Let this be known. Antron Brown's passion for doorslammer racing is not a fleeting affair. The love is real. 

And just because the three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion with 74 professional victories isn't racing Manny Buginga's Pro 275 "Fred" this weekend at the Bradenton Snowbird Outlaw Nationals doesn't mean he's over doorslammers. 

As Brown puts it, he's got even more passion for the volatile racing than before. 

"Manny didn't have his car all together, that's all," Brown admitted. "We were going to race that race. I'm thoroughly in love with the whole radial, small tire, high horsepower cars, man, from the X275 Class to the Pro 275 to even an RVW class."

Last year in Bradenton, Brown was like a kid in a candy store. He was a provisional No. 1 qualifier for a few sessions and ended up winning the event. 

"I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and just the people and the culture around it was just incredible, man," Brown said. "It's like they welcome you with open arms. It was a lot of fun. The competition's no joke, you know what I mean? As I was getting better and better, I needed it. And them guys, they had staged the cars where I was blinking the bulb every time, and I was trying to get down to the (.030s), and my best lights were high-forties, low fifties, and them cats were, like, thirties."

Brown was a natural in Top Fuel, learning the tricks of the trade early in his training. He didn't take long to catch on to the doorslammer thing. 

"I had a blast doing it," Brown said. "It was one of the funnest times I had at the racetracks in a long, long time. I love what I do, but when I was able to go out there and race, it took me back to where I went to the racetracks, and basically, it was outlaw. It's like outlaw racing. I felt like I was an outlaw. You had rules, but really wasn't rules. 

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"You go up, people do different things on the starting line, and you got to wrestle those cars down the racetrack, man. When they're hooked in, everything's good, man, but them jokers, they can go left, go right, and you got to kind of stay on top of it and drive that thing with that short wheelbase."

While Brown was in Indianapolis doing a photo shoot for a sponsor, his mind admittedly was on a future in doorslammer racing. While Pro275 drag radial racing was a complete and total rush, the Matco Tools-sponsored driver has another level on his mind.

And if it comes to pass, Buginga has the resources to make it happen. 

Brown wouldn't mind racing Pro Modified at an NHRA event when he's in competition with his Top Fuel dragster. NHRA rules prevent him from racing two Mission Foods Drag Racing Series categories, but not Top Fuel and Pro Modified. 

"I would love to run Pro Modified," Brown revealed. That's something, that's something that might happen in the near future. Haven't made any concrete plans, but don't be surprised if you don't see me race a Pro Modified car at a national event while I'm racing Top Fuel."

Don't judge Antron Brown; his love is real.