UW couple competes Sunday in “Amazing Race” finale

On Sunday, “The Amazing Race” will come to an end for Major Dave Brown, Jr. and his wife, Rachel.

The only question is whether Dave, an assistant professor of military science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Rachel, a UW human ecology graduate, will beat the three other couples in the two-hour finale airing at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 6 on CBS.

So far, the Browns have been pretty unstoppable, accumulating six first-place finishes in the competition. Argentina, Africa, Paraguay, Azerbaijan, India – they’ve traveled the globe. And they’ve survived diverse challenges involving skydiving, empanada making, marksmanship,  stacking bales of hay and more.

The couple saw the show as an opportunity to spend some much-needed time together while competing on their favorite show.

Dave is with the Wisconsin Army National Guard and had been deployed in Iraq for a year before returning last June and taping the show. He’s currently assigned to the ROTC detachment at UW.

Rachel, a UW–Madison graduate who works at Epic Systems in Verona, had the idea to be on the reality show. If they win, the couple will get $1 million. If not, they’ll still have amazing stories to share and pride in knowing they put UW and Madison on “The Amazing Race” map.