr ack whe re he has now won fo ur of his] 1 ca reer titles. "I t was one of t ho se days when eve ry t hi ng fell i n to pla c e fo r us," Brown sa id . "Yo u ca n 't tak e any bo dy lightly in this field . Blaine Hale proved that in Denver when he won Denver 56 SEPTEMBER 17, 2003' eye I e n e vv s Bl~ainerd U.S . Arm y teammate , Savoie, co nt inu ed t o fr ee fall . C omp eting in her 100th ca ree r eve nt, Savoie lost in the openi ng ro und for th e fourth-straight race and t he sixth time in 2003 after losing on a holeshot aga inst K & N Fi lters' Steve Johnson. Heading into the 2003 season , Savoie had failed to advance past the open ing round just four times in her career. "I h a d so muc h confiden ce ." Savo ie said. " In my mind, there was no one who co uld beat me in the first round . I'm no t ra c ing t hat way now. I' m goi ng up the re , rac in g. try in g not to lo se ins tead of raci ng to wi n. I just ha ve to get that old feeling back. " As has b e en th e ca s e at mos t events th is year, Savoie wasn ' t t he o n ly ea r ly favor it e to lose early . Points le ader Ge no Sca li lost i n the op en ing round fo r the first ti me this seas on when o p p o n e n t M icha el Phillips stopped him w ith a perfect rea ction time. Fred Collis and Craig T reble, who had each q ua lified in the to p half of the field, were also go ne in