ANTRON BROWN VISITS WESTERN TECHNICAL COLLEGE

EL PASO, Texas (March 3, 2014) – Antron Brown, 2012 NHRA Top Fuel world champion and driver of the Don Schumacher Racing-owned Matco Tools dragster, will visit Western Technical College in El Paso, Texas for the sixth consecuitive year on March 25. The former college track star at Mercer (N.J.) Community College will speak to Western Tech students about education and career choices before competing at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals, March 28-30, in Las Vegas. Brown’s 10,000-horsepower Matco Tools dragster also will be on display at WTC.

“I love doing these school visits with Matco Tools,” Brown said. “I have been in the student’s position before when I was in school at Mercer College in New Jersey. Having the opportunity to give back to these students and speak to them about their future and their career paths is something I enjoy. These students and mechanics are the future and it’s great to meet them. I’ve been coming to Western Tech for years now and it’s a great facility.”

Brown will be at the school from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. speaking to groups of students who also will have the opportunity to get an up-close look at the Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster and speak with two crew members that work on the 10,000-horsepower nitro-fueled machine.

In 2013, two students from Western Technical College joined Don Schumacher Racing for the three-week “Western Swing” as interns. Students Kody Throop and Josh Lerma, now graduates, joined DSR’s U.S. Army and Matco Tools teams for three races in Denver, near Sonoma, Calif., and Seattle. 

“Western Technical College is extremely proud and thankful for the relationship it has had with Matco Tools and the Don Schumacher Antron Brown Top Fuel race team,” Allan Sharpe, President of Western Technical College said. “Antron’s enthusiasm and professionalism relates so well with our youth that it is an event you must see to truly appreciate. We welcome the race team as in past years and invite the community to come and participate in this great event.”

Brown, 37, is the only racer in NHRA history to win races in both Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle. He has 41 career wins, 34 career No. 1 qualifying awards and is competing in his seventh season in Top Fuel after spending 10 years in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class. He was the 2012 NHRA Top Fuel champion, becoming the first African-American to win a major motorsports title. He has a career-best speed of 328.78 mph.

WHO: Antron Brown, NHRA Top Fuel driver

WHAT: The 41-time NHRA winner will visit Western Technical College and speak to students at the college. Brown’s Matco Tools dragster also will be on display.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 25, 2014

WHERE: Western Technical College, 9624 Plaza Circle, El Paso, TX 79926

TIME: 10:00 am- 1:00 pm

CONTACT: Jerien Rausch, Western Technical College (915) 309-7733

About Matco Tools and its Tech-Ed Program

Since 1979, the mission of Matco Tools has been to provide professional mechanics and auto enthusiasts with all of the premium tools, storage and equipment they need to get the job done, while also offering best-in-class service and customer support.  Ranked among the top 30 in Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2014 Franchise 500®, the company continues to expand throughout the United States and Canada, adding several hundred mobile stores each year.

Matco’s Tech Ed program provides several benefits to students including:  access to the most innovative and high-quality tools and equipment in the market, outstanding service and support and exclusive discount pricing for Tech-Ed members.  For more information, please visit  HYPERLINK “http://www.MatcoTools.com/TechEd” www.MatcoTools.com/TechEd.

About Don Schumacher Racing

Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., fields seven professional NHRA teams. In Top Fuel, the U.S. Army dragster driven by seven-time world champion Tony Schumacher, the 2012 NHRA Top Fuel world champion Matco Tools dragster driven by Antron Brown and the Battery Extender Powered by Schumacher dragster driven by Spencer Massey; and in Funny Car, 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Valvoline MaxLife Dodge Charger R/T, 2011 world champion Matt Hagan in the Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Dodge, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge of Ron Capps and the Make-A-Wish Dodge driven by Tommy Johnson Jr.

DSR has won 219 NHRA national event titles and 11 world championships.

Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.