Post by TheShadow on Aug 12, 2006 8:24:35 GMT -5
www.napavalleyregister.com/
Brayton heads to quarter-mile when he's not rushing quarterbacks
By ERIN LAWLEY, Register Sports Writer
Whether he's on the football field or shifting into fourth gear, Tyler Brayton likes to get his adrenaline pumping.
Not only is he the Oakland Raiders starting defensive end this year, but the drag-racing aficionado also muscles his 1964 Chevelle down the quarter-mile at over 100 miles per hour as often as possible.
Brayton's quickest time is an 11.51-second run at 115 mph at Sonoma's Infineon Raceway” powered by his small block Chevy engine.
It's two different things: drag racing is that real quick rush, that little bit of nervousness when you're pulling up to the line and then just the feeling when you're going down the track, Brayton said from Raiders training camp at Redwood Middle School on Wednesday.
Oakland Raiders defensive end Tyler Brayton, pictured this week at training camp at Napa's Redwood Middle School, enjoys drag racing in his free time. Jorgen Gulliksen/Register
Whereas in football, when you make a big play, it's all the same feeling. But it's two different things.
They're similar in the fact that playing defensive line is all about your reaction. As soon as that ball even moves a quarter of an inch, you've got to be gone. It's kind of the same thing, when the lights are coming down. They're kind of different because drag racing is just a hobby, relaxing for me.
A fan of most muscle cars, though partial to Chevys, Brayton prefers driving his car over working on it. He a big fan of the NHRA but was unable to go to the races in Sonoma last month due to that pesky summer training camp at Redwood. But he did watch some of it on TV.
Though he has a passion for fast cars, he hasn't put a whole lot of thought into trying to drag race professionally.
Not really, I don't think so, Brayton said. I want to have a family and I don't want to tour around the whole country and do that stuff.
Brayton will stick to watching favorites such as Larry Dixon, John Force and the Pedregon brothers, Cruz and Tony.
For some reason, (the Pedregons) always seem to be the underdogs but always do really well, Brayton said. I respect that.
Cruz Pedregon is a huge Raiders fan and actually dons a silver and black helmet with Raiders stickers at many of his races. He was knocked out during the first round at the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon last month but Tony took second place in the finals after a faster run from Force teammate Eric Medlen.
I'm such a big NFL fan, but I love the Raiders, Cruz Pedregon said Thursday on the phone.
He added that in anticipation of the Raiders second preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday that he'll wear his Raider helmet this weekend in the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minn.
Brayton recently tuned in to Driving Force, a new reality show that features John Force, his wife and his three dragster-racing daughters.
It's cool, Brayton said about the show that can be seen Monday nights at 9 p.m. on A & E. It seems like he's just as intense with his family as he is with his drag racing.
Brayton started all 16 regular season games with the Raiders in 2005, initially lining up at outside linebacker and then moving to defensive end halfway through the season. He notched 16 total tackles and added a sack.
In Oakland's first 2006 preseason game, Brayton started at defensive end and recorded one tackle.
Perhaps one day The Cruzer and Brayton will be able to meet and share their two biggest passions.
