Schumacher’s hot Saturday lands U.S. Army No. 2 seed at Denver

Beckman, Infinite Hero Dodge No. 3 in Mopar Mile-High Nationals

MORRISON, CO – This weekend’s Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals near Denver marks the third consecutive NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event when Don Schumacher Racing and other teams dealt with evening and night-time qualifying sessions before facing afternoon racing for Sunday’s championship eliminations.

That doesn’t lessen the importance of qualifying because every driver wants to enter Sunday’s first round scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. (MT) with its choice of lanes that goes to the higher seeded team.

Each of Don Schumacher Racing’s seven teams are qualified in the top-eight in their respective categories of Top Fuel and Funny Car ensuring each will get to pick the lane they want in the opening round.

And every advantage is magnified with the power-choking 5,800-foot altitude of the splendid mountainside facility outside of Denver.

“We’re alright right now,” said Antron Brown, who has won twice at Denver in six championship rounds and qualified No. 8 for Sunday. “And Sunday’s a whole different ballgame. In the semis, the sun’s really going to be beating down and the track’s going to be as hot as it’s going to be all day and you’ll be lucky to run a 3. 98 or a 4-flat. That’s what Denver does.”

“Our main game is knowing how to keep improving on the car and to know how to run hard and good when the conditions are cool, like they are Friday and Saturday nights. It takes a little different mindset to work your way through the weekend here in Denver.”

Don Schumacher Racing’s U.S. Army team with points leader and reigning world champion Tony Schumacher was the quickest DSR dragster Friday and quickest overall in each of Saturday’s sessions with best time of 3.796 (325.37) and earned the No. 2 qualifying position behind pole winner Larry Dixon (Bob Vandergriff Racing) who set the track record Friday night with a time of 3.791 (326.63).

In Funny Car, the highest qualified DSR 2015 Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car at No. 3 is Jack Beckman (Infinite Hero) led by crew chief Jimmy Prock with a run of 4.035 (313.73) late Friday afternoon under ideal conditions on Thunder Mountain.

But teammate Matt Hagan (Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots) with Dickie Venables was quickest to open Saturday with a 4.124 (309.34) and followed with a 4.065 (310.20) that was his best of four qualifying sessions to earn the No. 6 position.

The Mopar Mile-High Nationals is the first of three races in three weeks that comprise the Western Swing that will include Mello Yello races at Sonoma next weekend followed by a trip to Seattle the following week.