Capps, Schumacher seeded second for cool eliminations day near Dallas
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Temperature to drop by 20 degrees Sunday for eliminations near Dallas
as Capps tries to hold Funny Car lead, DSR dragsters look to narrow gaps
ENNIS, Texas (Octobler 14, 2017) - The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will
have competed in two distinctly different weather systems when they leave the Texas
Motorplex near Dallas on Sunday after the NHRA FallNationals.
Temperatures reached into the low 90s Friday and Saturday, but when eliminations
began at 11 a.m. (CDT) Sunday it will be in the low 60s and barely climbing into
the 70s by late afternoon.
"This Countdown has been unique with the weather we had at Reading (Pa.) and then
St. Louis when it was cooler that it had been there in a long time," said Capps,
who drives the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Powered by Pennzoil.
"But we haven't seen a drastic change on the same weekend like we'll see tomorrow
on race day," said the reigning world champion and current points leader who won
Reading and St. Louis titles. Fans are going to see great side-by-side racing but
the crew chiefs will be throwing everything they have at it. It's going to be fast
and we'll see who is standing at the end of the day.
Capps and crew chief Rahn Tobler held the No. 1 qualifying spot with their run of
3.872 seconds at 329.58 mph on Friday. But on next to last run Saturday, Robert
Hight of John Force Racing slipped past Capps to take the top seed for Sunday eliminations
with a run of 3.871.
Capps started the weekend leading Hight by 46 points and will be 44 ahead before
the first round.
"We obviously seem to be hitting our stride again like we did during the regular
season and it couldn't come at a better time," he said of winning a series-best
eight titles this season. "These last few races I haven't been more proud of our
guys and Tobler. I brag about him and his NAPA Know How and he knows how to adapt."
Don Schumacher Racing teammate Jack Beckman in Terry and Doug Chandler's Infinite
Hero Dodge qualified fourth and moved into a tie for fourth with teammate Matt Hagan
while DSR's Tommy Johnson Jr. is seeded seventh in the Chandlers' Make-A-Wish Dodge.
In Top Fuel, Leah Pritchett and the Papa John's Pizza Top Fuel dragster led by crew
chief Todd Okuhara, was quickest in Saturday's first session then second best in
the last one to qualify sixth.
"We're looking for four good hits tomorrow," she said. "We ran pretty good in the
heat the last two days and I expect our Papa John's team to take advantage of a
really cool Sunday."
The best dragster for DSR near Dallas has been eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher
and the second-seeded U.S. Army team with crew chief Mike Green that owns a track-record
five titles. Schumacher move up one spot in the standings to fifth.
"The weather change should not be the issue everyone is talking it up to be," Schumacher
said. "We've got all kinds of data, but you just look at the track and the grip
when the time comes and adapt. We'll go out there and try to run fast. We've got
a good car.
The following are Saturday's qualifying results and Sunday's first-round opponents
for DSR in the FallNationals:
TOP FUEL
No. 1 qualifier: Steve Torrence (CAPCO Contractors), 3.682 sec., 327.51 mph
TONY SCHUMACHER, U.S. Army
Crew chief: Mike Green; Assistant: Phil Shuler
SUNDAY ELIMINATIONS
First round: Terry Haddock
QUALIFYING
Qualified: No. 2
FRIDAY: 3.793 sec., 324.75 mph, (Session 1); 3.692, 327.66, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 4.293, 187.73, (Session 3); 4.646, 158.30, (Session 4)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 6th 21 1 3 4
9 5 3 0 29-20
CAREER 477 83 64 75 134
114 83 8 805-386
Career best time, speed: 3.660 sec. (2017, Topeka); 332.51 mph (2016, Brainerd)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event: Sept. 29-Oct. 1: Qualified No. 3, lost in second round to Antron Brown
A year ago at Dallas: Qualified No. 3, lost in second round to Shawn Langdon
Career at Dallas: Wins 6-track record (1999, 2004-05, 2009, 2010, 2014), Runner-ups
1 (2008),
Poles 3 (2003, 2006, 2011)
ANTRON BROWN, Matco Tools 'Tools for the Cause'
Crew chiefs: Brian Corradi, Mark Oswald; Assistant: Brad Mason
SUNDAY ELIMINATIONS
First round: Shawn Reed
QUALIFYING
Qualified: No. 3
FRIDAY: 6.714 sec., 100.46 mph, (Session 1); 3.696, 329.91, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 3.829, 317.87, (Session 3); 3.750, 318.02, (Session 4)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 4th 21 4 6 4
7 0 2 0 49-17
CAREER 379 65* 53 78 100
80 49 3 670-310
*49 TF/16 PSB
Career best time, speed: 3.667 (2017, Phoenix); 333.16 mph (2017, Topeka)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event: Sept. 29-Oct. 1: Qualified No. 6, lost in semifinals to Steve Torrence
A year ago at Dallas: Qualified No. 1, won in championship round over Steve Torrence
Career at Dallas: Wins 3 (1999-PSM, 2012, 2016), Runner-ups 0, Poles 1 (2016)
LEAH PRITCHETT, Papa John's Pizza
Crew chief: Todd Okuhara; Assistant: Joe Barlam
SUNDAY ELIMINATIONS
First round: Scott Palmer
QUALIFYING
Qualified: No. 6
FRIDAY: 3.767 sec., 323.89 mph, (Session 1); 5.269, 132.50, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 3.780, 323.35, (Session 3); 3.748, 323.12, (Session 4)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 7th 21 4 2 8
5 2 6 0 43-17
CAREER 91 5 3 15 18
44 7 6 77-80
Career best time, speed: 3.640 sec. (2017 Brainerd); 331.53 (2017 Brainerd)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event: Sept. 29-Oct. 1: Qualified No. 2, lost in second round to Steve Torrence
A year ago at Dallas: Qualified No. 2, lost in second round to Steve Torrence
Career at Dallas: Wins 0, Runner-ups 0, Poles 0
FUNNY CAR
No. 1 qualifier: Robert Hight (John Force Racing) 3.871 sec., 332.84 mph
RON CAPPS, NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chief: Rahn Tobler; Assistant: Eric Lane
SUNDAY ELIMINATIONS
First round: Del Worsham
QUALIFYING
Qualified: No. 2
FRIDAY: 8.981 sec., 77.02 mph, (Session 1); 3.872, 329.58, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 5.729, 125.50, (Session 3); 4.870, 161.69, (Session 4)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 1st 21 8 3 2
5 3 0 0 49-13
CAREER 504 58* 53 91 103
181 21 19 676-427
*57 FC/1 TF
Career best time, speed: 3.839 sec. (2017, Phoenix); 333.58 mph (2017, Phoenix)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event: Sept. 29-Oct. 1: Qualified No. 3, won in championship round over Jonnie
Lindberg
A year ago at Dallas: Qualified No. 7, lost in championship round to Matt Hagan
Career at Dallas: Wins 1 (1998), Runner-ups 2 (2011, 2016), Poles 1 (1997)
JACK BECKMAN, Terry and Doug Chandler's Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chiefs: Dean Antonelli, John Medlen, Neal Strausbaugh
SUNDAY ELIMINATIONS
First round: J.R. Todd
QUALIFYING
Qualified: No. 3
FRIDAY: 3.914 sec., 329.50 mph, (Session 1); 3.873, 332.34, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 6.907, 89.47, (Session 3); 3.971, 317.19, (Session 4)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 5th 21 2 2 5
9 3 0 0 32-19
CAREER 273 26 27 50 82
81 21 7 364-240
Career best time, speed: 3.825 sec., (2016 Pomona 2); 334.15 mph (Seattle 2016)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event: Sept. 29-Oct. 1: Qualified No. 6, lost in second round to Ron Capps
A year ago at Dallas: Qualified No. 2, lost in second round to Ron Capps,
Career at Dallas: Wins 0, Runner-ups 2 (2009, 2015), Poles 0
TOMMY JOHNSON JR., Terry and Doug Chandler's Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chief: John Collins; Assistant: Rip Reynolds
SUNDAY ELIMINATIONS
First round: John Force
QUALIFYING
Qualified: No. 7
FRIDAY: 4.149 sec., 236.96 mph, (Session 1); 3.930, 327.59, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 5.622, 125.25, (Session 3); 3.969, 323.81, (Session 4)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 7th 21 1 4 5
5 6 1 0 31-20
CAREER 419 16* 28 58 102
170 15 44 367-359
*14 FC/2 TF
Career best time, speed: 3.837 sec. (Phoenix 2017); 332.02 mph (Sonoma 2017)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event: Sept. 29-Oct. 1: Qualified No. 9, lost in first round to Matt Hagan
A year ago at Dallas: Qualified No. 3, lost in second round to Del Worsham
Career at Dallas: Wins 0, Runner-ups 1 (1999), Poles 0
MATT HAGAN, Pennzoil Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chief: Dick Venables; Assistant: Michael Knudsen
SUNDAY ELIMINATIONS
First round: Jonnie Lindberg
QUALIFYING
Qualified: No. 13
FRIDAY: 12.388 sec., 70.44 mph, (Session 1); 4.283, 211.03, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 3.991, 324.51, (Session 3); 7.615, 81.09, (Session 4)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ
W/L
2017 4th 21 3 1 7
5 5 4 0 34-18
CAREER 213 25 23 35 67
61 30 4 299-184
Career best time, speed: 3.799 (2017, Indianapolis); 338.85 mph (2017, Topeka)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event: Sept. 29-Oct. 1: Qualified No. 8, lost in second round to Robert Hight
A year ago at Dallas: Qualified No. 4, won in championship round over Ron Capps
Career at Dallas: Wins 2 (2010, 2016), Runner-ups 1 (2012) , Poles 0
COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
(Official standings through Dallas qualifying; DSR drivers in CAPS)
TOP FUEL
1. Steve Torrence (8) 2425 -----
2. Doug Kalitta (1) 2369 -56
3. Brittany Force (2) 2328 -97
4. ANTRON BROWN (4) 2320 -105
5. TONY SCHUMACHER (1) 2273 -148
6. Clay Millican (1) 2268 -156
7. LEAH PRITCHETT (4) 2265 -160
8. Terry McMillen 2147 -278
9. Scott Palmer 2137 -288
10. Shawn Langdon 2133 -292
FUNNY CAR
1. RON CAPPS (8) 2435 -----
2. Robert Hight (3) 2391 -44
3. Courtney Force 2324 -111
4. MATT HAGAN (3) 2269 -166
4. JACK BECKMAN (2) 2269 -166
6. John Force (1) 2232 -203
7. TOMMY JOHNSON JR. (1) 2224 -211
8. J.R. Todd (2) 2199 -236
9. Tim Wilkerson 2166 -269
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 Mopar Express Lane 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.
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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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