WIN #250 FOR DSR Beckman, Infinite Hero Dodge use five 3s to give DSR milestone win at Topeka; drivers 1-2-3 in Funny Car, 1-2 Top Fuel Jack Beckman and the Infinite Hero Funny Car team led by crew chief Jimmy Prock gave Don Schumacher Racing its 250th NHRA national event title Sunday by winning the rain-plagued NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka in record-setting style. Beckman won for the second time in three championship rounds this year in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and continued a remarkable climb from not qualifying for the season-opener to jumping three spots to third in the championship standings. Beyond winning for the 17th time in his professional career, the 2012 world champion made NHRA history by becoming the first driver in a Funny Car to record four consecutive runs below 4 seconds when he dipped into the 3-second range in the last two of three qualifying sessions then started championship eliminations in the 3s for the first two rounds. His stellar runs included 3.972 seconds in the quarterfinals that is the seventh quickest ever. His speed of 322.65 mph in qualifying on Saturday is a career best. We did not have a good weekend of racing, we had an incredible weekend of racing, Beckman said. I thought we had a car that nobody could touch. Jack Beckman holds DSR s 250th NHRA Wally. The Infinite Hero crew celebrates victory after a very hot Topeka weekend.
But despite the incredible performance of crew and car, it needed a champion driver to overcome what looked to be a semifinals round loss. Beckman watched as teammate Matt Hagan smoked the tires and lost ahead of him, and then Beckman s car started its run against Del Worsham the same way. We go out and do the same thing, it shakes the tires. I ve got to pedal it and by then Del is so far in front. When you pedal the car it shortens the fuse on the grenade. You take it as far as you can until you know you can t catch him and then you lift. I thought another hundred feet and I couldn t catch him and then his car shuts off. That was a lucky break for us but like (assistant crew chief) Chris Cunningham says, We make our own lucky breaks. The Infinite Hero team s fifth 3-second effort of the weekend came in the championship round when his 3.984 (316.45) defeated John Force s 4.002 (324.51). Also in Funny Car, Matt Hagan (Rocky Boots/Mopar) cut the gap to five points behind teammate and points leader Ron Capps (NAPA AUTO PARTS). Capps produced his fastest lap on a 1,000-foot course when he went 324.12 mph in qualifying on Saturday night. Although DSR s Antron Brown (Matco Tools/U.S. Army) and Tony Schumacher (U.S. Army) maintained the top two spots in the standings, No. 1 qualifier Brown extended his lead to 53 points. Schumacher also ran the quickest ET of his record-setting career in the first round with a time of 3.719. Spencer Massey (Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher/Sandvik Coromant) had the second best time in the quarterfinals with a 3.731 (327.82) but it wasn t enough Antron Brown and the Matco Tools/U.S. Army team won its second pole of the season at Topeka. to beat a 3.710 by Richie Crampton that was the best run of the weekend and helped Crampton win his second event title of the season. DSR 3-SECOND RUNS AT TOPEKA SUNDAY ELIMINATIONS Round 1: Jack Beckman, 3.984 Quarterfinals: Jack Beckman 3.972 Final: Jack Beckman 3.984 QUALIFYING SATURDAY Jack Beckman 3.992 Ron Capps, 3.989 FRIDAY Jack Beckman 3.991, 319.37 DSR CAREER BESTS AT TOPEKA TOP FUEL Tony Schumacher, 3.719 seconds FUNNY CAR Jack Beckman, 3.972, 322.65 mph Ron Capps, 324.12
Massey, Beckman to visit Sandvik Coromant N.J. headquarters June 3 to raise money with employees for Infinite Hero Foundation Jack Beckman and Spencer Massey, two of the top stars in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, will be joined by key members of Don Schumacher Racing on Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for an open house at Sandvik Coromant headquarters in Fair Lawn, N.J., that is open to the public. Joining Beckman and Massey, who will drive DSR s Sandvik Coromant Top Fuel Dragster June 5-7 in the NHRA SummerNationals at Englishtown, N.J., will be DSR senior vice president Mike Lewis and John Medlen, one of the most respected technicians and crew chiefs in NHRA to highlight Sandvik Coromant s role in DSR technology and machining of key parts. Massey s Sandvik Coromant Top Fuel dragster will be on display along with examples of engine and clutch parts manufactured by Don Schumacher Motorsports utilizing Sandvik Coromant cutting tools and application knowledge. In addition to a barbecue lunch at 12:30 p.m. followed by a one-hour autograph session with Massey and Beckman, who won the recent NHRA Funny Car title on May 24 at Topeka, Kan. The open house for Sandvik Coromant customers will feature machining demonstrations from 1:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. A raffle also will be held to benefit Infinite Hero (InfiniteHero.org), a foundation that funds innovative treatments for veterans with service related mental or physical injuries. Sandvik Coromant will match all employees donations. In 2013, a similar fund-raiser generated $2,800 for the Wounded Warrior Project. NEXT STOP: 50th Wally DSR 2012 Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown and three-time world champion crew chief Rahn Tobler will reach a special milestone the next time they re in the winner s circle of an NHRA Mello Yello event. Brown owns 49 Wally trophies with 33 coming in Top Fuel and 16 in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Thirty-one of his Top Fuel titles are with crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald, and 32 of the 49 have been with Don Schumacher Racing. Tobler has won 49 times as a crew chief, most recently with Ron Capps and the NAPA AUTO PARTS 2015 Dodge Charger R/T where he has won 12 times. Tobler also won three at DSR with driver Jack Beckman. The balance of his wins were with Doug Kalitta (14), Cruz Pedregon (3) and Shirley Muldowney (16). Rahn Tobler
DSR SCRAPBOOK TOPEKA 2015
DSR drivers 2015: career statistics, standings thru Topeka (8 of 24) DSR TOP FUEL ANTRON BROWN: Matco Tools/U.S. Army 2015 1st 8 2 1 2 2 1 2 0 16-6 CAREER 318 49 (33 TF/16 PSB) 41 65 85 74 39 3 533-266 Best Time, Speed: 3.701 sec.-nhra record (2012, Reading, Pa.); 328.78 mph (2012, Reading) TONY SCHUMACHER: U.S. Army 2015 2nd 8 1 2 0 2 3 1 0 12-7 CAREER 416 78 56 64 109 101 77 8 715-330 Best Time, Speed: 3.719 sec. (2015, Topeka); 330.55 mph (2014, Las Vegas 2) SPENCER MASSEY: Sandvik Coromant/Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher 2015 4th 8 1 0 3 2 2 1 0 12-7 CAREER 128 18 14 30 30 33 8 2 202-107 Best Time, Speed: 3.728 sec. (2012, Englishtown, N.J.); 332.18 mph, (2015, Pomona; 2012, Charlotte 1) DSR FUNNY CAR RON CAPPS: NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T 2015 1st 8 2 2 0 1 3 0 0 15-6 CAREER 443 45 (44 FC/1 TF) 44 76 89 171 16 18 553-380 Best Time, Speed: 3.964 sec., (2012, Englishtown, N.J.); 324.12 mph (2015, Topeka) MATT HAGAN: Mopar Express Lane/ Rocky Boots Dodge Charger R/T 14 Funny Car World Champ 2015 2nd 8 2 0 2 2 2 2 0 14-6 CAREER 152 16 16 23 46 47 19 4 203-132 Best Time, Speed: 3.975 sec. (2015, Phoenix); 324.83 (2015, Phoenix) JACK BECKMAN: Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T 2015 3rd 8 2 1 0 2 2 1 1 12-5 CAREER 212 17 21 37 60 70 11 7 263-188 Best Time, Speed: 3.972 sec. (2015, Topeka); 322.04 mph (2015, Topeka) TOMMY JOHNSON JR.: Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T 2015 7th 8 0 0 2 5 0 0 0 8-8 CAREER 354 10 (8 FC/2 TF) 15 47 85 152 10 47 264-300 Best Time, Speed: 3.999 sec. (2014, Joliet, Ill.); 322.73 mph (2014, Pomona 1) 2015 NHRA MELLO YELLO CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (Through Topeka, 8 of 24 races; DSR drivers in CAPS) TOP FUEL FUNNY CAR DRIVER (WINS) POINTS BEHIND DRIVER (WINS) POINTS BEHIND 1. ANTRON BROWN (2) 628 --- 1. RON CAPPS (2) 580 ---- 2. TONY SCHUMACHER (1) 575-53 2. MATT HAGAN (2) 575-5 3. Richie Crampton (2) 547-81 3. JACK BECKMAN (2) 531-49 4. SPENCER MASSEY (1) 530-98 4. Del Worsham 507-73 5. Doug Kalitta (1) 502-126 5. John Force (1) 502-78 6. Larry Dixon 476-152 6. Robert Hight 460-120 7. Shawn Langdon (1) 473-155 7. TOMMY JOHNSON JR. 456-124 8. JR Todd 411-227 8. Tim Wilkerson (1) 447-133 9. Clay Millican 395-233 9. Alexis DeJoria 395-185 10. Steve Torrence 392-236 9. Cruz Pedregon 395-185
NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series (NOTE: order of events only correct for 2015) REGULAR SEASON 2013 DSR WINNNERS 2014 WINNERS 2015 WINNERS 1. Feb. 6-8 Pomona, Calif. TF Langdon/FC C. Force TF albalooshi FC J. Force TF Langdon FC MATT 2. Feb. 20-22 Phoenix TF TONY/FC RON TF ANTRON FC DeJoria TF TONY FC MATT 3. March 13-15 G ville, Fla. TF ANTRON/FC GRAY TF Kalitta FC Hight TF SPENCER FC RON 4. March 27-29 Charlotte TF SPENCER/FC MATT TF ANTRON FC Hight TF ANTRON FC JACK #100 5. April 10-12 Las Vegas TF TONY/FC Cruz TF TONY FC DeJoria TF Crampton FC J. Force 6. April 24-26 Houston TF Vandergriff/FC Cruz TF ANTRON FC Hight TF Kalitta FC RON 7. May 15-17 Atlanta (PSM) TF ANTRON/FC GRAY TF SPENCER FC Hight TF ANTRON FC Wilkerson 8. May 22-24 Topeka, Kan. TF Langdon/FC GRAY TF SPENCER FC C. Force TF Crampton FC JACK #250 9. June 5-7 Englishtown TF Langdon/FC MATT TF Crampton FC C. Pedregon TF FC 10. June 12-14 Epping, N.H. TF SPENCER/FC C. Force TF TONY FC RON TF FC 11. June 19-21 Bristol TF S. Torrence/FC J. Force TF Langdon FC TOMMY TF FC 12. July 3-5 Norwalk, Ohio TF alballoshi/fc GRAY TF ANTRON FC J. Force TF FC 13. July 10-12 Chicago TF TONY/FC MATT TF ANTRON FC MATT TF FC 14. July 24-26 Denver TF SPENCER/FC Cruz TF Todd FC Hight TF FC 15. Jul 31-Au. 2 Sonoma TF Langdon/FC RON TF albalooshi FC C. Force TF FC 16. Aug. 7-9 Seattle TF Lucas/ FC MATT TF Kalitta FC J. Force TF FC 17. Aug. 21-23 Brainerd TF SPENCER/FC RON TF Lucas FC RON (Indy) TF FC 18. Sep. 3-7 Indianapolis TF Langdon/FC Hight TF Crampton FC DeJoria TF FC FC Traxxas JACK TF Traxxas TONY TF FC COUNTDOWN 2013 DSR WINNERS 2014 WINNERS 2015 WINNERS 19. Sept. 18-20 Charlotte TF Lucas/FC Hight TF TONY (Dallas) FC MATT (Dallas) TF FC 20. Sept.25-27 St. Louis TF ANTRON/FC J. Force TF ANTRON FC C. Force TF FC 21. Oct. 2-4 Reading, Pa. TF Langdon/FC J. Force TF TONY FC MATT TF FC 22. Oct. 16-18 Dallas TF Kalitta/FC Cruz TF TONY FC C. Force TF FC 23, Oc. 30-Nv. 1 Las Vegas TF ANTRON/FC J. Force TF SPENCER FC Worsham TF FC 24. Nov. 13-15 Pomona TF Langdon/FC MATT TF Lucas FC MATT TF FC DSR TOTALS: TF = 11/FC = 12 TF = 14 FC = 7 TF = 4 FC = 6 DSR 2015 SEASON TOTALS 4 - Top Fuel event titles (Antron 2, Tony, Spencer,) 6 - Funny Car event titles (Matt 2, Ron 2, Jack 2) DSR 2014 SEASON TOTALS 2 - World championships (Tony s 8 th in Top Fuel, Matt s 2 nd in Funny Car) 14 - Top Fuel event titles (Antron 6, Tony 5, Spencer 3) 7 - Funny Car event titles (Matt 4, Ron 2, Tommy 1, Jack 0) DSR ALL-TIME TOTALS 13 - World championships (Tony 8, Matt 2, Antron 1, Jack Beckman 1, Gary Scelzi 1) 250 - NHRA Mello Yello event titles (Top Fuel 127, Funny Car 102, Pro Stock 3, Pro Stock Motorcycles 18) ABOUT DON SCHUMACHER RACING Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered near Indianapolis in Brownsburg, Ind., fields seven professional NHRA teams in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. In Top Fuel, the U.S. Army dragster driven by eight-time and reigning world champion Tony Schumacher, the 2012 NHRA Top Fuel world champion Matco Tools/U.S. Army dragster driven by Antron Brown and the Red Fuel by Schumacher/Sandvik Coromant dragster driven by Spencer Massey; and in Funny Car, two-time and reigning world champion Matt Hagan in the Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots 2015 Dodge Charger R/T, 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge of Ron Capps and the Make-A-Wish Dodge driven by Tommy Johnson Jr. DSR has won 250 NHRA national event titles and 13 world championships. Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing Don Schumacher Racing ShoeRacing.com - (317) 858-0356 Jeff Wolf wolfj@shoeracing.com