Brown races to win in Top Fuel in NHRA Southern Nationals

COMMERCE, Ga. (AP) — Antron Brown became the winningest Top Fuel driver in Atlanta Dragway history, racing his dragster to victory in the Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals on Sunday.

Brown got his fifth career win at the facility, beating reigning champion Steve Torrence in the final round with his 3.752-second lap at 325.22 mph. Torrence finished in 3.794 seconds at 323.81 mph.

“That’s Rocky Balboa right there," Brown said of Torrence. "And I’m Apollo. To get this win, it was truly remarkable. We just built on it every lap. Any time you can do this and get one of these (Wally trophies), it’s just so special.

"Atlanta has just been so special to all of us.”

Bob Tasca III in Funny Car, Greg Anderson in Pro Stock and Scotty Pollacheck in Pro Stock Motorcycle also won their categories in the third event of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Tasca earned his second straight Funny Car win, beating 16-time champion John Force.

Anderson raced to his fifth victory at Atlanta Dragway, and 96th of his career by topping Vincent Nobile in the Pro Stock final round.

Pollacheck beat Matt Smith in Pro Stock Motorcycle with a run of 6.921 seconds at 198.35 mph on his EBR.

The NHRA season resumes May 14-16 at the NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina.