Tony Schumacher Out Early, but Undeterred

CHARLOTTE, NC – After a get-healthy weekend in Reading, Pa, which saw Tony Schumacher advance three spots in the Top Fuel standings thanks to a strong qualifying performance and semifinal finish, the Mike Neff/Jon Schaffer-tuned SCAG Power Equipment team was looking to carry their newfound momentum down to Concord, N.C. for the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals.

At the second event of the six-race NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoff series, Schumacher and the SCAG team continued to run strong. Right out of the trailer, they unloaded with a 3.700-second pass, their quickest of the season, in the opening session on Friday night. During the third and final qualifying round, the team backed up their Q1 run by once again resetting their season-best E.T. The SCAG dragster blasted down the track with header flames high through the 1,000-foot beams to post a 3.692 E.T., placing them sixth on the Top Fuel ladder.

Armed with the advantage of lane choice, Schumacher drew No. 9 qualifier Shawn Langdon as his first-round opponent on Sunday morning. The two Top Fuel world champions were the first pair to hit the track on race day and while they left close together and were dead-even by the time they approached the 330-foot marker, Schumacher’s machine started to lose traction near the eighth mile, opening up the door for his opponent to pull away for the win.

“You know, we were running good, and that run today, we missed it by a tiny little bit. I’m tired of saying that but even Zippy and L.J. (Neff and Schaffer) said it up there, it was fast from the hit, and it never got to grab hold of that track. It was just building heat in that tire,” said Schumacher, the winningest Top Fuel driver in NHRA history.

“We had too much potential today with the point leaders going out, the guys behind me going out. We could have moved up to the top 4 or 5, I don’t even know,” added Schumacher of the Top Fuel points battle that continues to heat up as the championship chase intensifies. “I hate that it turned out that way today, and I wish we didn’t pick the left lane, not sure that would have changed anything, but looking back at that session in Top Fuel and Funny Car, so many good cars went out in that left lane, maybe it was something there because too many good cars couldn’t judge that left lane.”

While disappointed that the team wasn’t able to capitalize on the points opportunities and make a run deep into the field on Sunday at zMAX Dragway, Schumacher is happy with how much the performance of the car has picked up as of late, particularly over the last few events.

“It’s unfortunate that we were eliminated first round today, but that being said, this is a totally different car than we had in the first half of the season. We’ve got a great car; it’s getting better every time. To be the champ, you’re going to have to run quicker 3.60s, but we have to inch toward that. The guys are doing a hell of a job and I’m proud as heck to race with them and I’m looking forward to getting to the next one.”

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series heads to World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis next weekend, Sept. 29 – Oct. 1, for the NHRA Midwest Nationals, the third of a three-race back-to-back swing. Schumacher and the SCAG Power Equipment Top Fuel team will begin the weekend from 10th in the Top Fuel standings.

Qualified: No. 6 (3.692 E.T. at 331.12 MPH)

Elimination Round Results:
E1: 4.257 E.T. at 200.65 MPH defeated by Shawn Langdon 3.764 E.T. at 328.38 MPH