NFL PLAYER FOOTBRAKES TO DRAG RACING WIN
Tue, 2010-08-10 15:00
Most NFL players use an off day from training camp to rest and prepare for the rigorous demands of the coming season - not Tyler Brayton, the defensive end for the Carolina Panthers.
Saturday was an off day for the team but not for Brayton who used his time off to keep his competitive juices flowing. Brayton drove to Mooresville, NC, to participate in one of the weekly drag races with his 1964 Chevelle.
Brayton won first place in the Footbrake division at Mooresville Dragway. This is a class void of any electronic devices to aid a driver scoring a better reaction time. Brayton didn’t need any devices because his foot worked just fine.
defensive end for the Carolina Panthers.
Saturday was an off day for the team but not for Brayton who used his time off to keep his competitive juices flowing. Brayton drove to Mooresville, NC, to participate in one of the weekly drag races with his 1964 Chevelle.
Brayton won first place in the Footbrake division at Mooresville Dragway. This is a class void of any electronic devices to aid a driver scoring a better reaction time. Brayton didn’t need any devices because his foot worked just fine.
“It was a special night,” said Brayton, who had initially planned to race at [nearby] Union’s [SC] new drag strip, but the track was closed due to damage from a thunderstorm last week.
“God smiled on this old football player Saturday night,” Brayton continued. “God has blessed me with the talent to be able to do both.”
Brayton’s classic Chevrolet began as a teenage project and has developed to the point where he runs 6.8-seconds in the eight-mile. The car is powered by a 383 stroker engine.
Consistency is a key to winning drag races and on this winning evening, Brayton recorded elapsed times ranging from 6.89 to 6.92 seconds.
Consistency also goes hand in hand with comfort in the cockpit. At six-foot-six inches tall and 280 pounds, Brayton laughs when asked about getting into the race car.
“I’ve had this car for 13 years and in that time, I learned how to slide into it,” Brayton said.
Last July Brayton attended and successfully completed a course at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School where he procured an NHRA competitor’s license. He is licensed to race any vehicle up to 8.9 seconds in the quarter-mile.
Does his competitive nature as a football player make him a better drag racer?
“It’s actually the opposite,” Brayton admits. “In football and playing defensive line, it’s all about reaction. It sharpens your reaction times. I guess it could work both ways.”
Saturday was an off day for the team but not for Brayton who used his time off to keep his competitive juices flowing. Brayton drove to Mooresville, NC, to participate in one of the weekly drag races with his 1964 Chevelle.
Brayton won first place in the Footbrake division at Mooresville Dragway. This is a class void of any electronic devices to aid a driver scoring a better reaction time. Brayton didn’t need any devices because his foot worked just fine.
Most NFL players use an off day from training camp to rest and prepare for the rigorous demands of the coming season - not Tyler Brayton, the
Tyler Brayton plays defensive end for the Carolina Panthers and on Saturday night won the Footbrake division at Mooresville Dragway in North Carolina.[CarolinaPanthers.com Photo]
Saturday was an off day for the team but not for Brayton who used his time off to keep his competitive juices flowing. Brayton drove to Mooresville, NC, to participate in one of the weekly drag races with his 1964 Chevelle.
Brayton won first place in the Footbrake division at Mooresville Dragway. This is a class void of any electronic devices to aid a driver scoring a better reaction time. Brayton didn’t need any devices because his foot worked just fine.
“It was a special night,” said Brayton, who had initially planned to race at [nearby] Union’s [SC] new drag strip, but the track was closed due to damage from a thunderstorm last week.
“God smiled on this old football player Saturday night,” Brayton continued. “God has blessed me with the talent to be able to do both.”
Brayton’s classic Chevrolet began as a teenage project and has developed to the point where he runs 6.8-seconds in the eight-mile. The car is powered by a 383 stroker engine.
Consistency is a key to winning drag races and on this winning evening, Brayton recorded elapsed times ranging from 6.89 to 6.92 seconds.
Consistency also goes hand in hand with comfort in the cockpit. At six-foot-six inches tall and 280 pounds, Brayton laughs when asked about getting into the race car.
“I’ve had this car for 13 years and in that time, I learned how to slide into it,” Brayton said.
Last July Brayton attended and successfully completed a course at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School where he procured an NHRA competitor’s license. He is licensed to race any vehicle up to 8.9 seconds in the quarter-mile.
Does his competitive nature as a football player make him a better drag racer?
“It’s actually the opposite,” Brayton admits. “In football and playing defensive line, it’s all about reaction. It sharpens your reaction times. I guess it could work both ways.”
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