Saturday, October 28, 2017

DSR: DSR's Beckman, Schumacher use track record runs at Las Vegas to hold provisional poles in longshot battles to stay in hunt


LAS VEGAS (Oct. 27, 2017) - Tony Schumacher and the U.S. Army arrived at Las Vegas knowing their backs were against the wall if they were to earn a ninth NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championship.

Despite being ranked sixth and a nearly insurmountable 192 points out of first, Schumacher with crew chief Mike Green and assistant Phil Shuler produced The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway records with an elapsed-time of 3.673 seconds and speed of 332.67 mph, which is his career best.

"I was pretty sure that 3.67 was going to hold for the top spot," said Schumacher, who has been a fixture in the media center at Las Vegas during his career where he has won nine poles and eight event titles. "That 3.67 was such a good run, it forces people to go out and try a little too hard a lot of times."

"Let's remember we have won this race a lot of times and we have more data than just about everyone else here. We have a good quality map of this place. Yes, it is a different racetrack under different situations. It's hard to run great here, but we are able to make those kind of runs with the U.S. Army car because of the outstanding notes and ability of the incredible people working together on this team that made it happen. They evaluated the situation and made good decisions and we made a great run tonight.

"Look, we qualify fine, but we race terrible right now (on Sunday). And we have to change that. I don't care where we qualify, we've got to win the race."

Joining Schumacher with provisional No. 1 positions heading to Saturday's last two qualifying sessions before Sunday's eliminations is Jack Beckman and Terry and Doug Chandler's Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T Powered by Pennzoil led by crew chiefs Dean Antonelli, John Medlen and Neal Strausbaugh who were best in the early evening session and quickest of the day with a track-record time of 3.867 seconds at 329.50 mph.

"I didn't think it would stand up," he said of registering the record time early in the session. "In night sessions the track is going to continue to cool off and when you run early like we did it shows the other teams what the track is capable of. To watch it stand as No. 1 surprised me."

Don Schumacher Racing's Dodge Charger R/T Funny Cars Powered by Pennzoil were the quickest in both of Friday's qualifying sessions of the 17th annual NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

DSR teammate and points leader Ron Capps with the NAPA AUTO PARTS team led by crew chief Rahn Tobler and assistant Eric Lane pushed their Dodge to a time of 3.916 (325.06) to earn three bonus points by leading the pack in the first session of the 17th annual Las Vegas Nationals.

Capps started the day leading Robert Hight by 24 points in the next-to-last race of the season and now leads by 26 after Hight earned one point in the last session.

COUNTDOWN BREAKDOWN
Antron Brown clinched his last two world championships for Don Schumacher Racing at Las Vegas and was able to celebrate two weeks later at the Pomona finale in Southern California.

That won't happen for Brown or any other driver in the nitro categories this year, largely because NHRA enhanced the points value for the season-ending NHRA Finals by about 150 percent.

At Las Vegas this weekend, like 22 of the previous 23 events in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, the most a driver can earn with a perfect weekend is 130 points; at Pomona, 191 can be earned.

No Top Fuel or Funny Car driver can leave Las Vegas with a 192-point lead and clinch a championship, and any driver 192 or more points out of first after Sunday's final round at Las Vegas will be eliminated from contention.

The seven DSR drivers and 19 of the 20 in the Countdown remain alive in championship contention but most are likely to be mathematically eliminated after Las Vegas.

FUNNY CAR                                                                                                       
                       
Provisional No. 1: Tony Schumacher (Don Schumacher Racing), 3.673 sec., 332.67 mph

TONY SCHUMACHER, U.S. Army
Crew chief: Mike Green; Assistant: Phil Shuler
QUALIFYING
Provisional qualifying position: No. 1
FRIDAY: 3.798 sec., 325.61 mph, (Session 1); 3.673, 332.67, (Session 2)
                  Pts      Events       Wins      Rup      Semi      Qtr     1st rd    Poles   DNQ         W/L
2017           6th              22             1           3             4         9             6            3         0       29-21
CAREER                     478           83         64           75     134         115          83         8   805-387
Career best time, speed: 3.660 sec. (2017, Topeka); 332.51 mph (2016, Brainerd)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event, Oct. 15, Dallas: Qualified No. 2, lost in first round to Terry Haddock
A year ago at Las Vegas 2: Qualified No. 5, lost in first round to Wayne Newby
This spring at Las Vegas 1: Qualified No. 2, lost in championship round to Antron Brown
Career at Las Vegas 2: Wins 4 (2005-06, 2008, 2010), Runner-ups 0, Poles 4
Career at Las Vegas: Wins 8 (2004, 2005-06, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013-14)
Runner-ups 3 (2002-03, 2012), Poles 9

LEAH PRITCHETT, Pennzoil/Dodge Demon
Crew chief: Todd Okuhara; Assistant: Joe Barlam
QUALIFYING
Provisional qualifying position: No. 4
FRIDAY: 3.754 sec., 324.20 mph, (Session 1); 18.929, 41.57, (Session 2)
                  Pts      Events       Wins      Rup      Semi      Qtr     1st rd    Poles   DNQ         W/L
2017          5th              22             4           2             8         6             2            6          0      44-18
CAREER                      92             5           3           15       19           44            7          6      78-81
Career best time, speed: 3.640 sec. (2017 Brainerd); 331.53 (2017 Brainerd)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event, Oct. 15, Dallas: Qualified No. 6, lost in second round to Antron Brown
A year ago at Las Vegas 2: Qualified No. 2, lost in semifinals to Steve Torrence
This spring at Las Vegas 1: Qualified No. 5, lost in semifinals to Antron Brown
Career at Las Vegas 2: Wins 0, Runner-ups 0, Poles 0
Career at Las Vegas: Wins 0, Runner-ups 0, Poles 0

ANTRON BROWN, Matco Tools 'Tools for the Cause'
Crew chiefs: Brian Corradi, Mark Oswald; Assistant: Brad Mason
QUALIFYING
Provisional qualifying position: No. 7
FRIDAY: 3.760 sec., 325.61 mph, (Session 1); 16.130, 34.67, (Session 2)
                  Pts      Events       Wins      Rup      Semi      Qtr     1st rd    Poles   DNQ         W/L
2017           4th              22             4           6             5          7            0           2          0      51-18
CAREER                     380           65*        53           79      100          80         49          3  672-311
                                                          *49 TF/16 PSB   
Career best time, speed: 3.667 (2017, Phoenix); 333.16 mph (2017, Topeka)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event, Oct. 15, Dallas: Qualified No. 3, lost in semifinals to Shawn Langdon
A year ago at Las Vegas 2: Qualified No. 4, lost in semifinals to J.R. Todd
This spring at Las Vegas 1: Qualified No. 8, won in championship round over Tony Schumacher
Career at Las Vegas 2: Wins 1 (2013), Runner-ups 1 (2001-PSM), Poles 1 (2015)
Career at Las Vegas: Wins 3 (2011, 2013, 2016), Runner-ups 4 (2001, 2008, 2012, 2013),
Poles 5 (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)

FUNNY CAR                                                                                                       
                       
Provisional No. 1: Jack Beckman (Don Schumacher Racing), 3.867 sec.-ties track record, 329.50 mph

JACK BECKMAN, Terry and Doug Chandler's Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chiefs: Dean Antonelli, John Medlen, Neal Strausbaugh
QUALIFYING
Provisional qualifying position: No. 1
FRIDAY: 8.006 sec., 77.86 mph, (Session 1); 3.867-track record, 329.50, (Session 2)
                   Pts      Events       Wins      Rup      Semi      Qtr     1st rd    Poles   DNQ         W/L
2017          4th               22            2           2              6         9             3            0         0      34-20
CAREER                     274          26         27            51       82           81          21         7  366-241         
Career best time, speed: 3.825 sec., (2016 Pomona 2); 334.15 mph (Seattle 2016)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event, Oct. 15, Dallas: Qualified No. 3, lost in semifinals to Ron Capps
A year ago at Las Vegas 2: Qualified No. 1, lost in semifinals to John Force
This spring at Las Vegas 1: Qualified No.5, lost in second round to Jonnie Lindberg
Career at Las Vegas 2: Wins 1 (2006), Runner-ups 2 (2009, 2012), Poles 1 (2016)
Career at Las Vegas: Wins 1 (2006), Runner-ups 2 (2009, 2012), Poles 2 (2016-twice)

RON CAPPS, NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chief: Rahn Tobler; Assistant: Eric Lane
QUALIFYING
Provisional qualifying position: No. 6
FRIDAY: 3.916 sec., 325.06 mph, (Session 1); 6.597, 103.02, (Session 2)
                  Pts      Events       Wins      Rup      Semi      Qtr     1st rd    Poles   DNQ         W/L
2017          1st               22             8           4            2          5             3            0         0      52-14
CAREER                     505           58*        54          91     103          181         21        19  679-428
                                                         *57 FC/1 TF
Career best time, speed: 3.839 sec. (2017, Phoenix); 333.58 mph (2017, Phoenix)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event, Oct. 15, Dallas: Qualified No. 2, lost in championship round to Robert Hight
A year ago at Las Vegas 2: Qualified No. 4, lost in semifinals to Courtney Force
This spring at Las Vegas 1: Qualified No. 4, lost in first round to Jonnie Lindberg
Career at Las Vegas 2: Wins 4 (2001, 2005, 2011-12), Runner-ups 0, Poles 1 (2011)
Career at Las Vegas: Wins 5 (2009, 2001, 2005, 2011-12, Runner-ups 2 (2006-07), Poles 1 (2011)

MATT HAGAN, Pennzoil Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chief: Dick Venables; Assistant: Michael Knudsen
QUALIFYING
Provisional qualifying position: No. 8
FRIDAY: 4.000 sec., 321.19 mph, (Session 1); 3.929, 330.88, (Session 2)
                  Pts      Events       Wins      Rup      Semi      Qtr     1st rd    Poles   DNQ         W/L
2017          5th              22             3           1             7         5             6            4         0       34-19
CAREER                     214           25         23           35       67           62          30         4   299-185
Career best time, speed: 3.799 (2017, Indianapolis); 338.85 mph (2017, Topeka)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event, Oct. 15, Dallas: Qualified No. 13, lost in first round to Jonnie Lindberg
A year ago at Las Vegas 2: Qualified No. 2, lost in semifinals to John Force
This spring at Las Vegas 1: Qualified No. 2, lost in second round to John Force
Career at Las Vegas 2: Wins 0, Runner-ups 1 (2010), Poles 2 (2009, 2014)
Career at Las Vegas: Wins 0, Runner-ups 2 (2009, 2010), Poles 3 (2009, 2014, 2015)

TOMMY JOHNSON JR., Terry and Doug Chandler's Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chief: John Collins; Assistant: Rip Reynolds
QUALIFYING
Provisional qualifying position: No. 13
FRIDAY: 4.308 sec., 212.63 mph, (Session 1); 4.021, 286.74, (Session 2)
                  Pts      Events       Wins      Rup      Semi      Qtr     1st rd    Poles   DNQ         W/L
2017           7th             22              1           4            5          5             7            1        0       31-21
CAREER                     420            16*        28          58      102         171         15      44   367-360
                                                          *14 FC/2 TF
Career best time, speed: 3.837 sec. (Phoenix 2017); 332.02 mph (Sonoma 2017)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event, Oct. 15, Dallas: Qualified No. 7, lost in first round to John Force
A year ago at Las Vegas 2: Qualified No. 10, lost in first round to Del Worsham
This spring at Las Vegas 1: Qualified No. 6. won in championship round over Jonnie Lindberg
Career at Las Vegas 2: Wins 0, Runner-ups 2 (2015-16), Poles 1 (2015)
Career at Las Vegas: Wins 1 (2001), Runner-ups 3 (2002, 2015-16) , Poles 1 (2015)

COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS                                     
(Official standings through Dallas; 22nd of 24 events; DSR drivers in CAPS)
Top Fuel                                                                               
  1. Steve Torrence (8)                  2465     -----
  2. Brittany Force (3)                    2408       -57   
  3. Doug Kalitta (1)                       2389      -76
  4. ANTRON BROWN (4)            2360     -105
  5. LEAH PRITCHETT (4)           2285     -180
  6. TONY SCHUMACHER (1)     2273     -192
  7. Clay Millican (1)                      2268     -197
  8. Shawn Langdon (0/1)             2193     -272
  9. Terry McMillen                        2147     -318
10. Scott Palmer                           2137     -328
                                                                                                                    
Funny Car                                                                 
  1. RON CAPPS (8)                     2495      -----
  2. Robert Hight (4)                      2471        -24
  3. Courtney Force                       2324      -171
  4. JACK BECKMAN (2)             2309      -186
  5. MATT HAGAN (3)                  2269      -226
  6. John Force (1)                        2252      -243
  7. TOMMY JOHNSON JR. (1)   2224      -271
  8. Tim Wilkerson                         2206     -289
  9. J.R. Todd (2)                           2199     -296
10. Cruz Pedregon                        2128     -307



About Don Schumacher Racing
Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., fields seven professional NHRA teams. In Top Fuel, the U.S. Army dragster driven by eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher, the Matco Tools dragster driven by three-time world champion Antron Brown and the  80th Anniversary Mopar/Pennzoil dragster driven by Leah Pritchett; and in Funny Car, 2016 world champion Ron Capps in the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T; 2011 and 2014 world champion Matt Hagan in the Pennzoil Dodge Charger R/T, and 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in Terry and Doug Chandler's Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge and the Chandlers' Make-A-Wish Dodge driven by Tommy Johnson Jr.

DSR has won 316 NHRA national event titles and 16 world championships.

Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.



FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Jeff Wolf, DSR PR
wolfj@shoeracing.com; 702.524.1368

Leah Vaughn, DSR PR and Social Media
vaughnl@shoeracing.com

Allie Bland, DSR PR and Social Media
blanda@shoeracing.com