Johnson drives Make-A-Wish Dodge to No. 2, Schumacher No. 3 in Top Fuel to lead DSR at hot Seattle
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Johnson No. 2 with Chandler's Make-A-Wish Dodge Funny Car
during hot Seattle event, Schumacher leads DSR's dragsters
SEATTLE (Aug. 4, 2016) - Setting records has been the norm this year on the NHRA
Mello Drag Racing Series tour but a new category for all-time highs appeared Friday
on opening day of the NHRA Northwest Nationals near Seattle.
Don Schumacher Racing and other teams in the Mello Yello Series were greeted in
the Northwest by astounding temperatures in the low 90s when racing began late Friday
afternoon.
The Northwest Nationals shapes up to be one of the most memorable closing events
of the three-week Western Swing that began with races near Denver and at Sonoma,
Calif., with temperatures below normal.
Compounding the heat was track temperatures in the scolding range of 135 degrees
and a haze from about two dozen wildfires north of Seattle.
Regardless of the weather conditions at Seattle, Tommy Johnson Jr. always likes
being at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash.
The driver of Terry Chandler's Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car Powered by
Pennzoil for Don Schumacher Racing holds the No. 2 qualifying position heading to
Saturday's last two sessions before championship eliminations at 11 a.m. (PDT) on
Sunday.
Johnson, who is ranked fifth in points with crew chief John Collins and assistant
Rip Reynolds, was third quickest in the first session with a time of 4.011 seconds
at 319.60 mph and then improved with a 3.930 (324.05) on the evening run.
"That's a heckuva a lot better start for us than last week," Johnson said.
He was referring to an early qualifying run at Denver last Friday when a rear axle
broke at over 250 mph but the veteran driver was able to keep his Dodge from sustaining
major damage with a hard hit to the guardwall.
His masterful Make-A-Wish crew was able to make necessary repairs and although the
body was damaged, he drove the same chassis to No. 2 on Friday.
"That shows how talented our guys are back at the DSR fab shop for building such
a strong car and how good our Make-A-Wish team is at getting it ready for me,"
said Johnson, whose first professional win was at Seattle in 1993 driving the Mopar
Top Fuel dragster.
"This is always is a good track for me. I don't know why, but I'm always comfortable
coming here."
Not far behind Johnson, are teammates Jack Beckman (Terry Chandler's Infinite Hero
Dodge) in fifth, Matt Hagan (80th Anniversary Mopar/Express Lane) in seventh and
reigning world champion and points leader Ron Capps (NAPA AUTO PARTS) in 10th.
In Top Fuel, eight-time world champion and four-time Seattle winner Tony Schumacher
leads DSR's dragster trio with a pair of strong, consistent runs including his best
of 3.802 (322.96) in the night session. Not far behind is three-time and reigning
world champ Antron Brown (Matco Tools) in fourth. Leah Pritchett, who debuted with
Papa John's Pizza a year ago at Seattle is 10th with her dragster co-branded with
FireAde2K and PACCAR, which is headquartered in Renton, Wash.
The following are Friday's qualifying results for DSR near Seattle:
TOP FUEL
Provisional No. 1 qualifier: Steve Torrence (CAPCO Contractors), 3.791 sec., 324.75
mph
TONY SCHUMACHER, U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster - 8x world champion
Crew chief: Mike Green; Assistant: Phil Shuler
Career best time, speed: 3.660 sec. (2017, Topeka); 332.51 mph (2016, Brainerd)
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 3
FRIDAY: 3.862 sec., 317.12 mph, (first session); 3.802, 322.96, (second session)
SEATTLE BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (July 30), Sonoma, Calif.: Qualified No. 5, lost in first round to Scott
Palmer
A year ago at Seattle: Qualified No. 1, lost in second round to Morgan Lucas
Career at Seattle: Wins 4 (2004, 2006-08); Runner-ups 3 (2005, 2009, 2011);
Poles 3 (2004, 2008, 2016)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 4th 15 1 3 3
33 5 3 0 22-14
CAREER 471 83 64 74 129
114 83 8 798-380
ANTRON BROWN, Matco Tools/U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster - 3x world champion; runner-up
last event
Crew chiefs: Brian Corradi, Mark Oswald; Assistant: Brad Mason
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 4
FRIDAY: 3.984 sec., 267.27 mph, (first session); 3.813, 317.42, (second session)
Career best time, speed: 3.667 (2017, Phoenix); 333.16 mph (2017, Topeka)
SEATTLE BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (July 30), Sonoma, Calif.: Qualified No. 4, lost in championship round
to Steve Torrence
A year ago at Seattle: Qualified No. 4, won in championship round over Steve Torrence
Career at Seattle: Wins 2 (2009, 2016); Runner-ups 2 (2010, 2014); Poles 1 (2011)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 2nd 15 3 5 2
5 0 1 0 36-12
CAREER 373 64* 52 76 98
80 48 3 659-306
* 48 TF/16 PSB
LEAH PRITCHETT, Papa John's Pizza/FireAde/PACCAR Top Fuel dragster - 3x winner,
five finals in 2017
Crew chief: Todd Okuhara; Assistant: Joe Barlam
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 10
FRIDAY: 4.112 sec., 226.20 mph, (first session); 3.891, 288.70, (second session)
SEATTLE BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (July 30), Sonoma, Calif.: Qualified No. 1, lost in second round to
Terry McMillen
A year ago at Seattle: Qualified No. 8, lost in first round to Morgan Lucas
Career at Seattle: Wins 0; Runner-ups 0; Poles 0
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 3rd 15 3 2 6
3 1 5 0 33-12
CAREER 85 4 3 13 16
43 6 6 67-75
Career best time, speed: 3.658 sec.-world record (2017, Phoenix); 330.23 mph (2017,
Topeka)
FUNNY CARS
Provisional No. 1 qualifier: Robert Hight (John Force Racing), 3.894 sec., 329.42
mph
TOMMY JOHNSON JR., Terry Chandler's Make-A-Wish 2017 Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chief: John Collins; Assistant: Rip Reynolds
Career best time, speed: 3.837 sec. (Phoenix 2017); 332.02 mph (Sonoma 2017)
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 2
FRIDAY: 4.011 sec., 319.60 mph, (first session); 3.930, 324.05, (second session)
SEATTLE BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (July 30), Sonoma, Calif.: Qualified No. 5, lost in second round to Courtney
Force
A year ago at Seattle: Qualified No. 10, lost in second round to Ron Capps
Career at Seattle: Wins 2 (1993, 2015); Runner-ups 0 Poles 0
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 5th 15 1 2 5
3 4 1 0 23-14
CAREER 413 16* 26 58 101
168 15 44 359-353
* 14 FC/2 TF
JACK BECKMAN, Terry Chandler's Infinite Hero Foundation 2017 Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chiefs: Dean Antonelli, John Medlen, Neal Strausbaugh
Career best time, speed: 3.825 sec., (2016 Pomona 2); 334.15 mph (Seattle 2016)
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 5
FRIDAY: 4.133 sec., 301.87 mph, (first session); 3.983, 322.88, (second session)
SEATTLE BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (July 30), Sonoma, Calif.: Qualified No. 3, lost in semifinals to J.R.
Todd
A year ago at Seattle: Qualified No. 4, lost in second round to Matt Hagan
Career at Seattle: Wins 2 (2007, 2015); Runner-ups 1 (2011); Poles 2 (2013, 2015)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 3rd 15 2 2 3
6 2 0 0 25-13
MATT HAGAN, 80th Anniversary Mopar/Express Lane 2017 Dodge Charger R/T - 3x winner
in 2017
Crew chief: Dickie Venables; Assistant: Michael Knudsen
Career best time, speed: 3.802 sec.-world record, (2017,Topeka); 338.85 mph, 2017,
Topeka)
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 7
FRIDAY: 4.059 sec., 314.97 mph, (first session); 3.999, 322.19, (second session)
SEATTLE BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (July 30), Sonoma, Calif.: Qualified No. 6, lost in first round to Del
Worsham
A year ago at Seattle: Qualified No. 5, lost in semifinals to Del Worsham
Career at Seattle: Wins 1 (2013); Runner-ups 1 (2012); Poles 0
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 2nd 15 3 1 5
4 2 3 0 29-12
CAREER 207 25 23 33 66
58 29 4 294-178
CAREER 267 26 27 48 79
80 21 7 357-234
RON CAPPS, NAPA AUTO PARTS 2017 Dodge Charger R/T - 6x winner in '17, world champ
Crew chief: Rahn Tobler; Assistant: Eric Lane
Career best time, speed: 3.839 sec. (2017, Phoenix); 333.58 mph (2017, Phoenix)
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 10
FRIDAY: 4.175 sec., 241.41 mph, (first session); 4.019. 319.37, (second session)
SEATTLE BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (July 30), Sonoma, Calif.: Qualified No. 12, lost in first round to Tommy
Johnson Jr.
A year ago at Seattle: Qualified No. 2, won in championship round over Del Worsham
Career at Seattle: Wins 3 (1995-TF & career first, 1998, 2016);
Runner-ups 4 (2001, 2006, 2008, 2010); Poles 2 (1997, 2012)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 1st 15 6 2 2
2 3 0 0 35-9
CAREER 498 56* 52 91 100
181 21 19 661-423
* 55 FC/1 TF
2017 NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES TOP FUEL STANDINGS
(Official after Sonoma; 15 of 24 events: wins in parenthesis; DSR drivers in CAPS)
1. Steve Torrence (6) 1,369 ----
2. ANTRON BROWN (3) 1,294 -75
3. LEAH PRITCHETT (3) 1,250 -119
4. TONY SCHUMACHER (1) 1,008 -361
5. Brittany Force (1) 935 -434
6. Doug Kalitta 933 -436
7. Clay Millican (1) 861 -508
8. Terry McMillen 598 -771
9. Scott Palmer 575 -794
10. Troy Coughlin Jr. 528 -841
2017 NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES FUNNY CAR STANDINGS
(Official after Sonoma; 15 of 24 events: wins in parenthesis; DSR drivers in CAPS)
1. RON CAPPS (6) 1,276 -----
2. MATT HAGAN (3) 1,093 -183
4. JACK BECKMAN (2) 1,049 -227
3. Robert Hight (1) 1,035 -241
5. TOMMY JOHNSON JR. (1) 982 -294
6. Courtney Force 874 -402
7. John Force (1) 821 -455
8. Tim Wilkerson 727 -549
9. J.R. Todd (1) 724 -552
10. Cruz Pedregon 570 -706
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 312 NHRA national event titles and 16 world championships.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Jeff Wolf (wolfj@shoeracing.com), 702.524.1368
Leah Vaughn (vaughnl@shoeracing.com), 618.516.1988
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