Antron Brown spoke to the media for the first time on Friday at the NHRA Gatornationals regarding his crash two weeks ago at the Firebird Raceway located outside of Phoenix, Az.

Brown, an eight time winner since joining the Top Fuel ranks in 2008, was for the most part uninjured in the accident. However, a wheel came off of his Matco Tools dragster and eventually made its way into the pits, striking and killing a spectator.

Brown’s accident was his first in twelve years of professional drag racing. In the days following the accident he struggled with the fact his accident had taken the life of a spectator. Seeing his family share in the pain only compounded the wound.

Antron Brown spoke to the media for the first time on Friday at the NHRA Gatornationals regarding his crash two weeks ago at the Firebird Raceway located outside of Phoenix, Az.

Brown, an eight time winner since joining the Top Fuel ranks in 2008, was for the most part uninjured in the accident. However, a wheel came off of his Matco Tools dragster and eventually made its way into the pits, striking and killing a spectator.

Brown’s accident was his first in twelve years of professional drag racing. In the days following the accident he struggled with the fact his accident had taken the life of a spectator. Seeing his family share in the pain only compounded the wound.

“It was real rough,” said Brown, of the first few days after the Phoenix accident. “When you look at what happened from my standpoint, I will be okay. From the time I heard of the tragic accident, the incident hit home for me. I replayed the crash over and over in my head and kept asking why it happened. There comes a point in time when you just have to hand it all over to God. Everything happens and this was one of those freak accidents.”

Brown admitted it was his faith which has enabled him to find a measure of peace in the past two weeks.

“I love racing and we all know the dangers, but until you experience an accident like that, it never really hits home,” Brown said.

Brown was withdrawn for much of the first few days since returning home to Pittsboro, Ind. He never sought professional help to deal with the tragedy, seeking instead to spend time with his older brother Albert, a minister.

“I just didn’t feel like talking to anyone,” Brown said. “I just didn’t want to talk about the accident to anyone. I didn’t want to relive the accident in my mind. Now I’ve gotten to the point where I can talk about it now.”
 
He also spent time with John Medlen, who counseled the third year Top Fuel racing on the importance of being able to let go of the situation in order to allow healing to begin.

“I went to Eric’s viewing and his funeral, and I never saw a man as strong in my life as John Medlen,” Brown recalled. “It all had to do with his faith in Christ. When I talked to him, it was as if God was speaking through him and letting me know it was going to be okay. The point was gotten across that there was nothing I could have done. It happened so fast that I have never been so out of control over something before in my life.

The first part of Brown’s closure was in understanding what transpired and his role in the situation.

“The first part of gaining closure was to know what happened and what I could have done to prevent it and there was nothing I could have done,” Brown said. “When the accident happened, I was still trying to drive the car when it was sideways. I did everything I could to the best of my ability to correct the car.”

Even though he’s moved on in the healing process, he’s adamant there’s a significant part of his feelings that hurts for the family of the lady who tragically lost her life on that Sunday in Phoenix.

My bumps and bruises will heal, but this is something the family will endure forever,” Brown said. I will be fine but this is something that has been and will continue to be heavy on my heart.”

Having two weeks off between races enabled Brown’s bumps and bruises to heal, but there are some mental aspects he understands will never be the same.

“There are a lot of other things that could have gone wrong in that accident but didn’t,” he explained. “I look at things differently now. I used to be a person who planned well in advance. I used to look at ten and twenty year plans. Yet, I never had tomorrow planned. My life has changed now to live today. Tomorrow … I will tackle tomorrow when it comes. I plan to enjoy every moment with my wife and children, and the wonderful people I see at the race track. ”