Happy, busy holiday for DSR

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2 Happy, busy holiday for DSR Don Schumacher Racing heads into the holidays with many happy memories of a banner year that is topped by the improving health of team owner Don Schumacher. Certainly on Santa s good list are the NHRA world championships won by the U.S. Army Top Fuel and Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Funny Car teams. The jolly old man (Santa not Don) had to revise his list after the Mopar/Rocky team with driver Matt Hagan and crew chief Dickie Venables recorded the quickest Funny Car run ever on Dec. 8 while testing at Palm Beach International Raceway in Florida. Hagan s previous best run of seconds and mph was obliterated when his Dodge completed the last run of 2014 in seconds at a blazing mph. Another on-track, off-season accomplishment was produced by Tommy Johnson Jr. when he won a Nostalgia Funny Car title two weeks ago at Sydney Dragway in Australia. That was off the best NHRA season of his career when he won an event title and finished third in DSR s Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T with crew chief and fellow Ottumwa, Iowa, native John Collins. But it was Tony, Matt and their teams whose December calendars were altered by winning NHRA Mello Yello championships. For Matt, he was grand marshal for a Christmas parade in Pulaski, Va., on Dec. 4 near his home in Christiansburg. He got to ride in a dump truck that pulled his championship Dodge. Next up for Matt is hosting an open-to-the public party at Matt Hagan Outdoors in Radford, Va., from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Friday (Dec. 19). Tony made the arduous trek from his new home in Austin, Texas, to New York City on Dec. 9 to appear early the next morning on the Fox Network s Fox & Friends morning show. Tony and his U.S. Army dragster starred in the 2-minute, 40-second segment. He then had to contend with weather-related flight delays on the way home. The last official functions of the year for DSR were the annual bowling event to benefit Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health on Dec. 10 and the DSR employee holiday party the following night in Downtown Indianapolis. We at Shoe s News close by wishing all a happy and safe holiday season, and continued success in Don s continued progress down the road to recovery from surgery. #ShoePower

3 Staggering stats for DSR in 2014 DSR now owns 13 world championship trophies and 240 NHRA event titles, which is the most by any team in the sport. DSR finished the year with 21 event titles (14 in Top Fuel, 7 in Funny Car) DSR swept nitro titles at four events this year bringing its total to 41 doubleups The U.S. Army team won the Traxxas Nitro Shootout in Top Fuel during the U.S. Nationals In this year s Countdown to the Championship six-race playoff, DSR s U.S. Army and Mopar/Rocky teams each won three titles in their respective categories. In Top Fuel, DSR won five of the six titles with the Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher and Matco Tools teams also visiting the winner s circle. Consider these statistics since the first Countdown playoff in 2007: DSR has won five of the eight Top Fuel championships with the U.S. Army team and driver Tony Schumacher winning it four times; In Funny Car, DSR has won three world titles and no team has won more in the past eight years and that includes DSR winning three of the last four championships including Matt Hagan winning this year and in 2011, and Jack Beckman winning in 2012; This year, DSR won five of six Countdown titles in Top Fuel and three in Funny Car; The Mopar/Rocky team s record in elimination rounds was an astounding 18-3 and not far back was the U.S. Army team with a 15-3 mark. Tommy Johnson Jr. with the Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T team finished third in points for T.J. s best career finish since turning pro in Spencer Massey in the Red Fuel dragster shot up to second in points after winning the title at Las Vegas two weeks before Pomona and finished the year ranked third in Top Fuel. Antron Brown and the Matco Tools team led the Top Fuel category with six titles including five of the first 18 events. Ron Capps and the NAPA AUTO PARTS team led by crew chief Rahn Tobler and assistant Eric Lane will remember a strong finish to 2014 that included a second qualifying run at Pomona that earned the No. 3 seed. Their final ranking of eighth for the season is misleading because the team finished only 61 points out of third.

4 Indy drag racing community strikes big for Riley Kids at DSR s This Is How We Roll: Bowling for Riley event The Indianapolis racing community opened their hearts and bowling bags on Wednesday night to raise $10,246 for Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health and Camp Riley at an annual event staged by Don Schumacher Racing with support from several of the area s top professional drivers in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Combined with $50,572 raised on Aug. 29 during the ninth annual DSR Open House, this year s total contribution through DSR to Riley reaches $60,818 and more than $300,000 over the past 10 years. This Is How We Roll included 200 participants along with NHRA drivers Jack Beckman, Antron Brown, Tommy Johnson Jr. and Spencer Massey of DSR, who were joined by Shawn Langdon of Al-Anabi Racing, Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec of Vance & Hines It was a pressure free night of bowling for NHRA drivers, from left: Andrew Hines, Jack Beckman, Eddie Krawiec, Antron Brown and Tommy Johnson Jr. Bob Wildt of the NAPA Indianapolis Distribution Center is a major contributor to the event and was the night s emcee. The honorary first rolls were by Riley Kids A.J. Stinger, Maeci Young and Riley Lesh. Major supporters of the event for Riley included Brownsburg NAPA & Machining, Carlyle Tools by NAPA, Sandvik Coromant, Jeg's, Hangsterfer's Laboratories Inc., Titanium Metal Supply, Performance Forged Inc., ARS Rescue Rooter, NitroSew, Specialty Insurance Group, Mahle Clevite and Freelance Graphics. The winning Lone s Rangers team was awarded a unique trophy created by DSR fabricator Tom Patsis Screamin Eagle Harley- Davidson team and Leah Pritchett of Dote Family Racing. Riley Kids, Maeci Young, A.J. Stinger and Riley Lesh with DSR senior vice president Mike Lewis. (ColdHartArt.com) was presented to the foursome of Paul Dodson, Marsha Lone, Eric Stephens and Shaun Huddleson. To learn more about Riley Kids or to make a donation, visit: RileyKids.org

5 Prock, Medlen join Beckman at DSR for 2015 Mello Yello season Jack Beckman will start the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season with an allstar cast leading his charge in a Don Schumacher Racing 2015 Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car. Joining Beckman is veteran crew chief Jimmy Prock, who will be joined by longtime friend and co-worker John Medlen, who is the team s assistant. I feel like Santa made an early stop and left three wonderful gifts under the tree, Jack said. It s been a while since we started the season knowing we had funds for the entire season. And to find out Jimmy Prock was coming on board. I never thought in my wildest dreams I would be driving for him one day. Then the third gift was when Santa dropped John Medlen off. John and I have a very special history. I ve emceed the Eric Medlen Nitro Night Charity dinner for Sonoma Raceway the last two years and have become very close to John and his family. Having those two guys up in our crew chief s lounge is just unbelievable. I feel when I go in there I m going to want to ask for their autographs. Prock won Funny Car championships at John Force Racing in 2009 and 2013, and Medlen won it in 2003 with driver Tony Pedregon at JFR. Jack and DSR s other six teams will test Jan at Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter, Fla., and compete that Friday and Saturday night in the fifth annual PRO Winter Warm-up. The 2015 NHRA Mello Yello season opens Feb. 6-8 at Pomona, Calif. Jimmy Prock Driver Jack Beckman, left, and sponsors Karen and Rodger Comstock were honored for the Best Appearing Car at the Finals with their Veterans Trust Dodge Charger R/T. Party scheduled on Dec. 19 in Radford to celebrate Virginia s twotime NHRA Funny Car champ, cattle farmer Matt Hagan A special celebration is scheduled to celebrate NHRA Funny Car driver Matt Hagan s second world championship. This Friday (Dec. 19) from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., the public is invited to meet Matt, see the championship Don Schumacher Racing Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car and enjoy an open house at Matt Hagan Outdoors (7327 Peppers Ferry Blvd., Radford, Va.). I m really excited to have my friends, family and my hometown supporters out to celebrate what our Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots team accomplished this year, Matt said. The community gives me a lot of support and it will be nice to celebrate with them. DSR certain to start 2015 with a new champion It isn t often a champion is crowned in December but Don Schumacher Racing will have to find room for another trophy in the lobby at headquarters. A hotly contested three-way battle looms and like the NHRA nitro categories this year, DSR is dominating. But this is not the NHRA Mello Yello Series; it is the first annual DSR Pick-ems NFL contest held each week of the season. With two weeks remaining, the three leaders are Leah Social Bettor Vaughn, Will I Have a Baby to Feed Truitt and Blake The Pickin Snake Elliott. Results in the next Shoe s News.

6 DSR driver 2014 and career statistics, standings for 2014 TOP FUEL TONY SCHUMACHER: U.S. Army NHRA Top Fuel World Champ for 8 th time st CAREER Best Time, Speed: sec. ( , Reading, Pa.); mph ( , Las Vegas 2) SPENCER MASSEY: Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher rd CAREER Best Time, Speed: sec. ( , Englishtown, N.J.); mph ANTRON BROWN: Matco Tools th CAREER (31 TF/16 PSB) Best Time, Speed: 3.701*/** sec. ( , Reading, Pa.); mph ( , Reading) * Quickest ever/** NHRA record FUNNY CAR MATT HAGAN: Rocky Boots/ Mopar Dodge Charger R/T NHRA Funny Car World Champ for 2 nd time st CAREER Best Time, Speed: sec. ( , Sonoma, Calif.); mph ( , Charlotte 2) TOMMY JOHNSON JR.: Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T rd CAREER (8 FC/2 TF) Best Time, Speed: sec. (2014, Joliet, Ill.); mph (2014, Pomona 1) RON CAPPS: NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T th CAREER (42 FC/1 TF) Best Time, Speed: sec., ( , Englishtown, N.J.); mph ( , Englishtown) JACK BECKMAN: MTS Veterans Trust Foundation Dodge Charger R/T th CAREER Best Time, Speed: sec. ( , Reading, Pa.); mph ( , Charlotte 1) NHRA MELLO YELLO CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS - final (Final points; DSR drivers in CAPS) TOP FUEL FUNNY CAR Driver (wins) points behind driver (wins) points behind 1. TONY SCHUMACHER (5) 2, MATT HAGAN (4) 2, JR Todd (1) 2, John Force (3) 2, SPENCER MASSEY (3) 2, TOMMY JOHNSON JR. (1) 2, Shawn Langdon (1) 2, Courtney Force (4) 2, Doug Kalitta (2) 2, Robert Hight (5) 2, Steve Torrence 2, Del Worsham (1) 2, ANTRON BROWN (6) 2, Alexis DeJoria (3) 2, Khalid albalooshi (2) 2, RON CAPPS (2) 2, Richie Crampton (2) 2, Tim Wilkerson 2, Brittany Force 2, Cruz Pedregon (1) 2, JACK BECKMAN 1,

7 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series REGULAR SEASON 2013 DSR WINNNERS 2014 WINNERS 1. Feb. 6-9 Pomona, Calif. TF albalooshi FC J. Force 2. Feb Phoenix TF Tony FC Ron TF ANTRON FC DeJoria 3. March Gainesville, Fla. TF Antron/200 FC Gray TF Kalitta FC Hight 4. March Las Vegas TF Tony TF TONY FC DeJoria 5. April Charlotte, N.C. TF Spencer FC Matt TF ANTRON FC Hight 6. April Houston TF ANTRON FC Hight 7. May 16-18/19 Atlanta (PSM) TF Antron FC Gray TF SPENCER FC Hight 8. May Topeka, Kan. FC Gray TF SPENCER FC C. Force 9. May 29-June 1 Englishtown FC Matt TF Crampton FC C. Pedregon 10. June Bristol, Tenn. TF Langdon FC TOMMY 11. June Epping, N.H. TF Spencer TF TONY FC RON 12. June Chicago TF Tony FC Matt TF ANTRON FC MATT 13. July 3-6 Norwalk, Ohio FC Gray TF ANTRON FC J.Force 14. July Denver TF Spencer TF Todd FC Hight 15. July Sonoma, Calif. FC Ron TF albalooshi FC C. Force 16. Aug. 1-3 Seattle FC Matt TF Kalitta FC J. Force 17. Aug Brainerd, Minn. TF Spencer FC Ron TF Lucas FC RON (Indy) 18. Aug. 27-Sep. 1 Indianapolis TF Crampton FC DeJoria Traxxas FC Shootout/Jack Traxxas TF Shootout/TONY COUNTDOWN 2013 DSR WINNERS 2014 WINNERS 19. Sept Charlotte, N.C. TF TONY FC MATT 20. Sept Dallas TF TONY FC C. Force 21. Sept St. Louis TF Antron TF ANTRON FC C. Force 22. Oct. 2-5 Reading, Pa. TF TONY FC MATT 23, Oct. 31-Nov. 2 Las Vegas TF Antron TF SPENCER FC Worsham 24. Nov Pomona, Calif. FC Matt TF Lucas FC MATT DSR total: 14 DSR total: NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Feb. 5-8 NHRA Winternationals Pomona Feb NHRA Nationals Phoenix March NHRA Gatornationals (PSM) Gainesville March NHRA Four-Wide Nationals (PSM) Charlotte April SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals Las Vegas April NHRA SpringNationals Houston May NHRA Southern Nationals (PSM) Atlanta May NHRA Kansas Nationals Topeka June 4-7 Toyota NHRA Summernationals (PSM) Englishtown June NHRA New England Nationals Epping June NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol July 2-5 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals (PSM) Norwalk July 9-12 Route 66 NHRA Nationals (PSM) Chicago July Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals (PSM) Denver July 31-Aug. 2 NHRA Sonoma Nationals (PSM) Sonoma Aug. 7-9 NHRA Northwest Nationals Seattle Aug Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Brainerd Sept. 2-7 U.S. Nationals (PSM) Indianapolis NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship Sept NHRA Carolina Nationals (PSM) Charlotte Sept AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals (PSM) St. Louis Oct. 1-4 NHRA Nationals (PSM) Reading Oct AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals (PSM) Dallas Oct. 29-Nov. 1 NHRA Toyota Nationals (PSM) Las Vegas Nov Auto Club NHRA Finals (PSM) Pomona

8 DSR's 2014 Top Fuel world champion U.S. Army dragster is featured in Hall of Champions. At left, a DSR Funny Car joins the TMS Titanium Supply display. At right, Antron Brown s Jr. Dragsters for sons Adler and Anson were attractions in the Hangsterfer s Metalworking Lubricating booth. Antron's DSR Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster is featured at Indy-based Hurco's display.

9 Have happy & safe holidays, and we ll see you soon in a 2015 winner s circle! 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 2012 NHRA Top Fuel world champion Matco Tools dragster driven by Antron Brown and the Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher dragster driven by Spencer Massey; and in Funny Car, 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T, 2011 and 2014 world champion Matt Hagan in the Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Dodge, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge of Ron Capps and the Make-A-Wish Dodge driven by Tommy Johnson Jr. DSR has won 240 NHRA national event titles and 13 world championships. Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter and Facebook.com/shoeracing Don Schumacher Racing ShoeRacing.com - (317) Jeff Wolf Leah Vaughn wolfj@shoeracing.com vaughnl@shoeracing.com (702) , cell (618) , cell