Schumacher, U.S. Army lead DSR on opening day of Mopar Mile-High Nationals
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Records fall on opening day of NHRA Mopar Mile-High Nationals but none belong to DSR; Schumacher bright spot with No. 3 effort MORRISON, Colo. (July 21, 2017) - The NHRA Mopar Mile-High Nationals is an event many in drag racing circle on the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Fans love watching from grandstands carved into the side of a mountain and roaming through the fan-friendly confines of Bandimere Speedway near Denver. Crewmen and drivers enjoy recreational opportunities provided by the scenic area as the three-week Western Swing begins. But crew chiefs circle it for other reasons because its mile-high, oxygen-choking altitude provides the most unique and challenging racing conditions on the 24-race Mello Yello national tour. For 11,000-horsepower engines, it's like breathing through a straw. While the summer event often is bathed in sun and high temperatures, the overcast skies spouted occasional rain and temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s. Those were added variables to deal with as many teams were unable to master traction. A couple teams were able to overcome the conditions to set track records, however, only three of Don Schumacher Racing's seven teams were able to crack into the top-eight in qualifying led by eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher and the U.S. Army team, which won the event a year ago, are third quickest. hile teammate Leah Pritchett and the Papa John's Pizza/Mopar dragster is sixth. DSR has dominated the Funny Car category this year by winning 12 of 13 titles including the last 10. Reigning Funny world champion and points leader Ron Capps, who has won a career-best six events this year, is qualified eighth in his NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T after two of four qualifying sessions. Saturday's weather is forecast for the high 80s with a chance of scattered thunderstorms when the third session is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. (MDT) on Saturday. The Mopar Mile-High Nationals is one of the most important of the year to DSR, especially this year's 38th edition. Mopar has been a marketing partner with DSR for two decades and this year's event near Denver has added value as it marks the 80th anniversary of the Mopar brand and 19th straight in which Mopar has been the event's primary sponsor. The Mile-High Nationals kicked off with its traditional Mopar Block Party in nearby Golden, Colo., where several thousand fans joined DSR's Mopar and Dodge drivers at the special celebration. DSR TOP FUEL DRAGSTERS Provisional No. 1 qualifier: Doug Kalitta (Kalitta Motorsports), 3.767 sec.-track record, 323.97 mph TONY SCHUMACHER, U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster Crew chief: Mike Green; Assistant: Phil Shuler QUALIFYING RESULTS Provisional qualifying position: No. 3 FRIDAY: 3.821 sec., 321.19 mph, (Session 1); 3.776, 326.63, (Session 2) DENVER BY THE NUMBERS Last event (July 9), Joliet, Ill.: Qualified No. 5, lost in first round to Blake Alexander A year ago at Denver: Qualified No. 9, won in championship round over Antron Brown Career at Denver: Wins 3 (2005, 2008, 2016); Runner-ups 6 (1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2015); Poles 1 (2014) LEAH PRITCHETT, Papa John's Pizza/Mopar Top Fuel dragster Crew chief: Todd Okuhara; Assistant: Joe Barlam QUALIFYING RESULTS Provisional qualifying position: No. 6 FRIDAY: 4.041 sec., 322.03 mph, (Session 1); 3.801, 318.09, (Session 2) DENVER BY THE NUMBERS Last event (July 9), Joliet, Ill.: Qualified No. 2, lost in second round to Antron Brown A year ago at Denver: Qualified No. 10, lost in first round to Shawn Langdon Career at Denver: Wins 0, Runner-ups 0, Poles 0 ANTRON BROWN, Matco Tools/U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster Crew chiefs: Brian Corradi, Mark Oswald; Assistant: Brad Mason QUALIFYING RESULTS Provisional qualifying position: No. 9 FRIDAY: 3.941 sec., 308.50 mph, (Session 1); 6.668, 106.06, (Session 2) DENVER BY THE NUMBERS Last event (July 9), Joliet, Ill.: Qualified No. 7, lost in championship round to Steve Torrence A year ago at Denver: Qualified No. 2, lost in championship round to Tony Schumacher Career at Denver: Wins 2 (2009, 2012); Runner-ups 5 (1999*, 2001*, 2005*, 2008, 2016); Poles 3 (2001*, 2009, 2010) * Pro Stock Motorcycle DSR FUNNY CARS Provisional No. 1 qualifier: Courtney Force (John Force Racing), 3.889 sec., 328.30 mph - track records RON CAPPS, NAPA AUTO PARTS 2017 Dodge Charger R/T Crew chief: Rahn Tobler; Assistant: Eric Lane QUALIFYING RESULTS Provisional qualifying position: No. 8 FRIDAY: 4.016 sec., 305.37 mph, (Session 1); 4.676, 175.11, (Session 2) DENVER BY THE NUMBERS Last event (July 9), Joliet, Ill.: Qualified No. 9, won in championship round over Tommy Johnson Jr. A year ago at Denver: Qualified No. 11, lost in second round to Del Worsham Career at Denver: Wins 1 (2009); Runner-ups 2 (1988, 2007); Poles 1 (2009) JACK BECKMAN, Terry Chandler's Infinite Hero Foundation 2017 Dodge Charger R/T Crew chiefs: Dean Antonelli, John Medlen, Neal Strausbaugh QUALIFYING RESULTS Provisional qualifying position: No. 9 FRIDAY: 7.990 sec., 87.61 mph, (Session 1); 4.024, 319.60, (Session 2) DENVER BY THE NUMBERS Last event (July 9), Joliet, Ill.: Qualified No. 2, lost in second round to Tim Wilkerson A year ago at Denver: Qualified No. 6, lost in first round to Ron Capps Career at Denver: Wins 3 (2007, 2012, 2015); Runner-ups 1 (2008); Poles 1 (2012) TOMMY JOHNSON JR., Terry Chandler's Make-A-Wish 2017 Dodge Charger R/T Crew chief: John Collins; Assistant: Rip Reynolds QUALIFYING RESULTS Provisional qualifying position: No. 11 FRIDAY: 4.266 sec., 219.47 mph, (Session 1); 7.755, 81.14, (Session 2) DENVER BY THE NUMBERS Last event (July 9), Joliet, Ill.: Qualified No. 9, won in championship round over Tommy Johnson Jr. A year ago at Denver: Qualified No. 11, lost in second round to Del Worsham Career at Denver: Wins 1 (2009); Runner-ups 2 (1988, 2007); Poles 1 (2009) MATT HAGAN, 80th Anniversary Mopar/Express Lane 2017 Dodge Charger R/T Crew chief: Dickie Venables; Assistant: Michael Knudsen QUALIFYING RESULTS Provisional qualifying position: No. 16 FRIDAY: 5.544 sec., 113.27 mph, (Session 1); 9,322, 74.80 (Session 2) DENVER BY THE NUMBERS Last event (July 9), Joliet, Ill.: Qualified No. 4, lost in semifinals to Ron Capps A year ago at Denver: Qualified No. 7, lost in second round to John Force Career at Denver: Wins 0; Runner-ups 1 (2011); Poles 1 (2010) 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 Papa John's Pizza/Mopar Top Fuel 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 80th anniversary Mopar/ Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T, and 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge and the Make-A-Wish Dodge driven by Tommy Johnson Jr., both of which are funded by the late Terry Chandler. DSR has won 311 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 (wolfj@shoeracing.com), 702.524.1368 Leah Vaughn (vaughnl@shoeracing.com), 618.516.1988 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Forward This Email to a Friend http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=5uv7snbab&m=1101041391262&ea=$submit@theautochannel.com$&a=1128447392357 This email was sent to submit@theautochannel.com by wolfj@shoeracing.com. 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