Hello again everybody. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday weekend and did some shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. We’re back in Indy and hard at work at the shop at DSR. I want to check in real quick and give everyone an update on what’s been going on with the brothaman lately.

So, we joined the cool kids club at Pomona, and it was a super sweet ending to a bitter sweet season. Our DSR Matco Tools/U.S. Army team got to put our name alongside Dixon, McClenathan – yes Full Throttle TV I can spell McClenathan – Schumacher and Kalitta as the only Top Fuel drivers to win a race in 2011. After playing bridesmaid six times this year, the seventh time was the charm as we fireballed our way to the final-round win at Pomona and finished fourth in the Countdown to 1 standings. It was great to race my boy Shawn Langdon in the final. I was .039 on the Tree and still got left on. My lights on Sunday at Pomona were .049, .050, .040 and .039 and I got left on twice. I guess the brothaman needs to step his game up.

It was a full calendar year between wins, but to win consecutive races at the Auto Club Finals is a pretty sweet feeling. Pomona is arguably the most historic track we compete at, so anytime you can win the Winternationals or World Finals, it’s a special moment. I want to thank my entire team for all the efforts this season. It was a roller coaster ride of a year and I was glad to be on that thrill ride with my Matco team. Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald are the best. We learned a lot this season and expect much bigger things from the Matco/Army dragster in 2011. Also, Brad Mason, our assistant crew chief, John “LJ” Benshoof, Wayne “Red” Waite, Cameron Moore, Mike O’Guin, and Tony Derhammer and Rip Reynolds and who joined our team at Pomona and got the job done in a big way. Also, Mike Mauntel from our hospitality staff. Thank you!

After the NHRA Award’s Ceremony, I flew to Louisiana to for my annual Thanksgiving vacation with my wife’s family. Before turkey day, I had some more racing to tend to. I met up with Mark Oswald, who lives nearby, and Brad and LJ from my crew flew in for the IMPBA Gas Nationals in LaPlace, La. Many of you know I race RC Boats. It’s my hobby and I had a few more titles to defend before the racing hibernation begins. We had a great time and the weather was perfect; a lot warmer than in Indy. I defended my titles in the Sport and Open Hydro classes and Brad and I finished second in the Team Marathon race.

I’m sure glad Thanksgiving is over so the brothaman can get back on the workout and diet program. I had a few cheat days and when you’re in Louisiana it seems like every day is a cheat day. Those Cajuns can eat and let me tell you, it’s good food too. It’s a good thing I’m only there a few weeks a year or I wouldn’t be able to fit into my dragster. They even let me do a little cooking and I threw down some mac-and-cheese. They tore it up too. The brothaman can do ok in the kitchen. I asked the fans on Facebook what their favorite Thanksgiving food is? Mine is my momma’s cornbread. Anyone who knows my mom knows that Ms. Judy can cook. The brothaman isn’t good at sharing when it comes to mom’s cornbread. The eating continued right up until we left. The night before we had to head home to Indy, my boy Peter hooked up some fresh fried redfish and it was slammin'. Now I’m going too fast for a few days to get back down to driver weight.

With my belly full, the Brown family geared up for the long drive home from Louisiana to Indiana. I may only work 32 seconds on a good work weekend, but I more than made up for it on the ride home. The brothaman did 900 miles in 13 hours with a Toyota Sequoia full of people. My beautiful wife was under the weather with a cold and I had my three kids ages two, six and nine chilling in the back. Let me tell you, it was a lot more work than winning a race making that trip home. It was sure a relief when I hit Brownsburg, Ind. let me tell you. Three kids all under 10 years old in a car for more than half a day is a lot of work as most parents would agree. I heard “daddy” a lot.

We’re off and rolling this off season. We’ve got a brand new in-house DSR chassis in our pit at the shop and a body is at the painters as I type. It’ll be painted, decaled and all pretty before Christmas. All my Nitroholics will be smelling some nitro again real soon because the 51st annual Winternationals is less than 90 days away. It’ll be here in no time, and don’t forget you can get your tickets for Pomona and help us kick off NHRA’s 60th season in style.

Before I go, I need to welcome Spencer Massey to the DSR camp. He’s a great young driver and will push me to get even better. With guys like Spencer and Shawn, you’re going to have to be in the .040s on a regular basis to win races. I know that FRAM car will be strong again next season with Spencer, Todd and Phil.

With that it’s time for a little love, peace and hair grease, and I’m out like shout.

God bless.