Western Technical College

EL PASO, Texas (March 27, 2010) – Antron Brown, driver of the Don Schumacher Racing-owned Matco Tools/U.S. Army dragster, will visit with students at Western Technical College in El Paso on April 13. The former college track star at Mercer (N.J.) Community College will speak to students at Western Tech about education and career choices after competing at the 23rd annual O’Reilly Spring Nationals, April 9-11, in Baytown, Texas near Houston. Brown’s 7,000-horsepower Matco Tools/U.S. Army dragster also will be on display.

 “I really enjoy these school visits we do for Matco (Tools),” Brown said. “I was just like many of these students not too long ago when I was a student at Mercer College in New Jersey. It’s nice to give back and speak to the students about career paths and the importance of focusing on education. These are the technicians and mechanics of tomorrow and it’s great to meet the students and hopefully deliver a positive message to them. I think it’s great that Matco makes this a top initiative for the company.

 “We went to Western Tech last year after the Houston race and it was awesome. I was blown away with all the students and how great they treated us. I can’t wait to get back and see Allan Sharpe and all the students and that awesome Matco Tools store they have a Western Tech.”

 The Western Technical College visit is one of seven technical school visits during the 2010 NHRA season for Brown and the Matco Tools dragster as part of the Matco Tools TechEd program. Brown visited Cerritos College in Norwalk, Calif. before the season-opening Winternationals on February 9. Brown will be at the school from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. before heading to Las Vegas to compete at the 11^th annual Summitracing.com Nationals, April 16-18, at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Brown will visit with groups of students who also will have the opportunity to get an up-close look at the 7,000 horsepower Matco Tools/U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster. Matco Tools Racing pit crew members John Benshoof and Caleb Williams, who graduated from Wyotech in Laramie, Wyo. And Southern Illinois University, respectively, also will be on hand to speak with the students at Western Tech.

 “The students, staff and faculty are looking forward to having the Matco Tools race team with Antron Brown back at Western Tech,” Western Technical College President Allan Sharpe said. “Antron is a product of career school education and really connects with our students. Over the past few years we have enjoyed a strong partnership with Matco Tools. This has allowed students at Western Tech to obtain quality, professional tools at great prices. This has better prepared them for meaningful employment in the industry which they have trained for.”

 Brown, 33, is the only racer in NHRA history to win races and lead the standings in both Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle. He has 24 career wins, eight in Top Fuel, and 22 career No. 1 qualifying awards. He is competing in his third season in Top Fuel after spending 10 years in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class. He has a career-best speed of 321.04 mph and earned his first career Top Fuel win at Houston Raceway Park in 2007.

 Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., consists of six professional NHRA teams: The U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster driven by seven-time world champion Tony Schumacher; the FRAM dragster of Cory McClenathan, and the Matco Tools dragster of Antron Brown. The Funny Car teams are the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge driven by Ron Capps, the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge piloted by Jack Beckman, and the DieHard Dodge driven by Matt Hagan. Craig Treble rides the DSR Valvoline Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle. Since 1998, Don Schumacher Racing teams have won 139 national events in 266 final rounds, and eight world championships.

WHO:              Antron Brown, NHRA Top Fuel driver

WHAT:            The 24-time NHRA winner will visit Western Technical College and speak to students at the college. Brown’s 7,000-horsepower Matco Tools dragster also will be on display.

WHEN:            Tuesday, April 13, 2010

WHERE:         Western Technical College, 9624 Plaza Circle, El Paso, TX 79927

TIME               8 a.m.-3 p.m.

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