{"id":99758,"date":"2025-03-28T17:18:21","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T17:18:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/drag-racing\/uncategorized\/wes-buck-weighs-in-on-antron-browns-call-for-more-smack-talk-in-drag-racing\/"},"modified":"2025-03-28T17:18:21","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T17:18:21","slug":"wes-buck-weighs-in-on-antron-browns-call-for-more-smack-talk-in-drag-racing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/drag-racing\/uncategorized\/wes-buck-weighs-in-on-antron-browns-call-for-more-smack-talk-in-drag-racing\/","title":{"rendered":"Wes Buck Weighs In on Antron Brown\u2019s Call for More Smack Talk in Drag Racing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Antron Brown wants drag racers to let their inner \u201cgladiator\u201d out more often\u2014especially behind the microphone\u2014and his remarks in a recently published op-ed by Susan Wade on SpeedSport.com<\/a> have reignited the conversation about whether the NHRA could use a little more smack talk. The four-time and reigning Top Fuel champion\u2019s point is simple: show the fans you really<\/em> want to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to really stop being Mr. or Mrs. Nice Person,\u201d Brown said in Wade\u2019s article. \u201cThat\u2019s what people resonate with. That\u2019s why they like watching UFC, a boxing match\u2014Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather. When we put our race helmets on, we need to bring in our competitive nature and show it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He invoked a prime example in rival Brittany Force, praising her fierce nature on the starting line while noting that fans rarely see just how \u201cmonster\u201d her approach can be.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf We Don\u2019t See You Care\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n

On The Wes Buck Show<\/a><\/em> (Episode 378), Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director Wes Buck applauded Brown\u2019s sentiment, clarifying that it\u2019s less about manufactured drama and more about letting real passion shine through.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think what Antron is calling for is more overt energy and emotion\u2014good, bad, or otherwise,\u201d Buck said. \u201cWe don\u2019t necessarily need everybody cussing each other out. But if we don\u2019t see you care, how can we be expected to care?\u201d<\/p>\n

Buck referenced the days when John Force and Tony Pedregon would confront each other at top end, or Warren Johnson would sling strong words at Darrell Alderman\u2014moments that still draw YouTube clicks decades later.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s this weird stigma around \u2018trash talk,\u2019\u201d Buck continued. \u201cBut it\u2019s not about being disrespectful or throwing punches. It\u2019s about letting people see you\u2019re invested<\/em>. Show that emotion. It\u2019s why we watch sports in the first place\u2014to see who wants it the most.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brown\u2019s argument that the NHRA is \u201ctoo squeaky clean for its own good\u201d echoes an older sentiment in drag racing, including the late Shirley Muldowney\u2019s no-nonsense approach: \u201cI\u2019m not going to get out of the car and say something nice about somebody who just beat me. They took money out of my pocket.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Mike Carpenter: \u201cGet the Raw Reactions\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Co-host Mike Carpenter doubled down on the benefits of capturing genuine emotions, arguing that NHRA\u2019s recent efforts to interview round losers on the top end is a step in the right direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen someone\u2019s mad or crushed after a first-round exit, that\u2019s real,\u201d Carpenter said. \u201cFans feed on that\u2014knowing how much you wanted it and how bad it hurts if you don\u2019t get it. That\u2019s what forms a connection.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul Lee: Gamesmanship Is Part of the Show<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Funny Car winner Paul Lee chimed in, sharing that he\u2019s not bothered by staging duels or psychological warfare if it means drivers are hungry to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t mind if a guy wants to double-bulb me or burn me down,\u201d Lee said. \u201cThat\u2019s part of the game. We\u2019re all grown-ups out here trying to beat each other, and I don\u2019t see the harm in showing you\u2019re fired up to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lee added that it\u2019s only a problem if it crosses into personal animosity, but a little tension can be a good thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t Be Afraid to Show It\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Buck circled back to the core of Brown\u2019s message, pointing out that drag racing\u2019s best rivalries and biggest stars built their legends on memorable moments\u2014often captured in the heat of the moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Antron Brown says we need more smack talk,\u201d Buck explained, \u201che\u2019s really just saying, \u2018Don\u2019t hide your passion.\u2019 We\u2019re in a sport where we strap into these crazy machines that are difficult and dangerous to drive. Bring an energy that matches what we\u2019re doing. We work ourselves to death to go drag racing, spend ourselves silly \u2013 show us how much it means to you. If you\u2019re frustrated, if you\u2019re elated\u2014whatever it is\u2014don\u2019t be afraid to let us know. To own it and lean into it.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a sport that prides itself on community and family-friendly vibes, that might sound off-note. But both Brown and Buck believe there\u2019s room for both camaraderie and intense competition. Buck likened it to a major stick-and-ball rivalry:<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the race, we can still be friends,\u201d he said. \u201cBut from the time you pull into the water box until the win light comes on, let\u2019s see that fight in your eyes. Because, honestly, that\u2019s why people buy tickets and tune in. If we don\u2019t embrace these things, if we don\u2019t accept that we\u2019re putting on a show at these major drag racing events, trying to sell tickets and garner attention, we certainly can\u2019t complain when nothing changes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

This story was originally published on March 28, 2025. \"Drag<\/p>\n

The post Wes Buck Weighs In on Antron Brown\u2019s Call for More Smack Talk in Drag Racing<\/a> first appeared on Drag Illustrated<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Antron Brown wants drag racers to let their inner \u201cgladiator\u201d out more often\u2014especially behind the microphone\u2014and his remarks in a recently published op-ed by Susan Wade on SpeedSport.com have reignited the conversation about whether the NHRA could use a little more smack talk. The four-time and reigning Top Fuel champion\u2019s point is simple: show the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-99758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99758"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99758\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}