Schumacher, Army team edged out in Traxxas Shootout final
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Schumacher edged out in Traxxas Nitro Shootout final round;
DSR's Hagan, Mopar Dodge holding on to U.S. Nationals pole
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 2, 2017) - Tony Schumacher's quickest run of the NHRA U.S.
Nationals near Indianapolis wasn't quite enough to post another visit to the winner's
circle when he came up a little short Saturday to Steve Torrence in the final round
of the $100,000 Traxxas Top Fuel Nitro Shootout all-star race.
Torrence's time of 3.673 seconds at 329.50 mph edged the eight-time world champion's
3.680 (330.31).
"That was a great run, a great race," said Schumacher, who competed in his third
final round of the Shootout with Don Schumacher Racing's U.S. Army Powered by Pennzoil
team led by crew chief Mike Green and assistant Phil Shuler. He won the event in
2014 and 2016 as the only driver to win it twice.
"Just a good race. We made a great run, he just made a little better run. He did
a helluva job, he did what it took to win $100,000. We have a great car, honestly
it's going to be hotter on Monday and we are hard to beat when it's hot out."
Schumacher will go for his 11th U.S. Nationals title on Labor Day and try to extend
his record for most wins in the biggest event in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.
His run in the final round moved him to fourth in the qualifying order.
Three-time champion and current Top Fuel points leader Antron Brown slipped to sixth
in qualifying and was upset in the opening round of the Traxxas Nitro Shootout by
fan vote winner Terry McMillen but rebounded in the third qualifying session with
a 3.694-second pass.
"That's a great job for our whole Matco Tools/Mello Yello/U.S. Army/Toyota team
this weekend," said the two-time and reigning champion. "We let it slip away there
a little bit during that first round (loss in the Traxxas Shootout). We dropped
a hole (cylinder), but that's just the way our team bounces back, right there. That
was a great quality run."
In Funny Car, Matt Hagan and the 80th Anniversary Mopar/Express Lane Dodge Charger
R/T Powered by Pennzoil led by crew chief Dickie Venables with assistant Michael
Knudsen held on to the provisional No. 1 qualifying position heading to Sunday's
last two sessions before Monday's championship eliminations in the "Big Go," the
biggest event of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.
Hagan, who won last year's U.S. Nationals, became the second Funny Car to run in
the 3.7-second range with a time of 3.799 seconds at 338.77 mph - both track records
at Lucas Oil Raceway - on Friday night with a pair of track records.
"We've got a helluva race car right now. It's running, it's digging," he said. "If
you count the last race at Brainerd (Minn.), we've made 10 amazing runs. So I'm
looking forward to tomorrow and our Traxxas Shootout."
Hagan is on the cusp of earning his fourth pole of the season.
SATURDAY'S TRAXXAS TOP FUEL NITRO SHOOTOUT
Saturday's Results
(NOTE: First and final rounds of Traxxas Shootout count toward second and third
round qualifying session.)
FIRST ROUND
TONY SCHUMACHER (3.747 sec., 324.51) def. Brittany Force (3.747, 329.50)
Doug Kalitta (3.730, 329.26) def. LEAH PRITCHETT (3.782, 312.13)
Steve Torrence (3.725, 329.19) def. Clay Millican (3.734, 321.58)
Terry McMillen (3.774, 318.69) def. ANTRON BROWN (3.808, 312.42)
SEMIFINALS
SCHUMACHER (3.227, 329.34) def. McMillen (3.766, 322.04)
Torrence (3.711, 329.83) def. Kalitta (3.746, 327.59)
FINAL
Torrence (3.673, 329.50) def. SCHUMACHER (3.680, 330.31)
Traxxas Nitro Top Fuel Shootout winners
2017 - Steve Torrence (CAPCO Contractors)
2016 - TONY SCHUMACHER (DSR)
2015 - ANTRON BROWN (DSR)
2014 - SCHUMACHER (DSR)
2013 - Shawn Langdon (Al-Anabi)
2012 - SPENCER MASSEY(DSR)
SUNDAY'S $100,000 TRAXXAS FUNNY CAR NITRO SHOOTOUT
DSR's four Dodge Charger R/T Funny Cars Powered by Pennzoil comprise half the field
for Sunday's $100,000-to-win Traxxas Nitro Funny Car Shootout.
The top seed for Sunday's Shootout is DSR's reigning world champion and current
points leader RON CAPPS, who will race Courtney Force in the first round. Other
first-round matchups are: MATT HAGAN vs. John Force, TOMMY JOHNSON JR. vs. JACK
BECKMAN and Robert Hight vs. J.R. Todd.
(Schedule is below.)
Traxxas Nitro Funny Car Shootout winners
2016 - Courtney Force (JFR)
2015 - JACK BECKMAN (DSR)
2014 - John Force (JFR)
2013 - JACK BECKMAN (DSR)
2012 - John Force (JFR)
The following are Saturday's qualifying results for DSR:
TOP FUEL
Provisional No. 1 qualifier: Clay Millican (Doug Stringer Racing) 3.663 sec.-track
record, 329.10 mph
* First and final round runs by dragsters in Traxxas Shootout count toward qualifying
in sessions 2 and 3, respectively.)
LEAH PRITCHETT, Papa John's Pizza
Crew chief: Todd Okuhara; assistant crew chief: Joe Barlam
QUALIFYING
Provisional qualifying position: No. 2
FRIDAY: 3.667 sec.-track record, 329.50 mph, (Session 1 of 5)
SATURDAY: 3.782, 312.13* (Session 2 of 5); 8.881, 8.087, (Session 3 of 5)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 3rd 17 4 2 7
3 1 6 0 39-13
CAREER 87 5 3 14 16
43 7 6 73-76
Career best time, speed: 3.640 sec.-world record (2017 Brainerd);331.53 (2017 Brainerd)
INDY BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (Aug. 20), Brainerd, Minn.: Qualified No. 1, won in championship round
over Antron Brown
A year ago at Indy: Qualified No. 10, lost in first round to Shawn Langdon
Career at Indy: Wins 0, Runner-ups 0, Poles 0
ANTRON BROWN, Mello Yello/Matco Tools/U.S. Army/Toyota
Crew chiefs: Brian Corradi, Mark Oswald; assistant crew chief: Brad Mason
QUALIFYING
Provisional qualifying position: No. 4
FRIDAY: 3.689 sec., 329.75 mph, (Session 1 of 5)
SATURDAY: 3.808, 312.42*, (Session 2 of 5); 3.694, 329.91, (Session 3 of 5)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 1st 17 4 6 2
5 0 2 0 43-13
CAREER 375 65* 53 76 98
80 49 3 666-307
* 49 TF/16 PSB
Career best time, speed: 3.667 (2017, Phoenix); 333.16 mph (2017, Topeka)
INDY BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (Aug. 20), Brainerd, Minn.: Qualified No. 7, lost in championship round
to Leah Pritchett
A year ago at Indy: Qualified No. 5, lost in second round to Tony Schumacher
Career at Indy: Wins 3 (2000, 2004-PSM; 2011-TF), Runner-ups 0, Poles 4 (2009, 2011,
2012, 2013)
TONY SCHUMACHER, U.S. Army
Crew chief: Mike Green; assistant crew chief: Phil Shuler
QUALIFYING
Provisional qualifying position: No. 8
FRIDAY: 3.735 sec., 327.82 mph, (Session 1 of 5)
SATURDAY: 3.747, 324.51, (Session 2 of 5); 3.680, 330.31, (Session 3 of 5)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 4th 17 1 3 3
6 5 3 0 24-16
CAREER 473 83 64 74 131
114 83 8 800-382
Career best time, speed: 3.660 sec. (2017, Topeka); 332.51 mph (2016, Brainerd)
BRAINERD BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (Aug. 6), Seattle: Qualified No. 6, lost in second round to Leah Pritchett
INDY BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (Aug. 20), Brainerd, Minn.: Qualified No. 4, lost in second round to
Clay Millican
A year ago at Indy: Qualified No. 4, won in championship round over Steve Torrence
Career at Indy: Wins 10-record (2000, 2002-04, 2006-09, 2012, 2016); Runner-ups
2 (2005, 1996);
Poles 4 (2005-07, 2014); All-star/Invitational event titles 1 (2005)
FUNNY CAR
Provisional No. 1 qualifier: Matt Hagan (Don Schumacher Racing), 3.799 sec., 338.77
mph - track records
MATT HAGAN, 80th Anniversary Mopar/Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chief: Dickie Venables; assistant crew chief: Michael Knudsen
QUALIFYING
Provisional qualifying position: No. 1
FRIDAY: 3.799 sec., 338.77 mph - track records, (Session 1 of 5)
SATURDAY: 3.848m 336.23, (Session 2 of 5); 3.821, 337.83, (Session 3 of 5)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 3rd 17 3 1 6
4 3 3 0 31-14
CAREER 209 25 23 34 66
59 29 4 296-180
Career best time, speed: 3.802 sec. (2017,Topeka); 338.85 mph (2017, Topeka)
INDY BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (Aug. 20), Brainerd, Minn.: Qualified No. 2, lost in first round to Cruz
Pedregon
A year ago at Indy: Qualified No. 1, won in championship round over Del Worsham
Career at Indy: Wins 1 (2016); Runner-ups 0; Poles 4 (2010, 2013, 2014, 2016)
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. 5
FRIDAY: 3.900 sec., 330.08 mph, (Session 1 of 5)
SATURDAY: 4.869, 157.98, (Session 2 of 5); 3.859, 333.16, (Session 3 of 5)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 5th 17 2 2 3
8 2 0 0 27-15
CAREER 269 26 27 48 81
80 21 7 359-236
Career best time, speed: 3.825 sec., (2016 Pomona 2); 334.15 mph (Seattle 2016)
INDY BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (Aug. 20), Brainerd, Minn.: Qualified No. 6, lost in second round to
John Force
A year ago at Indy: Qualified No. 2, lost in first round to Dave Richards
Career at Indy: Wins 1 (2015); Runner-ups 2 (2008, 2013); Poles 1 (2015);
All-star/Invitational event titles 3 (2007, 2013, 2015)
RON CAPPS, NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chief Rahn Tobler:; assistant crew chief: Eric Lane
QUALIFYING
Provisional qualifying position: No. 9
FRIDAY: 10.938 sec., 71.07 mph, (Session 1 of 5)
SATURDAY: 3.883, 329.67, (Session 2 of 5); 3.906, 308.57, (Session 3 of 5)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 1st 17 6 2 2
4 3 0 0 36-11
CAREER 500 56* 52 91 102
181 21 19 663-425
* 55 FC/1 TF
Career best time, speed: 3.839 sec. (2017, Phoenix); 333.58 mph (2017, Phoenix)
INDY BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (Aug. 20), Brainerd, Minn.: Qualified No. 8, lost in second round to
Robert Hight
A year ago at Indy: Qualified No. 3, lost in semifinals to Del Worsham
Career at Indy: Wins 0; Runner-ups 0; Poles 0; All-star/Invitational event titles
3 (1998-99, 2002)
TOMMY JOHNSON JR., Terry and Doug Chandler's Riley Kids Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chief: John Collins; assistant crew chief: Rip Reynolds
QUALIFYING
Provisional qualifying position: No. 18
FRIDAY: 9.922 sec., 76.00 mph, (Session 1 of 5)
SATURDAY: 10.777, 79.36, (Session 2 of 5);11.027, 84.08, (Session 3 of 5)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 4th 17 1 4 5
3 4 1 0 29-16
CAREER 415 16* 28 58 101
168 15 44 365-355
* 14 FC/2 TF
Career best time, speed: 3.837 sec. (Phoenix 2017); 332.02 mph (Sonoma 2017)
INDY BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (Aug. 20), Brainerd, Minn.: Qualified No. 5, lost in championship round
to Alexis DeJoria
A year ago at Indy: Qualified No. 5, lost in semifinals to Matt Hagan
Career at Indy: Wins 0; Runner-ups 1 (2002); Poles 2 (2000, 1999)
COUNTDOWN TO THE COUNTDOWN: Many drivers consider the U.S. Nationals to be the
"first" race of the Mello Yello Series Countdown to the Championship six-race playoff
that begins two weeks after Indy near Charlotte.
Although Indy is the last of 18 regular season events, it will finalize the top-10
drivers who qualify to contend for their respective world titles, and points are
reset after Indy for the Countdown.
This week offers drivers a chance to earn a maximum of 191 points compared to 130
offered at the previous 17 races. Indy is the only Mello Yello event with five qualifying
sessions instead of four.
The quickest driver in each session earns four bonus points, second quick gets three,
third quick gets two and fourth quick gets one. Each round win on Monday pays 30
points instead of 20. Each driver making a qualifying attempt earns 15 and added
points are issued for the final qualifying order: 10 for first, nine for second,
eight for third, seven for fourth, six each for fifth and sixth, five for seventh
and eighth, four for ninth through 12th and three for 13th through 16th.
This Weekend in Indy
(all times are EDT)
SUNDAY
12:45 p.m., Traxxas Nitro Funny Car Shootout, Round 1
1 p.m., Nitro qualifying (Sessions 4 of 5)
2:45 p.m., Shootout Semifinals
4:40 p.m., Traxxas Top Fuel Shootout (Final Round)
4:45 p.m., Nitro qualifying (Session 5 of 5)
MONDAY
11 a.m., U.S. Nationals championship eliminations to end the Mello Yello regular
season
2017 NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES STANDINGS
(Official before Indy; 17 of 24 events: wins in parenthesis; DSR drivers in CAPS)
TOP FUEL FUNNY CAR
1. ANTRON BROWN (4) 1,513 ---- 1. RON CAPPS (6)
1,383 ----
2. Steve Torrence (6) 1,482 -31 2. Robert Hight (2)
1,247 -136
3. LEAH PRITCHETT (4) 1,453 -60 3. MATT HAGAN (3)
1,214 -169
4. TONY SCHUMACHER (1) 1,121 -392 4. TOMMY JOHNSON JR. (1)
1,180 -203
5. Brittany Force (1) 1,052 -461 5. JACK BECKMAN (2)
1,160 -223
6. Doug Kalitta 1,038 -475 6. Courtney Force
1,012 -371
7. Clay Millican (1) 1,014 -499 7. John Force (1)
954 -429
8. Terry McMillen 722 -791 8. Tim Wilkerson
792 -591
9. Scott Palmer 649 -864 9. J.R. Todd (1)
788 -595
10. Troy Coughlin Jr. 576 -937 10. Alexis DeJoria
(1) 664 -719
11. Shawn Langdon 568 -945
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 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 Doug and Terry Chandler.
DSR has won 314 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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