SCHUMACHER MOVES INTO SECOND PLACE WITH FINAL-ROUND APPEARANCE |
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Topics: Tony Schumacher, United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals
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U.S. Army Racing
June 6, 2010
JOLIET, Ill., June 6, 2010 - Tony "The Sarge" Schumacher, driving the U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster, moved into second place in the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series drivers' standings with his final-round appearance today in the 13th Annual United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals here at Route 66 Raceway.
Schumacher lost to series-leader Larry Dixon in a late-evening final round - a four-hour, 51-minute rain delay separated the second round from the semifinals. The Chicago-area native's 1,000-foot run of 3.823 seconds at 323.12 miles per hour did not quite match the winner's lap of 3.773 seconds at 321.65 mph.
"It was a great race," said the reigning and seven-time world champion. "You put two world champion drivers in two great cars, together with ideal weather conditions on a great track, and this is the kind of race you get. I think it was worth the price of admission (for the fans).
"Mike (Green, crew chief) and the rest of my U.S. Army team continue to give me a great car and a great chance to win every week, which is crucial because there are a lot of great cars in Top Fuel."
Schumacher began the day with a first-round victory against Pat Dakin (3.827 seconds at 318.02 mph vs. 7.561 seconds at 84.18 mph) and second-round one against Terry McMillen (3.855 seconds at 319.22 mph vs. 4.239 seconds at 211.13 mph).
He and Steve Torrence were the first pair on the track after the multi-hour delay, with Schumacher posting a winning 3.816-second lap at 318.92 mph vs. 3.868 seconds at 310.77 mph.
This was the fourth consecutive race featuring a Schumacher-Dixon match - the previous three occurring in the semifinal round (Schumacher winning two of the three). Overall, they have met six times this season, with three round-wins apiece.
"We love running against the best," he said. "Like the Army Strong men and women serving around the world to protect all of us, we prepare to take on any opponent, to rise to the challenge regardless of the situation."
Schumacher's Army teammate Antron Brown's first-round victory in the Matco Tools/U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster (3.899 seconds at 313.15 mph vs. T.J. Zizzo's 8.067 seconds at 83.6 mph), enabled him to hold onto fifth place in the Top Fuel championship race. The New Jersey native lost a round-two battle to eventual-winner Dixon (Brown's 3.839-seconds at 315.78 mph vs. Dixon's 3.830 at 317.94 mph).
Brown and Schumacher - whose 834 championship points puts him 135 behind Dixon - travel to Englishtown, N.J. for the June 13 NHRA Supernationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.
On the U.S. Army NASCAR Racing front, Ryan Newman today finished 14th in the Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 presented by Target at Pocono International Raceway in Pennsylvania. Newman will next pilot the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet June 13th in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Chips 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
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