BROWNSBURG, Ind. (December 7, 2021) – In another positive move to solidify their teams’ positions as top contenders in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, AB Motorsports, led by three-time Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown, and Justin Ashley Racing/Davis Motorsports, which campaigns the Top Fueler driven and co-owned by 2020 NHRA Rookie of the Year Justin Ashley, today announced they will be forming a Research & Development and Marketing Alliance between their organizations. The alliance will not only pair two of the most marketable Top Fuel stars behind the wheel but also two of the most decorated Top Fuel crew chiefs, with Brown’s Brian Corradi and Ashley’s Mike Green calling the shots on their teams’ 11,000-horsepower machines.
For the first time in his career, which began aboard a Pro Stock Motorcycle in 1998, Brown will take on the dual role of owner/driver of the Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel dragster in its rookie season operating under the AB Motorsports umbrella. Brown views this strategic pact with long-time friend Ashley, who has had an ownership interest for two seasons along with Dustin Davis in the Vita C Shot Top Fuel dragster team, as a partnership which will benefit both up-and-coming team owners on and off the race track.
“The goal with this partnership is to make both of our programs stronger overall,” explained Brown, who closed out 2021 ranked in the Top 10 for the 24th consecutive year. “Even though we’re two separate teams with two separate operations, having this partnership will allow us to enjoy many of the advantages that the multi-car teams have. It’s not just about the collaboration between our brain trust of crew chiefs, but this will also help us in being able to secure the best parts and pieces; we’ll have stronger purchasing power. We’re both looking to this alliance to help us compete on a high level and go toe-to-toe with the heavy-hitters in our category.”
“I am excited to be joining forces with Antron and his team. This alliance is going to improve the performance of both our programs on and off the racetrack,” said Ashley, the 2021 Texas NHRA Fall Nationals Top Fuel winner. “My team has made great strides the past two seasons with our Vita C Shot Top Fuel dragster and now is the time to keep moving forward in an effort to establish a high level of success for years to come. Getting our crew chiefs together to share on-track and off-track technical information is invaluable. When it comes to marketing, working together opens the door to so many possibilities for our existing partners and any new relationships we start in 2022 and beyond.”
The research and development alliance will include sharing of on-track data as well as consultation between the teams during and between NHRA national events. Additionally, Ashley will benefit from Brown’s long-running 14-year partnership with Toyota. As part of his association with AB Motorsports, Justin Ashley Racing/Davis Motorsports will have access to engineering and on-track technical assistance at all 22 Camping World Series events.
Away from the dragstrip, Ashley and Brown, along with their respective marketing representatives, will work together to present programs to potential sponsors throughout the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series to create one of the most marketable one-two punches in motorsports.
About AB Motorsports:
Established in 2019 and making its on-track debut in 2022, AB Motorsports is a single-car NHRA Top Fuel team owned and operated by three-time world champion Antron Brown. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., the team competes on the 22-race NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series circuit thanks to the support of Matco Tools, Toyota, SiriusXM, and Hangsterfer’s Metal Working Lubricants.
Brown, who serves as both the driver and owner of the AB Motorsports Top Fuel dragster, is the only competitor in NHRA history to have won races in both the Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle categories. Brown is a 68-time NHRA national event winner and became the first African-American to win a major U.S. auto racing championship when he captured the 2012 NHRA Top Fuel series title.
For more information, visit www.antronbrown.com or @antronbrown on Twitter, and @antronbrowntf on Instagram and Facebook.
About Justin Ashley Racing:
Justin Ashley Racing in partnership with Davis Motorsports fields the Vita C Shot Top Fuel dragster in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. In 2021 Ashley finished No. 4 in the Top Fuel points standings racing to one Top Fuel and three final rounds. During his Top Fuel rookie season in 2020 Justin won the NHRA Summernationals, finished in the Top Ten and was recognized as the 2020 NHRA Rookie of the Year. Prior to his professional debut Ashley had three wins in Top Alcohol Dragster on the Lucas Oil Series. He is the son of multi-time NHRA national event winner Mike Ashley. In 2017, he was named to the Drag Illustrated magazine’s 30 under 30 list, highlighting some of racing’s most promising young individuals on and off the racetrack. To learn more about Justin Ashley Racing, visit JustinAshley.com.
Media Contact:
Allison McCormick
ABM Communications
AMcCormick@TheABMNetwork.com
(305) 764-5377
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