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TOPEKA SWEEP FOR MOPAR
The NHRA Kansas Nationals last weekend was one for the history books in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and one Matt Hagan and crew chief Dickie Venables will not soon forget. After setting the national elapsed time and speed records on Friday night at Heartland Park Topeka with a 3.862-
second pass at 335.57 mph, the fastest a Funny Car has ever traveled in 1,000 feet or a quarter-mile, the Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots team led by Venables and assistant Michael Knudsen took the
event title on Sunday afternoon to earn an NHRA Wally trophy for the second straight weekend and jump from ninth to fourth in the Mello Yello standings. Under sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80s, NHRA fans tuning in live on Fox Sports 1 were treated to a wild pedalfest in Sundays’ final round between Hagan and his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Jack Beckman, who Hagan also beat in last weekend’s final round in the Southern Nationals at Atlanta. Hagan pedaled his 10,000-horsepower Dodge Charger R/T at least half a dozen times before crossing the finish line to earn his 20th career event title and first at Heartland Park Topeka. “It was wild,” Hagan said of the final round. “It’s important to put everything in perspective. We set world records for E.T and speed, and then to come back out here to win this race is a tribute to my guys and their hard work. My butt was puckered pretty good on that last run. “It was one of those deals where it was ‘oh no, oh no, oh no.’ I don’t know how many times I hit the fuel pedal but it was a lot. Sometimes you’re just thinking ‘don’t blow up’. To see the win lights come on all day, I’m just tickled about the job Dickie and all our Mopar/Rocky guys are doing.” Hagan completed three of four runs between 3.942 and 3.951 seconds before the final-round pedalfest. Beckman, who held on to second in points and is only 12 out of first, and the team led by crew chief Jimmy Prock with assistants John Medlen and Chris Cunningham nearly became the first Funny Car team to compete all eight runs in an event in less than four seconds. The semifinals, however, might have been the turning point for Hagan. A lengthy delay from a semifinals crash near the starting line by Tim Wilkerson, who was not injured, resulted in a lot of fluid being deposited on the left lane where Wilkerson came to a stop. Venables and DSR traction specialist Dave Fletcher made a major decision to switch lanes with Courtney Force because Beckman was quicker in the previous round that earned lane choice in the semis. Hagan blitzed the right lane while Force smoked the tires soon after leaving the line.
Ironically, the performance in the final round of both nitro categories were polar opposites to what had been the quickest weekend of racing in NHRA history. Antron Brown and the Matco Tools/U.S. Army team led by crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald were on the cusp of stopping an 11-round winning streak by Doug Kalitta in the final round, which was a replay of the previous week in Atlanta. At Topeka, both dragsters struggled to make it to the finish line; Kalitta’s winning time of 5.452 (238.85) held off a hard-charging Brown’s 5.687 at 298.60. “It’s not what we wanted, for sure,” said Brown, the two-time and reigning world champion who move up to second in the Mello Yello standings was racing in the 100th final round of his career. “That’s definitely a huge compliment, but that’s just a testament to our team. We always go into race day with a lot of confidence, it doesn’t make a difference where we qualify. We just compete.” It was a milestone weekend at ultra-fast Heartland Park, where national records were set by Hagan for time and speed in Funny Car and Brittney Force (3.676) in Top Fuel. Although Beckman lost the elapsed time record of 3.879, his best time of the weekend (3.866) and speed (332.59) were career bests. Tommy Johnson recorded a time of 3.899 at a career-best speed of 327.51 in the Make-A-Wish Dodge led by crew chief John Collins and sponsored by Terry Chandler, who also funds Beckman’s Infinite Hero Funny Car. The Mello Yello Series is off this weekend and returns June 3-5 at Epping, N.H., to begin a daunting stretch of four races in four weekends. Following Epping, the series moves to Englishtown, N.J., Bristol, Tenn., and Norwalk, Ohio.
DSR shop expansion nears completion
Welcome FireAde, Leah Pritchett
Leah Pritchett became the fourth woman to drive for Don Schumacher Racing when she debuted with DSR at Atlanta Dragway in the FireAde Top Fuel Dragster marking the first time DSR entered four dragsters in one event. It’s been a whirlwind year for the winner of the NHRA Top Fuel event title at this year’s second race. Her next races with DSR will be at Englishtown, N.J., the following weekend at Bristol, Tenn., and the U.S. Nationals, all with support from FireAde. More events are expected to be added. This development brings her nitro career full circle. The 28-year-old native of Redlands, Calif., who lives in Avon, Ind., earned her
nitro Funny Car license with DSR eight years ago. “I am thrilled to finally have Leah in the seat of a DSR racecar,” DSR owner and drag racing pioneer Don Schumacher said of the Cal State San Bernardino graduate.
“Don’t fight fires … extinguish them”
FireAde owners Ron and Teresa Thames
FireAde crew chiefs Mike Guger and Joe Barlam
“She showed me a lot when she tested with us and earned her NHRA license. But she is much more than a very good driver; she is an excellent marketer and outstanding representative of our sport.” FireAde provides the world’s most advanced, innovative and environmental friendly firefighting, tank cleaning and dust control products. FireAde, a product of Fire Service Plus Inc., is based in Fayetteville, Ga., near Atlanta and was founded by chief executive officer Ron Thames.
“A huge thanks goes to Ron and FireAde for the belief they have in us and making this happen so we can keep racing,” Pritchett said. Veteran crew chiefs Mike Guger and Joe Barlam joined Pritchett in her move to DSR. “If you would have asked a couple of weeks ago if I’d being running Atlanta I wouldn’t have bet too much on that happening,” Pritchett said. “When the door shut on all of us (at Bob Vandergriff Racing after the April 3 event at Las Vegas) it was not a fend-for-yourself moment. Our goal was to continue to race together and because of that we were able to go to Atlanta. Two of the previous women to drive for DSR went on to win multiple NHRA world championships: Erica Enders in Pro Stock and Angelle Sampey in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Melanie Troxel won two Top Fuel titles for DSR. “It’s ironic that it comes full circle for me that I will be driving for Don Schumacher in a Mello Yello race. He was the first one to see my potential when I was a teenager and helped me get my first fuel license. “To be able to run under his umbrella is a very proud moment for me.” ABOUT FIREADE Fire Service Plus Inc. was established in 1998 by Ron Thames, president and chief executive officer. Since 1984, Thames’ products continue to revolutionize and change the firefighting industry. He has been awarded domestic and international patents and served on the U.S. President's small business council in an advisory capacity. Fire Service Plus is a recognized global leader that consistently surpasses industry standards by manufacturing the most advanced, innovative and environmental friendly firefighting, tank cleaning and dust control products. These groundbreaking products have 30 years of pioneering research and development combined. The Ronnie Thames Foundation was founded in 2004 by Ron Thames to honor his late son, Ronnie. They worked together to develop FireAde products before his untimely death. The Ronnie Thames Foundation (RonnieThamesFoundation.org) is dedicated to community involvement by creating a 1st through 3rd grade program with local fire departments to teach children about ire prevention and safety. One element of the program is to each year honor firefighters who believe in the spirit of community service and dedication by shining the spotlight on these silent heroes.
RonnieThamesFoundation.org
AutoImagery.com photos of the race For DSR photos, contact AutoImagery.com
Clockwise from left: Atlanta winner Matt Hagan with his No. 1 fan, Nolan Lopez; Above Red Fuel/Sandvik Coromant crew member Gerad Steward uses Pennzoil to lubricate the engine’s supercharger; and Ref Fuel teammate Brandon Lambert keeps an eye on the
engine’s bottom end.
DSR drivers 2016: career statistics, standings (through Topeka)
DSR TOP FUEL DRAGSTERS
ANTRON BROWN: Matco Tools/U.S. Army *2015 WORLD CHAMPION Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L 2016 2nd 8 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 15-7 CAREER 342 55 (39 TF/16 PSB) 45 71 89 79 44 3 583-284 Best Time, Speed: 3.680 sec., (first below 3.7, 2015, Brainerd); 331.12 mph (2015, Brainerd)
TONY SCHUMACHER: U.S. Army
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L 2016 8th 8 0 0 0 6 2 0 0 6-8 CAREER 440 80 58 68 120 106 79 8 748-352 Best Time, Speed: 3.719 sec. (2015, Topeka); 330.55 mph (2014, Las Vegas 2)
SHAWN LANGDON: Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher/Sandvik Coromant
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L 2016 9th 8 0 0 1 2 5 0 0 4-8 CAREER 172 11 14 33 53 58 18 3 204-158 Langdon’s Best Time, Speed: 3.662 sec. (quickest ever, 2015, Brainerd); 334.15 mph (both with AJR)
DSR FUNNY CARS
JACK BECKMAN: Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L 2016 2nd 8 0 2 2 3 1 4 0 13-8 CAREER 236 22 24 43 66 74 19 7 310-207 Best Time, Speed: 3.866 sec. (2016, Topeka); 332.59 mph (2016, Topeka)
MATT HAGAN: Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Dodge Charger R/T Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L 2016 4th 8 2 0 2 1 3 1 0 12-6 CAREER 176 20 18 24 56 54 22 4 237-152 Best Time, Speed: 3.862 sec., 335.57 (2016, Topeka; nat’l records, quickest and fastest ever)
RON CAPPS: NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L 2016 6th 8 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 12-6 CAREER 467 46 (45 FC/1 TF) 46 83 96 177 18 19 584-402 Best Time, Speed: 3.885 sec., (2015, Pomona 2); 327.19 mph (2015, St. Louis)
TOMMY JOHNSON JR.: Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L 2016 10th 8 0 0 2 3 3 0 0 7-8 CAREER 382 12 (10 FC/2 TF) 21 51 92 161 13 44 304-326 Best Time, Speed: 3.891 sec. (2015, Pomona 2); 327.51 mph (2016, Topeka)
NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES STANDINGS (Official through Topeka after 8 of 24 events; wins in parenthesis; DSR drivers in BOLD CAPS)
TOP FUEL FUNNY CAR 1. Doug Kalitta (3) 710 ---- 1. Courtney Force (1) 601 ---- 2. ANTRON BROWN (1) 615 -95 2. JACK BECKMAN 589 -12 3. Brittany Force (2) 580 -130 3. Tim Wilkerson (2) 554 -47 4. Steve Torrence (1) 557 -133 4. MATT HAGAN (2) 511 -90 5. JR Todd 440 -270 5. Robert Hight (1) 510 -91 5. Clay Millican 440 -270 6. RON CAPPS (1) 504 -97 7. Richie Crampton 418 -292 7. Del Worsham 485 -116 8. TONY SCHUMACHER 403 -307 8. Alexis DeJoria (1) 451 -150 9. SHAWN LANGDON 346 -364 9. John Force 448 -153 10. Terry McMillen 310 -400 10. TOMMY JOHNSON JR 404 -197 11. LEAH PRITCHETT (1) 308 -402
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NHRA NATIONAL RECORDS – through Topeka 2016 Top Fuel ET Top Fuel MPH Funny Car ET Funny Car MPH
3.676 Brittany Force 2016 Topeka
332.75 S. Massey-DSR 2015, Brainerd, Minn.
3.862 Matt Hagan - DSR 2016 Topeka
335.57 Matt Hagan - DSR 2016 Topeka
NHRA track records – through Topeka 2016 (21 tracks in 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series)
TRACK Top Fuel ET Top Fuel MPH Funny Car ET Funny Car MPH
Atlanta 3.731 Kalitta 2016 328.66 Kalitta 2014 3.906 Hagan 2016 329.02 Hagan 2016
Brainerd 3.662 Langdon 2015 332.75 Massey 2015 3.879 Hagan 2015 329.58 Hagan 2015
Bristol 3.745 Schumacher 2015 331.04 Dixon 2015 3.978 J. Force 2015 323.43 J. Force 2015
Charlotte 3.713 Todd 2015 332.18 Massey 2012 3.934 DeJoria 2016 323.50 Hagan 2016
Chicago 3.729 Brown 2015 328.78 Connolly 2015 3.966 C. Pedregon 2015 322.50 C. Force 2014
Dallas 3.705 Crampton 2015 329.18 Connolly 2015 3.909 Beckman 2015 326.32 Beckman 2015
Denver 3.791 Dixon 2015 326.95 B. Force 2015 4.015 J. Force 2015 318.39 J. Force 2014
Englishtown 3.725 Brown 2015 329.91 Massey 2012 3.959 C. Pedregon 2014 321.04 Worsham 2014
Epping 3.742 Schumacher 2015 327.91 Massey 2015 3.988 Hight 2014 323.35 C. Force 2014
Gainesville 3.743 Lucas 2012 329.02 Massey 2015 3.879 Beckman 2016 329.26 Beckman 2016
Houston 3.724 S. Torrence 2016 330.07 Massey 2015 3.899 Wilkerson 2016 328.06 Worsham 2016
Indy 3.740 Langdon 2012 328.54 Schumacher 2014 3.936 Beckman 2015 323.74 Beckman 2015
Las Vegas 3.722 Brown 2015 332.67 Langdon 2015 3.916 Beckman 2016 326.71 Worsham 2016
Norwalk 3.731 Kalitta 2015 332.51 Dixon 2015 3.973 Hagan 2015 322.96 Hagan 2015
Phoenix 3.716 Kalitta 2016 329.91 Schumacher 2015 3.905 Hight 2016 327.11 Hight 2016
Pomona 3.700 Langdon 2015 332.43 Langdon/DSR 2015 3.884 Beckman 2015 331.45 Hagan 2015
Reading 3.701 Brown 2012 334.15 Langdon 2012 3.897 Beckman 2015 329.34 Hight 2015
Seattle 3.727 Crampton 2015 328.30 Massey 2015 3.912 Beckman 2015 322.88 Beckman 2015
St. Louis 3.718 S. Torrence 2015 329.99 Connolly 2015 3.883 Hagan 2015 330.47 Hagan 2015
Sonoma 3.707 Brown 2015 329.10 Connolly 2015 3.921 Beckman 2015 325.77 Hagan 2015
Topeka 3.676 B. Force 2016 331.85 Kalitta 2016 3.862 Hagan 2016 335.57 Hagan 2016
Top Fuel ET Top Fuel MPH Funny Car ET Funny Car MPH
Brown 5 Schumacher 2 Kalitta 3 Langdon/AJR 3 Crampton 2 S. Torrence 2 Todd 1 Dixon 1 Lucas 1 B. Force 1
Massey 7 Connolly 4 Dixon 2 Kalitta 2 Langdon/AJR 2 Schumacher 2 Langdon/DSR 1 B. Force 1
Beckman 8 Hagan 5 C. Pedregon 2 Hight 2 J. Force 2 Wilkerson 1 DeJoria 1
Hagan 8 Beckman 4 C. Force 2 J. Force 2 Worsham 3 Hight 2
And don’t forget to follow us: Facebook.com/shoeracing = Twitter (@shoeracing) = ShoeRacing.com
ABOUT DON SCHUMACHER RACING Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered near Indianapolis in Brownsburg, Ind., fields eight professional NHRA teams in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. In Top Fuel, the U.S. Army dragster driven by eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher, the 2012 and 2015 NHRA Top Fuel world champion Matco Tools/U.S. Army dragster driven by Antron Brown, the Red Fuel/Sandvik Coromant dragster driven by 2013 world champion Shawn Langdon and the new part-time team for FireAde with driver Leah Pritchett. In Funny Car, two-time world champion Matt Hagan in the Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots 2016 Dodge Charger R/T, 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge of Ron Capps and the Make-A-Wish Dodge driven by Tommy Johnson Jr. DSR has won 271 NHRA national event titles and 14 world championships. Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing
NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series (NOTE: order of events only correct for 2016) REGULAR SEASON 2013 WINNNERS 2014 WINNERS 2015 WINNERS 2016 WINNERS 1. 2/12-14 Pom 1 TF Langdon FC C.Force TF alBalooshi FC J.Force TF Langdon FC MATT TF Torrence FC RON 2. 2/26-28 Phoenix TF TONY FC RON TF ANTRON FC DeJoria TF TONY FC MATT TF Pritchett FC Wilkerson 3. 3/18-20 G’ville TF ANTRON* FC GRAY TF Kalitta FC Hight TF SPENCER FC RON TF B. Force FC Hight *DSR’s 200th
4. 4/22-24 LV 1 TF TONY FC C.PedregonTF TONY FC DeJoria TF Crampton FC J.Force TF ANTRON FC DeJoria
5. 4/1-3 CLT TF SPENCER FC MATT TF ANTRON FC Hight TF ANTRON FC JACK* TF B. Force FC Wilkerson *DSR’s 100th FC 6. 4/29-5/1 Houston TF Vandergriff FC C.Pedregon TF ANTRON FC Hight TF Kalitta FC RON TF Kalitta FC C. Force 7. 5/13-15 Atlanta TF ANTRON FC GRAY TF SPENCER FC Hight TF ANTRON FC Wilkerson TF Kalitta FC MATT 8. 5/20-22 Topeka TF Langdon FC GRAY TF SPENCER FC C.Force TF Crampton FC JACK* TF Kalitta FC MATT *DSR’s 250th 9. 6/3-5 Epping TF SPENCER FC C.Force TF TONY FC RON TF TONY FC J.Force TF FC 10. 6/10-12 E’town TF Langdon FC MATT TF Crampton FC C.Pedregon TF ANTRON* FC MATT TF FC
*AB’s 50th 11. 6/17-19 Bristol TF S.Torrence FC J.Force TF Langdon FC TOMMY TF Crampton FC MATT TF FC 12. 6/24-26 Norwalk TF alBalloshi FC GRAY TF ANTRON FC J. Force TF Kalitta FC JACK TF FC 13. 7/8-10 Chicago TF TONY FC MATT TF ANTRON FC MATT TF TONY FC TOMMY TF FC 14. 7/2-24 Denver TF SPENCER FC C.Pedregon TF Todd FC Hight TF Torrence FC JACK TF FC 15. 7/29-30 Sonoma TF Langdon FC RON TF alBalooshi FC C.Force TF ANTRON* FC JACK* TF FC
*DSR’S 50th Dble-up
16. 8/5-7 Seattle TF Lucas FC MATT TF Kalitta FC J.Force TF Todd FC TOMMY TF FC 17. 8/19-21 Brainerd TF SPENCER FC RON TF Lucas FC RON (Indy) TF Crampton FC Hight TF FC 18. 9/2-5 Indy TF Langdon FC Hight TF Crampton FC DeJoria TF Lucas FC JACK TF FC Indy Traxxas Traxxas FC/JACK Traxxas TF/Antron Traxxas/FC JACK
COUNTDOWN 2013 DSR WINNERS 2014 WINNERS 2015 WINNERS 19. 9/16-18 CLT 2 TF Lucas FC Hight TF TONY FC MATT TF ANTRON FC Worsham TF FC 20. 9/25-27 St. Louis TF ANTRON FC J.Force TF ANTRON FC C.Force TF ANTRON FC Worsham TF FC 21. 9/31-10/2 Reading TF Langdon FC J.Force TF TONY FC MATT TF ANTRON FC JACK TF FC 22. 10/14-16 Dallas TF Kalitta FC C.Pedregon TF TONY FC C. Force TF Crampton FC Worsham TF FC 23. 10/28-30 LV 2 TF ANTRON FC J.Force TF SPENCER FC Worsham TF Kalitta FC Hight TF FC 24. 11/11-13 Pom 2 TF Langdon FC MATT TF Lucas FC MATT TF SHAWN FC Worsham TF FC DSR TOTALS: TF = 11 FC = 12 TF = 14 FC = 7 TF = 12 FC = 15 TF = 1 FC = 3
DSR 2016 SEASON TOTALS 4 - Event titles (Antron 1, Matt 2, Ron 1)
DSR 2015 SEASON TOTALS 1 – World champion (Antron’s 2nd in Top Fuel)
12 - Top Fuel event titles (Antron 7, Tony 3, Shawn 1, Massey 1) 15 - Funny Car event titles (Jack 7, Matt 4, Ron 2, Tommy 2)
DSR ALL-TIME TOTALS 14 - World championships (Tony 8, Matt 2, Antron 2, Jack Beckman 1, Gary Scelzi 1)
271 - NHRA Mello Yello event titles (Top Fuel 136, Funny Car 114, Pro Stock 3, Pro Stock Motorcycle 18)
Leah Vaughn
[email protected] Jeff Wolf
[email protected] Allie Bland
