DSR, NHRA teams head back to Atlanta hoping weather stays dry for Southern Nationals racing, Mother s Day

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DSR, NHRA teams head back to Atlanta hoping weather stays dry for Southern Nationals racing, Mother s Day Mother Nature was not kind last weekend to NHRA drag racing fans in the Atlanta area when

If the seventh event of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season can be concluded on Saturday, it still could put a wrinkle on the Mother s Day plans for some race team drivers, crews and

1 DSR, NHRA teams head back to Atlanta hoping weather stays dry for Southern Nationals racing, Mother s Day Mother Nature was not kind last weekend to NHRA drag racing fans in the Atlanta area when torrential rain postponed the NHRA Southern Nationals to this weekend. If the seventh event of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season can be concluded on Saturday, it still could put a wrinkle on the Mother s Day plans for some race team drivers, crews and officials. Part 2 The revised schedule limits qualifying to two sessions on Friday (2 p.m. and 4 p.m.) with the top 16 advancing to Saturday s championship eliminations, which are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. If the event is completed, Don Schumacher Racing s seven teams will be on the road Saturday night for the 12- hour ride back to headquarters outside of Indianapolis in Brownsburg, Ind. Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Ga., faces another foreboding weather forecast for this Saturday although Weather.com s call for a 60 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms is much more optimistic than last weekend s predictions of heavy rain that were 90 percent for Saturday and 100 percent for Sunday. Rain also wiped out last week s opening day on Friday. DSR crew members departed Commerce Saturday afternoon but left 16 of the organization s wheelers, including four hospitality rigs, behind at the track. The only team s transporters to return to Brownsburg were the two belonging to Jack Beckman s Valvoline/MTS Mail for Wounded Warriors team. We had planned to spend the week working on the racecar and had we not followed through with that it might have been toward the end of the summer before we could have accomplished what we needed to, said Todd Smith, Beckman s crew chief. This year s expansion by one event to 24 in the Mello Yello series gave NHRA officials few options of when to complete the Atlanta event. The series races May at Topeka, Kan., and only has two off weekends between Topeka and the middle of July. Don shares special Hall of Fame night with family, friends Don Schumacher shared a memorable night with family and friends on May 2 when he was inducted into the prestigious International Motorsports Hall of Fame at Talladega Superspeedway along with NASCAR stalwarts Rick Hendrick, Rusty Wallace and Dale Inman. Schumacher, who won five NHRA Funny Car titles as a driver/owner in the 1970s and has added 198 more over the past 15 years as owner of Don Schumacher Racing, was overwhelmed with the honor bestowed upon him by an international panel of motorsports journalists. This is such a great honor, Schumacher said. I was overwhelmed just to be nominated. This is really overwhelming. To be here with so many of the greats in racing is humbling.

Schumacher, 68, was introduced by son Tony Schumacher to an audience that included Richard Petty, Bobby Allison and current NASCAR drivers Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

It was the second visit to the Hall of Fame induction for Ron Capps, who drives DSR s NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car, and he was able to enjoy this one more.

This time I could take everything in and appreciate it; just look around at those in attendance and enjoy the exhibits and historic cars that I read about as a kid.

2 Schumacher, 68, was introduced by son Tony Schumacher to an audience that included Richard Petty, Bobby Allison and current NASCAR drivers Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski and Kasey Kahne. Also attending were DSR s seven drivers, nine crew chiefs and more than 40 guests of Schumacher. It was the second visit to the Hall of Fame induction for Ron Capps, who drives DSR s NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car, and he was able to enjoy this one more. I was there in 2000 when Don Prudhomme was inducted, but I was more in awe of everything when it was the Snake s night because it was all so new to me, said Capps, who drove for Prudhomme at the time. This time I could take everything in and appreciate it; just look around at those in attendance and enjoy the exhibits and historic cars that I read about as a kid. One car that brought back memories for Capps, a lifelong drag racing fan, was the Don Schumacher Hall of Fame Tribute Car he helped his teammates unveil that was a surprise to Schumacher. One of the current DSR Funny Cars was made to resemble the blue and white Plymouth Cuda Funny Car that Schumacher drove to win the 1970 NHRA U.S. Nationals. It was so cool to part of that moment, Capps said. Helping to unveil the 'Hall of Fame Tribute" car are, (from left), front row: Spencer Massey and Tony Schumacher; back row: Johnny Gray, Megan Fessel Schumacher, Ron Capps, Sarah Schumacher, Don Schumacher and Matt Hagan. (Photo courtesy of Rick Green/DragRaceCentral.com) The U.S. Nationals title was Schumacher s first in NHRA national event competition, and he added four more by the end of the 1973 season. The following year was his last as a racer when he left the sport to take over his family s Schumacher Electric Corporation business near Chicago. I don t think many of NHRA drag racing s newer fans over the past decade or so even know that Don was one of the best Funny Car drivers in his era, Capps said. And they don t realize what he s meant to our sport over the years. Schumacher became the 11th member of the drag racing community to be enshrined in the Hall since it opened in He joins such drag racing luminaries as NHRA founder Wally Parks (1992), Don Garlits (1997), Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney (2004), Bob Glidden and Joe Amato (2005), Warren Johnson (2007), Bill Jenkins (2008), and John Force and Kenny Bernstein (2012). When I retired from the sport in 1974 I didn t plan to come back other than to go to races to watch and enjoy as a fan, said Schumacher, who returned when Tony began pursuing a professional drag racing career. I came back because Tony got involved in the sport and I wanted to put him in the very best equipment possible and in the very safest environment possible. Beckman joins Air Force s Wall of Achievers near Atlanta Just down the road from Atlanta on Thursday afternoon, Beckman was honored with inclusion on the the U.S. Air Force Enlisted Heritage Hall's Wall of Achievers at the Gunter Annex of Maxwell Air Force Base. Beckman, a former Air Force sergeant and avionics technician on the F-111D Aardvar, joined 143 other former enlisted Airmen on the Wall that includes former President George W. Bush, retired Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager, Johnny Cash and actors Gene Autry and Charlton Heston. The Wall of Achievers honors former enlisted Airmen who have contributed to the growth and development of the Air Force. "It's an honor to be put on the Wall of Achievers," Beckman said. "It is truly a special thing to be here and be a part of this great wall of Airmen."

3 He joked with the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser that he was nervous to be around generals and colonels again and said It brings back memories. It was a great place to get some training, some direction and some self-discipline, and I ve stated emphatically it was the best decision I ve ever made, said Beckman, 46, a native and resident of Southern California. Col. Stewart Price, the commander of the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education, said "Our Air Force helps develop individuals into individuals of character. Whether it is 30 years of service or one tour, people are positively impacted by their time in the Air Force. I congratulate Jack for his success and am proud of him and we all are proud to call him our own." You see this wall with all these huge names on there from all walks of life. To know you re one of only 144 people to get this honor, it s way more than I would have imagined, said Beckman, who at age 21 was honorably discharged as a sergeant. Other DSR storylines heading back to Atlanta 1. Capps ready for another step out of slump A weekend off could help Ron Capps and his NAPA Brakes Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team regain some mojo as they try to defend their Atlanta title. Capps and crew chief Rahn Tobler were able to end a streak of three straight first-round losses by advancing to the semifinals at Houston on April 29. The slump began after the NAPA AUTO PARTS team advanced to the championship round of the season-opener and then won the following event title. 2. Brown, Matco team ready to chase DSR teammate for points lead Antron Brown isn t worried that his team has lost in the opening rounds of the past two Mello Yello events. He knows 18 events remain on the calendar, but he also doesn t want to waste time. Brown, who won last season s Top Fuel championship, ranks second to DSR teammate Tony Schumacher and trails the seven-time world champion by 70 points. Brown, 37, is the first African-American to win a major auto racing championship in the United States and was featured on NBC s Today show with a 3-minute segment on Feb Hagan wants Southern cookin to pay off Matt Hagan, the 2011 NHRA Funny Car world champion, will enjoy racing relatively close to his cattle farm in Christiansburg, Va., and he wants his turnaround from a dismal 2012 season to continue at Atlanta. Hagan, whose Magneti Marelli offered by Mopar/Rocky Boots team failed to make NHRA s Countdown to the Championship field of 10 last year, already has won an NHRA event title and ranks second in points after six events. 4. Schumacher ready to win first at Atlanta Tony Schumacher has won 71 NHRA event titles in Top Fuel, but has never visited the winner s circle at Atlanta Dragway. The driver for the U.S. Army would like to end that streak and maintain his hold on the points lead. 5. Gray ready to shake gremlins, get back into championship hunt Johnny Gray, 60, is making his last full-time run toward an NHRA professional championship and the New Mexico native is ready to put the brakes on a slight slump that included the fourth event when he did not qualify near Charlotte. Driving the Pitch Energy Funny Car, which is a tribute to his late father John R. Gray, won the third event of the season at Gainesville, Fla., and was tied for the points lead for the first time in his career. 6. Massey s climb up the ladder takes step back After winning the Four-Wide Nationals near Charlotte on April 21, Spencer Massey moved up to third in points behind teammates Brown and Schumacher. But his Battery Extender Powered by Schumacher team fell back to fourth after a second-round loss at Houston. Massey is seeking his first Atlanta title. Track stats for Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, Ga. TONY SCHUMACHER S TRACK STATS Last event (April 26-28, Houston): Qualified No. 14; lost in first round to Shawn Langdon A year ago at Atlanta: Qualified No. 1; lost in championship round to Steve Torrence Career at Atlanta: Wins 0; runner-ups 4 (2012, 2011, 2008, 2000); poles 1 (2012) ANTRON BROWNS HOUSTON TRACK STATS Last event (April 26-28, Houston): Qualified No. 4; lost in first round to Morgan Lucas A year ago at Atlanta: Qualified No. 5; lost first round to Doug Kalitta Career at Atlanta: Wins 3 (2011, 2008, 2006*); runner-ups 2 (2003*, 2001*); poles 1 (2006); * Pro Stock Motorcycle SPENCER MASSEY S TRACK STATS Last event (April 26-28, Houston): Qualified No. 7; lost in second round to Khalid albalooshi A year ago at Atlanta: Qualified No. 4; lost in second round to Doug Kalitta

4 Career at Atlanta: Wins 0; runner-ups 1 (2009); poles 0 MATT HAGAN S TRACK STATS Last event (April 26-28, Houston): Qualified No. 6; lost in first round to Ron Capps A year ago at Atlanta: Qualified No. 7; lost in second round to Ron Capps Career at Atlanta: Wins 0; runner-ups 0; poles 0 JOHNNY GRAY S TRACK STATS Last event (April 26-28, Houston): Qualified No. 14; lost in second round to Ron Capps A year ago at Atlanta: Qualified No. 14; lost in second round to Jeff Arend Career at Atlanta: Wins 0; runner-ups 1 (2003); poles 0 RON CAPPS TRACK STATS Last event (April 26-28, Houston): Qualified No. 11; lost in semifinals to Tim Wilkerson A year ago at Atlanta: Qualified No. 2; defeated Robert Hight in championship round Career at Atlanta: Wins 1 (2012); runner-ups 3 ( ); poles 0 JACK BECKMAN S TRACK STATS Last event (April 26-28, Houston): Qualified No. 4; lost in second round to Alexis DeJoria A year ago at Atlanta: Qualified No. 8; lost in first round to Courtney Force Career at Atlanta: Wins 2 (2011, 2009); runner-ups 0; poles 0 THIS WEEKEND AT COMMERCE, GA. (revised schedule) Southern NHRA Nationals, Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, Ga. Friday: 2 p.m., 4 p.m., nitro qualifying Saturday: 11 a.m., championship eliminations ON ESPN2 (revised schedule) Saturday: 10 a.m. (ET, delayed), qualifying Saturday: 8-11 p.m. (ET, delayed), eliminations Don Schumacher Racing statistics (After 6 of 24 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series national events) 2013 Pts Races Titles Rup Semi Poles DNQ Win/Loss TOP FUEL Tony Schumacher 1st Antron Brown 2nd Spencer Massey 4th FUNNY CAR Matt Hagan 1st Ron Capps 4th Johnny Gray 5th Jack Beckman 7th Career Races Titles Rup Semi Poles DNQ Win/Loss TOP FUEL Tony Schumacher Antron Brown * *22 Top Fuel/16 Pro Stock Motorcycle Spencer Massey FUNNY CAR Ron Capps Jack Beckman Johnny Gray Matt Hagan DSR Career Best Times, Speeds TOP FUEL Driver s best time (date, location) Top speed (date, location) Massey ( , Englishtown) ** ( , Charlotte 1) Schumacher ( , Reading) ( , Charlotte 1) Antron Brown 3.701*/** ( , Reading, Pa.) ( , Reading) FUNNY CAR Driver s best time (date, location) Top speed (date, location) Hagan ( , Charlotte 2) * ( , Charlotte 2)

5 Capps 3.964* ( , Englishtown) Beckman 3.986** ( , Reading) Gray ( , Reading) ( , Englishtown) ** ( , Reading) ( , Reading) * Quickest, fastest ever; ** NHRA national record NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series (Standings after 6 of 24 events; DSR drivers in BOLD/CAPS) TOP FUEL FUNNY CAR 1. TONY SCHUMACHER, Cruz Pedregon, ANTRON BROWN, MATT HAGAN, Shawn Langdon, Courtney Force, SPENCER MASSEY, RON CAPPS, Morgan Lucas, JOHNNY GRAY, Doug Kalitta, Tim Wilkerson, Khalid albalooshi, JACK BECKMAN, Bob Vandergriff, Robert Hight, Brandon Bernstein, Alexis DeJoria, David Grubnic, Bob Tasca III, TOP FUEL EVENT WINNERS: Langdon, SCHUMACHER, BROWN, SCHUMACHER, MASSEY, Vandergriff 2013 FUNNY CAR EVENT WINNERS: C. Force, CAPPS, GRAY, C. Pedregon, HAGAN, C. Pedregon About Don Schumacher Racing Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., starts 2013 with seven professional NHRA teams. In Top Fuel, the 2012 NHRA Top Fuel world champion Matco Tools dragster driven by Antron Brown and the U.S. Army dragster driven by seven-time world champion Tony Schumacher and the Battery Extender Powered by Schumacher dragster driven by Spencer Massey; and in Funny Car, 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Valvoline/MTS Mail for Wounded Warriors Dodge Charger R/T, 2011 world champion Matt Hagan in the Magneti Marelli Mopar/Rocky Boots Dodge, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge of Ron Capps and the Pitch Energy Dodge of Johnny Gray. DSR has won 203 NHRA national event titles and 11 world championships. Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter and Facebook.com/shoeracing. Don Schumacher Racing ShoeRacing.com (317) Leah Vaughn/ vaughnl@shoeracing.com - (618) , cell Jeff Wolf/wolfj@shoeracing.com - (702) , cell

WIN #250 FOR DSR Beckman, Infinite Hero Dodge use five 3s to give DSR milestone win at Topeka; drivers in Funny Car, 1-2 Top Fuel

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