DSR heads to Las Vegas with Top Fuel, Funny Car points leads U.S. Army, Tony nearing 8 th world title; Hagan, Mopar team going for 2nd At the midway point of the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, Don Schumacher Racing s Tony Schumacher and the U.S. Army Top Fuel team and teammate Matt Hagan and his Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Funny Car group were not among the favorites to win their respective world championships this year. That, however, has changed dramatically. Each team will carry championship points leads into Las Vegas Motor Speedway next week for the penultimate event of the 24-race Mello Yello series and only the final at Pomona, Calif., two weeks later will remain in the season. Everything has changed since the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoff began, especially at Dallas for completion of the Countdown opener postponed from Charlotte on Sept. 20 and the following day with eliminations for the Dallas event. Tony with crew chief Mike Green won both event titles and took over the Top Fuel points lead. Matt and crew chief Dickie Venables won the Dallas title. The playoff surge was on. Two events later, Tony and Matt gave DSR its 41 st double-up at Reading, Pa., giving Tony a 134- point lead over the field heading to Las Vegas, and Matt his first points lead of the year and a 36-point lead over reigning and 16-time Funny Car champion John Force. A Mello Yello driver can clinch a championship at Las Vegas if he or she holds a 151-point lead after the event. A perfect Mello Yello weekend is worth 150 points: each entrant that makes a qualifying pass gets 10 points, the quickest in each of four qualifying sessions gets 3 points for a potential of 12 total, the final No. 1 qualifying spot pays 8 points, each of the 16 qualifiers gets 20 points and 20 points are awarded to the winner of each of the four elimination rounds. A driver leaving the event with a new NHRA national elapsed time record earns a 20-point bonus. Because a potential 300 points can be earned over the last two events, DSR has four other drivers and teams in contention for championships. Tommy Johnson Jr. (Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T) is No. 4 and trails Matt by 114 points with Ron Capps (NAPA AUTO PARTS) ranked seventh, 169 out of the lead. In Top Fuel, Antron Brown (Matco Tools Tools for the Cause ) is No. 5 (170 behind) with teammate Spencer Massey (Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher) in seventh (189 behind).
The Countdown contenders certainly will narrow after Las Vegas. Tony is close to extending his Top Fuel record championship total to eight and second with Green and assistant Neal Strausbaugh. It would be the first time a championship was won by a team utilizing the DSR-developed enclosed safety canopy that is used by three DSR dragsters and others driven Brittany Force, Chris The Greek Karamesines and Jenna Haddock. Tony debuted the canopy in 2012 and used it for the last eight events of the season. A year ago, DSR won three of 12 titles in the Countdown. So far through four Countdown events, DSR has won six of a possible eight including three by Tony, one by Antron, and two by Matt. T.J. on cusp of career-best finish Tommy T.J. Johnson Jr. will be disappointed if he and his Make-A-Wish team led by rookie crew chief John Collins and assistant Rip Reynolds do not win the 2014 championship, but the team has had a remarkable season. Not only has the team with sponsor Terry Chandler hosted scores of special Make-A-Wish children and their families throughout the year at Mello Yello events, but T.J. is close to ending an NHRA season with his highest finish in the standings in his first year of full-time racing since 2008. T.J., who is one event title away from tying his career best of two, finished sixth in points in 2005 and 2006 while driving for team owner Don Snake Prudhomme. The Make-A-Wish team came close at the last event near Reading, Pa., when it advanced to the championship round before losing a close race to teammate Matt Hagan. DSR autograph session on The Bridge at New York New York Don Schumacher Racing s drivers will hold a special autograph session on Thursday in front of the New York New York 6-8 p.m. Thursday to kick off the NHRA Toyota Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The free gathering provides fans with autograph cards for each driver including Antron Brown, Spencer Massey and Tony Schumacher in Top Fuel, and Jack Beckman, Ron Capps, Matt Hagan and Tommy Johnson Jr. in Funny Car. This is the fifth year that New York-New York Hotel & Casino is DSR s official home when the NHRA drag racing juggernaut rolls into Las Vegas. Also appearing will be a U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster belonging to the team that is leading the Top Fuel championship standings. The dragster will move into the lobby of New York-New York after the autograph session and remain there for the duration of the NHRA event.
Antron Brown and Don Schumacher Racing s Matco Tools Top Fuel team are racing for a cause more important than NHRA Wally trophies this October, helping raise awareness and funds for Susan G. Komen during national breast cancer awareness month. Antron s Matco Tools dragster featured a special pink paint scheme during the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at Reading, Pa., and will race with it this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The body features the names of more than 1,350 who have fought or are fighting breast cancer. Names were submitted last month to Matco Tools Facebook (facebook.com/matcotools) and Twitter (twitter.com/matcotools) pages. Antron is driving for his mother-in-law, Linda Matranga, a breast cancer survivor, as I Drive For Linda will adorn his firesuit and race car. October is a very important month to our series because it s right in the middle of our Countdown (to the Championship) playoff, but October means even more to our Matco Tools team here at DSR, Brown said. My wife s mother is a breast cancer survivor and this disease has affected our family as it has many others. At Reading, Jack Beckman s Dodge Charger R/T also featured the Matco Tools I Drive For theme and he raced for his mother, JoAnne L. Beckman, who lost her fight with breast cancer in January 1994. I have to really thank Matco for doubling-up their efforts to carry the colors on my car along with Antron s, Jack said. Matco Tools didn t have to take that extra step. The tribute to all 1,350 names including my mom's on our car is extra special. I m a cancer survivor and you do anything you can to try to be a part of something that eventually saves lives. There probably are many families in America that have not been affected in some level, but I lost my mom and it couldn t be any more personal. The Matco Tools Tools for the Cause program has raised more than $425,000 for Komen, funding breast cancer research and lifesaving community programs. Antron and the Matco Tools Top Fuel team first adorned the pink Komen colors during October 2012 event near Reading when he set the NHRA elapsed time national record at 3.701 seconds that stands today. The record lap helped vault him to the 2012 NHRA Top Fuel World championship. Last October, Antron put his Matco Tools for the Cause dragster in the winner s circle at Las Vegas. NHRA stars, fans, bowlers roll for DSR s Riley fundraiser There won t be any losers on Wednesday night (Dec. 10) when some of world s top professional drag racers join with the Indianapolis bowling community and race fans at Royal Pin s Western Bowl in Indianapolis to make one big winner. And the big winner will be the Riley Hospital for Children and Riley Children s Foundation. The fifth annual DSR Bowling for Children fundraiser will be at Royal Pin s Western Bowl at 6441 W. Washington St. near Indianapolis. DSR drivers compete fiercely against each other and our NHRA rivals, but on this winter night we ll all be on the same team supporting the kids and families who trust Riley Hospital for Children to provide unequalled medical care, said Mike Lewis, DSR senior vice president. We are proud to contribute the proceeds from our two annual DSR fundraising events to the Riley Hospital Foundation.
DSR also has an open-house and car show at its Brownsburg headquarters during the U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Brownsburg over Labor Day Weekend that has combined with the bowling event and other endeavors to raise more than $300,000 for the Riley Children s Foundation. Leading the roster of sports celebrities expected at the event will be NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series stars, including: The Riley Children s Foundation receives all proceeds from the tournament that will feature the fun No-Tap scoring format where nine pins down on the first ball also is scored as a strike. The event begins with appetizers and soft drinks at 6 p.m. for all entrants and those with VIP access to the Hall of Fame private room. Bowler registration is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Driver and VIP introductions are slated for 7:15 p.m. with bowling to start 15 minutes later. The entry fee is $60 per bowler, and teams of four or individuals are welcome. Each entry includes the cost of bowling, admission into the VIP room, a special event T-shirt and rental shoes if needed. Non-bowling spectator admission is $10 and one child 12 and younger will be admitted free with a paying adult. A special $5 spectator pass is available for anyone with a Performance Racing Industry credential. Don Schumacher Racing s U.S. Army Top Fuel team along with DSR and NHRA executives visited The Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery and Pentagon Memorial to 9/11 in Arlington County, Va., on Oct. 7, which was two days after the team won the NHRA event title at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa. During their private tour of the Pentagon, Tony presented Army dignitaries with the NHRA Wally trophy he had just won at Maple Grove Raceway. DSR driver statistics, standings for Las Vegas 2 (Through Reading after 22 of 24 events) TOP FUEL TONY SCHUMACHER: U.S. Army 2014 1st 22 5 0 5 6 6 4 0 36-17 CAREER 406 77 53 64 107 97 76 8 700-321 Best Time, Speed: 3.735 sec. (10-5-14, Reading, Pa.); 330.30 mph (4-15-12, Charlotte 1) ANTRON BROWN: Matco Tools Tools for the Cause 2014 5th 22 6 2 4 2 8 3 0 39-16 CAREER 308 47 (31 TF/16 PSB) 40 62 84 72 37 3 515-258
Best Time, Speed: 3.701*/** sec. (10-8-12, Reading, Pa.); 328.78 mph (10-8-12, Reading) * Quickest ever/** NHRA record SPENCER MASSEY: Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher 2014 7th 22 2 0 3 11 6 0 0 24-20 CAREER 117 16 14 27 29 29 7 2 186-99 Best Time, Speed: 3.728 sec. (5-31-12, Englishtown, N.J.); 332.18 mph FUNNY CAR MATT HAGAN: Mopar Express Lane Mopar Dodge Charger R/T 2014 1st 22 3 2 4 6 6 1 0 33-19 CAREER 142 13 16 20 42 45 16 4 183-125 Best Time, Speed: 3.986 sec. (7-26-2013, Sonoma, Calif.); 322.27 mph (9-17-11, Charlotte 2) TOMMY JOHNSON JR.: Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T 2014 4th 22 1 2 4 10 5 1 0 28-21 CAREER 344 10 (8 FC/2 TF) 15 44 79 152 10 47 252-290 Best Time, Speed: 3.999 sec. (2014, Joliet, Ill.); 322.73 mph (2014, Pomona 1) RON CAPPS: NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T 2014 7th 22 2 1 9 3 8 1 0 30-20 CAREER 433 43 (42 FC/1 TF) 42 77 86 168 16 18 536-372 Best Time, Speed: 3.964 sec., (5-31-12, Englishtown, N.J.); 320.89 mph (5-31-12, Englishtown) JACK BECKMAN: Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T 2014 11th 22 0 1 2 7 12 0 0 14-22 CAREER 202 15 20 37 58 66 10 6 251-181 Best Time, Speed: 3.986 sec. (10-6-12, Reading, Pa.); 320.30 mph (4-15-12, Charlotte 1) Spencer Massey advances during the event at Maple Grove Raceway driving a special DSR edition dragster for Odyssey batteries to the delight of Odyssey guests and employees from its nearby headquarters at Reading, Pa. NHRA MELLO YELLO CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS Ron Capps and the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T are eager to get to Las Vegas where Capps has won five times. (Points through Reading; DSR drivers in CAPS) TOP FUEL FUNNY CAR driver (wins) points behind driver (wins) points behind 1. TONY SCHUMACHER (5) 2,462 ---- 1. MATT HAGAN (3) 2,423 ---- 2. Doug Kalitta (2) 2,328-134 2. John Force (3) 2,387-36 3. Steve Torrence 2,319-143 3. Courtney Force (4) 2,351-72 4. Shawn Langdon (1) 2,314-148 4. TOMMY JOHNSON JR. (1) 2,309-114 5. ANTRON BROWN (6) 2,292-170 5. Robert Hight (5) 2,288-135 6. J.R. Todd (1) 2,288-174 6. Alexis DeJoria (3) 2,268-155 7. SPENCER MASSEY (2) 2,273-189 7. RON CAPPS (2) 2,254-169
8. Khalid albalooshi (2) 2,240-222 8. Del Worsham 2,227-196 9. Brittany Force 2,188-274 9. Tim Wilkerson 2,207-216 10. Richie Crampton (2) 2,177-285 10. Cruz Pedregon (1) 2,196-227 11. JACK BECKMAN 1,028 ---- 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Jan. 15-18 PBIR, Jupiter, Fla. testing REGULAR SEASON 2013 DSR WINNNERS 2014 WINNERS 1. Feb. 6-9 Pomona, Calif. TF albalooshi FC J. Force 2. Feb. 21-23 Phoenix TF Tony FC Ron TF ANTRON FC DeJoria 3. March 13-16 Gainesville, Fla. TF Antron/200 FC Gray TF Kalitta FC Hight 4. March 28-30 Las Vegas TF Tony TF TONY FC DeJoria 5. April 11-13 Charlotte, N.C. TF Spencer FC Matt TF ANTRON FC Hight 6. April 25-27 Houston TF ANTRON FC Hight 7. May 16-18/19 Atlanta (PSM) TF Antron FC Gray TF SPENCER FC Hight 8. May 23-25 Topeka, Kan. FC Gray TF SPENCER FC C. Force 9. May 29-June 1 Englishtown FC Matt TF Crampton FC C. Pedregon 10. June 13-15 Bristol, Tenn. TF Langdon FC TOMMY 11. June 19-22 Epping, N.H. TF Spencer TF TONY FC RON 12. June 26-29 Chicago TF Tony FC Matt TF ANTRON FC MATT 13. July 3-6 Norwalk, Ohio FC Gray TF ANTRON FC J.Force 14. July 18-20 Denver TF Spencer TF Todd FC Hight 15. July 25-27 Sonoma, Calif. FC Ron TF albalooshi FC C. Force 16. Aug. 1-3 Seattle FC Matt TF Kalitta FC J. Force 17. Aug. 14-17 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. 12-14 Charlotte, N.C. TF TONY FC MATT 20. Sept. 19-21 Dallas TF TONY FC C. Force 21. Sept. 26-28 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 FC 24. Nov. 14-16 Pomona, Calif. FC Matt TF FC Don Schumacher Racing ShoeRacing.com - (317) 858-0356 Jeff Wolf Leah Vaughn wolfj@shoeracing.com vaughnl@shoeracing.com (702) 524-1368, cell (618) 516-1988, cell