U.S. Army Teammates Seeking Indy Success on Drag Racing’s Biggest Stage
INDIANAPOLIS , IN – Performing at his best when the pressure is at its greatest has always been the mantra for U.S. Army Top Fuel 
driver Tony “The Sarge” Schumacher. The seven-time Mello Yello NHRA Top Fuel champion has defined his illustrious career with signature-moment victories. Several have occurred in world’s most prestigious drag race, the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.
Schumacher and his U.S. Army teammate, Antron Brown, enter the sport’s biggest weekend carrying the colors that only the strongest wear, reflecting the strengths of the more than 1 million Army Strong soldiers they and their teams represent with a goal of making history.
Schumacher raced the U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster for Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) to victory in Indy last September to become the only Top Fuel driver to win the event nine times. The victory allowed him to break his tie with “Big Daddy” Don Garlits in the Top Fuel division and tied him with Bob Glidden as the all-time winningest drivers in the event. This weekend, “The Sarge” is not only embracing the opportunity to become the only driver with 10 U.S. Nationals wins, but he’s looking forward to a weekend packed with pressure.
Success in the U.S. Nationals has been the mission throughout Schumacher’s career. The Long Grove, Ill., native made his NHRA Top Fuel debut in the 1996 U.S. Nationals. It almost came to a storybook ending as he qualified 16th but raced all the way to the final before losing to Cory McClenathan. Four years later, Schumacher, DSR and the U.S. Army began their incredible relationship at the U.S. Nationals in 2000 by winning the event.
From that point on, it became apparent there was something special going on at Indy for Schumacher and the U.S. Army team. He made eight consecutive finals starting in 2002, winning 2002 through 2004 and 2006 through 2009. He’s been in the final 11 times in 17 U.S. Nationals appearances. His victory over Spencer Massey in last year’s final was his 46th round win at the facility and launched him into the Countdown to the Championship loaded with confidence.
The deep tradition of the U.S. Nationals is something Brown realizes every day. The New Jersey native has called Brownsburg, Ind., home for more than a decade and understands the importance of success at the U.S. Nationals. The reigning Top Fuel world champion is a three-time U.S. Nationals winner. His first two wins came while he was competing in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, winning first in 2000 and then again in 2004. Two years ago, he captured his first Top Fuel U.S. Nationals triumph, which culminated an incredibly consistent weekend. Brown was the event’s top qualifier for the second time – he qualified No. 1 in 2009, as well – and posted four runs in the 3.8-second range to earn the coveted victory. Last year, Brown qualified third and made it back to the semifinal before being knocked out by Massey.
In addition to positioning themselves for Monday’s eliminations, the U.S. Army tandem of Schumacher and Brown will compete Saturday in the second annual Traxxas Nitro Shootout that will pay the winning team $100,000. Schumacher will race Steve Torrence while Brown faces Khalid alBalooshi to open the event. The first round and semifinals of the Shootout will run concurrently with the third and fourth qualifying sessions of the U.S. Nationals schedule.
The 59th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals will be showcased nationwide on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD with more than 10 hours of coverage. Qualifying sessions and the Traxxas Shootout for both Top Fuel and Funny Car will be part of Sunday’s telecast, which airs from 1 to 6 p.m. EDT. Monday’s coverage of the U.S. Nationals elimination rounds begins at noon.
TONY “THE SARGE” SCHUMACHER, driver of the U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster:
This is the 18th event of the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season and final event before the Countdown to the Championship. You are sitting third in the standings with a shot at second but, with it being the U.S. Nationals, does the focus on the big picture take a back seat this weekend?
“You always have to keep the big picture in mind, and that’s winning a world championship, but it’s Indy. It’s a great place for us. We’ve seen in years past that the championship comes down to the last race at Pomona. We’ve seen over the last couple of years because of the Countdown that every point matters. Obviously, we’d rather go into the Countdown in second, instead of third. That’s a 10-point difference when the Countdown starts and we lost the title last year by seven. We’ve got to make up 50 points and, to do that, we’ll have to start our qualifying strong and get as many points as we can and go out and win the race. We were pleased with what we accomplished testing at Indy last week. We have a good handle of our U.S. Army Dragster right now, and we can’t wait to get started Friday night.”
The storyline going into the last couple of Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals was if you could get that ninth victory and surpass Don Garlits for most-ever Top Fuel wins in Indy. After last year’s triumph, it’s about becoming the only driver to win 10 U.S. Nationals. Is that something on your mind heading into the weekend?
“Absolutely. Some people like the pressure being big. Do you not think about it? No, I do every minute. To have the chance right now, we’re sitting on an opportunity to win 10 U.S. Nationals. No one has ever done that before, and I think that plays to our benefit. We’re better with the pressure on. That’s what our team has been great at. Each member of this U.S. Army Racing team plays a vital role in the success of the car on the track. Similarly, every Soldier, no matter which of the more than 150 career options he or she chooses in the Army, is vital to the success of the mission. The last several years have been high pressure, because we were trying to get number nine. No one had ever done this before. Can you pull it off? Can you tie Big Daddy? You know, the records a few years ago in ’08, we had won so many races in a row, (crew chief) Alan Johnson announced he was leaving. The pressure was on, there. Then, to come back in 2009, we’ve got a new team and beat Alan’s car (with Larry Dixon) in the final. We’re great at those moments. I think, once again, the reason we win this race is because we are great at high-pressure, big moments. This is the highest-pressure, biggest moment. We have a gift of a moment, and that moment is having a chance to win 10 U.S. Nationals. In order to have the outcome we’re hoping for, we have to do what is perfect, and that starts with preparation. You come into this thing with the gift of the moment and you show up prepared with the right people to do it. My nine-man U.S. Army team has been preparing for this weekend all season and we’re really looking forward to it.”
You’ve always said that this is a sport where teams win championships. How important are the guys the make up your U.S. Army crew?
“They’re the best. If everyone had equal cars, our team’s going to come out ahead because we have such a good positive attitude when the pressure’s on. That comes from being part of a class organization like Don Schumacher Racing. Everyone from my dad, all the crew chiefs, the drivers and every crew member on each team plays a role it in. We get it. We understand that championships are won by getting through the pressure races and by getting through the big, monster moments because we’re all going to have them. The U.S. Army team has been together for a long time. We can rely on each other. (Crew chief) Mike Green and (assistant crew chief) Neil (Strausbaugh), they don’t have to ask me what I’m going to do on the next run. I don’t have to ask them what they’re going to do. They’re going to give me their best and I’m going to do the same thing. Over the years you grow to understand that, and it allows your team gets stronger and stronger. The level of engineering and teamwork on display at the racetrack is reflective of the Army’s leading-edge technology and the powerful, realistic training of its Army Strong Soldiers. We understand each other. That’s such an important part of the game that lasts three-and-a-half seconds, being able to put the faith in the driver, put the faith in the crew chiefs. That’s the biggest difference and that’s why we win together.”
ANTRON BROWN, driver of the Matco Tools/U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster:
When you have 24 events in a season, how can one event be so important?
“Man, this is the U.S. Nationals. It’s Indy. It doesn’t get bigger than this. It’s our biggest race of the year. Legends in drag racing made their name by winning in Indy. Yeah, we have 24 races out there and ultimately winning the championship is your goal but, winning Indy is always your goal, too. It’s the one race that can make your season. There’s nothing like being able to race in front of your family and friends, but doing it at Indy is even more special. The pressure is what you dream about. We’ve got qualifying. There’s $100,000 on the line for the Traxxas Shootout. It’s just special. With all that pressure and adrenaline, we know we’re going to have fun, too. I’ve been fortunate to win the U.S. Nationals, and I can tell you there’s something special about being in that winner’s circle on Monday.”
Last year, you came to Indy as the defending race winner and leader in the championship standings. You enter the weekend in a battle for the fourth, fifth and sixth position in the standings. Are you entering the U.S. Nationals with the goal of having a good weekend and starting the Countdown from the fourth position?
“We definitely want to have a successful weekend in Indy because it’s the kind of race that can change your season. This year has been a little different for our Matco Tools/U.S. Army team. (Crew chiefs) Brian (Corradi) and Mark (Oswald) have been creeping up on it. This is the time when everyone wants his team to be having its best results. We’ve used some runs throughout the season to actually work on our tune-up and setup for the Countdown. I’ve got all the confidence that we’re going to peak at the right time starting this weekend in Indy.”
After winning the championship last season, you started your title defense with some new faces on your crew. Is your team ready for the toughest part of the season?
“For sure. We have four new guys on our crew and the rest of the guys are doing a different job on the car, so it’s been a learning experience, for sure. I really feel like we’ve jelled as a team. We’ve been through some hard times, and I’ve been very impressed how all of us have handled it. We’ve kept a steady mindset and haven’t let anything beat us down. We all want to win. We’ve been winning rounds here and there, lately, but not like we did to start the season. I think everyone is really hungry to get back to winning rounds every weekend. That’s the kind of attitude you want heading into the biggest race of the year. It’s also the best way to go into the Countdown when your goal is to do whatever it takes to win the championship.”
