Mopar Driver Schumacher Puts Top Fuel Dragster No. 1 in Abbreviated Atlanta Qualifying

Commerce, GA – Due to persistent rain on Friday, competitors in the Nitro categories of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series had only two tries this weekend to lay down the quickest qualifying lap for the 37th annual Southern Nationals. It mattered little to eight-time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher and his Mopar-backed team. They put HEMI® power No. 1 in the Top Fuel category during their last chance to claim the top spot at Atlanta Dragway on Saturday afternoon.

Schumacher turned in a lap of 3.736 seconds at 325.45 mph in his U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster during Saturday’s second and final round of the one-day qualifying program. The pass was good enough to claim the fourth No. 1 qualifying position for Mopar-powered Top Fuel cars fielded by Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) this year. It is the 82nd No. 1 of Schumacher’s career and puts him in prime position to pick up his first win at the track northeast of Atlanta.

Schumacher also claimed the No. 1 spot at the Gatornationals in March, while his teammate Leah Pritchett has been the top qualifier in the Top Fuel category on two occasions in 2017. Pritchett will start from No. 11 on the elimination ladder in her Papa John’s Pizza/Mopar Pennzoil machine.

Friday’s washout meant that each team got just two passes on Saturday instead of the usual four scheduled over the first two days of the event.

Mopar Funny Cars also made the best of the abbreviated schedule, with three of the four in the DSR contingent making laps that will put them in the top four when the elimination ladder begins to pare down the 16-car field on Sunday. Matt Hagan led the way in his Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T, turning in a pass of 3.930 seconds at 325.45 mph to put him in the No. 2 position. Tommy Johnson Jr. qualified No. 3, while Ron Capps laid down a lap that puts him in the No. 4 spot.

Five Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car drivers are in the running to hoist the Wally trophy.