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Black racers and fans are finding their place in drag racing

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Antron Brown became the first Black racer to win a major North American auto racing championship when he won the NHRA's Full
Antron Brown became the first Black racer to win a major North American auto racing championship when he won the NHRA’s Full Throttle Top Fuel World Championship in 2012 at […]

Auto sports has been a predominately White sport throughout the years, but there has been a rich history of Black drivers, with drag racing being the home of some rising stars in the sport.

Antron Brown has already reached the top of the mountain, as he became the first Black driver to win a major American auto racing title. In 2012, he was crowned the Full Throttle Top Fuel World Champion at the Pomona Speedway. He recently returned to the scene of his historic accomplishment, and he’s still enjoying the ride.

“It’s a great feeling,” Brown said.  “All of those years that you work so hard, you and your team. Just trying to orchestrate and bring it all together. To get a championship trophy, it makes all of those sacrifices, all the things you go through in life to get to where you’re at, it makes all that worthwhile.”

Brown comes from a racing family, as his grandfather, father, and uncle were racing for decades before he was able to get behind the wheel. When Brown won the championship, he was in the car by himself, but the victory was more than just his.

“My dad and uncle were very emotional and in tears,” Brown said.  “They looked at me and said, ‘You know, you’re living our dream that we always wanted to live. And we’re living our dream through you. And thank you so much for the way you represent, not just yourself, but our family.’”

Brown is viewed as a trailblazer by many up-and-coming drivers on the various levels of the sport. He believes that he can inspire younger drivers and fans who see him excelling.

“You see the kids that are coming up in this sport where you give them all hope,” Brown said.  “Where they say, ‘If he can do it, then I can do it.’ That’s the greatest feeling, to see people be able to grab onto it, and use it to achieve their goals and dreams in life. That’s what makes it so awesome.

“You know you’re doing your job when people come up to you and go, ‘You’re my hero,’” Brown continued.  “Because they want to be like you. And that means that you’re doing the right things in life. That’s what makes it so special.”

Brown will return to the Pomona Speedway in November for the final race of the season, and he has one goal:

“We’re going after that championship, and we’re going to give it all we got, leaving nothing on the table,” Brown said.  “We don’t like finishing second, we want to win that championship.”

Brown’s winning attitude can also be found in up-and-coming driver Jason Weick, who is racing on the Super Comp level, which is a lower level of the sport. His dream for this year is to make it to the NHRA World Finals in Pomona, and by 2016 he wants to be racing on the Top Fuel level.  But his dreams do not stop there.

“My ultimate goal is to be the best at it (racing) that there ever was,” Weick said.

Weick is fully dedicated to drag racing, as he made his decision on what he wanted to do with his life at an early age.

“This has been my dream since I was five years old,” Weick said.  “This is the only thing that I’ve ever wanted to do in life. As crazy as it sounds, I feel that I was put here to race.”

Weick made that decision when his father, who was also a racer, took him to the drag races when he was a young child.  The sound of the engines and the speed of the cars mesmerized him. His first step to becoming a professional auto racer was taking a drag racing class in 2009, and he has gone on to purchase his own car and start his own company.

Through Jason Weick Racing, he has been able to find his place in the industry, which has opened the doors to networking with the heavy hitters, and allowed him to obtain sponsorships.  His sponsors have allowed him to keep his dreams alive, and move up the ranks.

Weick has figured out that the power of social media can make a huge difference. He has more than 50,000 followers between Facebook and Twitter combined. The online presence has made him more attractive to the sponsors, who are the lifeblood of this sport.

It is interesting to see a Black man become so popular in this sport. When people think about auto racing, they think of the good ol’ boys, because motor sports are so huge among Southern White people, but in drag racing, Weick said he has not experienced any issues dealing with race.  He has found acceptance among his peers.

“Even though there is a small Black community, and a large White community, and a Hispanic community, and an Asian community, there’s really not those color lines out there,” Weick said.  “If a racer that you happen to know really well is a Black racer, then yeah, he’ll help you out just as much as a White racer would, or an Asian racer or a Mexican racer.

“The drag racing community is almost like that society that everybody wants,” Weick continued.  “Overall, I don’t see a lot of racism or bigotry in drag racing. We’re a close knit family, and what it comes down to is that we’re drag racers.”

Weick said that he sees a lot of Black faces in the stands, who are just as accepted into the auto racing culture as White fans. At the Pomona Speed Way, that society that Weick sees among the drivers also exist among the people in the stands.

When it comes to racial diversity, drag racing appears to be ahead of the preconceptions that many people have about auto racing. With a star such as Brown receiving many accolades, and Weick coming on strong with a large following, within the next few years, if Brown continues down the path that he is on, and Weick reaches his goals, the top two figures in a major auto racing sport could be Black.

For more information about Brown and Weick, visit their websites at www.antronbrownracing.com and www.jasonwieckracing.com.

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