U.S. Army Racing: Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals Friday Qualifying Report - Tony Schumacher & Antron Brown

U.S. Army NHRA Racing
47th Annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals Friday Qualifying Report

Date: March 18, 2016
Event: 47th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals (Round 3 of 24)
Series: NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series
Location: Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway
Provisional Top Qualifier: Brittany Force (3.745 seconds at 309.56 mph)
U.S. Army Racing Lineup: Antron Brown 2nd (3.755 seconds at 319.07 mph)
                                       Tony Schumacher 4th (3.760 seconds at 314.75 mph)

U.S. Army drivers Tony "The Sarge" Schumacher and Antron Brown posted solid results in Friday's NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series opening rounds of qualifying for the 47th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway. Brown and Schumacher rank second and fourth, respectively, with two rounds of qualifying in the books.

For eight-time Top Fuel world champion Schumacher and his U.S. Army team, their qualifying success continued with two strong runs in the U.S. Army Dragster of Don Schumacher Racing (DSR). After making four solid passes in each of the first two national events, "The Sarge" opened the day with a pass of 3. 771 seconds at 307.30 mph, the fastest of the first round. The four-time Gatornationals winner closed qualifying with a run of 3.760 seconds at 314.75 mph.

"We have a great U.S. Army car," Schumacher said. "I said that leaving Phoenix and we proved that again today. I think in that first run we were on a run that probably would have been in that 3.74 (seconds) range, but weren't able to make it to the end. We blew the blower belt off and it cost us a little bit. Maybe even enough to still be the fastest overall. Generally speaking that Friday night session will set your position in the ladder, but it's not usually indicative of the conditions we'll be racing in on Sunday. I feel like what we did today in the hottest conditions was by far the more impressive run. Everyone wants that top spot and the points that go with it, but I'd still rather have the best car on the 'hot track' conditions. You'll be in those positions much more than you will have those cooler conditions that you usually get when teams make those big qualifying runs. I'm excited for the rest of the weekend. I know (crew chief) Mike (Green) and (assistant crew chief) Neal (Strausbaugh) and all these Army guys are working hard so we can be in a great position Sunday."

Brown and the Matco Tools/U.S. Army Dragster for DSR rebounded nicely from round one to the second session improving from a lap of 4.798 seconds at 149.70 mph to 3.755 seconds at 319.07 mph, jumping from ninth to second on the ladder.

"That's what we're looking for in that second run," Brown said. "We wanted to run good that first run but it takes a run to get adjusted with the moisture and the air conditions out here. My guys - (co-crew chiefs) Brian (Corradi) and Mark (Oswald) and these Matco/U.S. Army boys are getting to work. That second run it felt good. The car felt really good and strong in power. It made a nice move off the starting line and had a good 60-foot and just felt good all the way down. We'll come back tomorrow and we'll just hit it strong. Whatever the track can handle, we'll keep throwing at it."
FS1's same-day-delayed coverage of today's qualifying is set for 9 p.m. ET. Top Fuel qualifying concludes Saturday with sessions at 12:45 and 4 p.m. EST and FS1 coverage set for 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Elimination rounds begin at 11 a.m. Sunday with FS1 providing three hours of live coverage beginning at 1 p.m.

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