As the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series rumbles to Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, for the final time April 22-24, eight-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher looked back on some of his favorite memories from the SpringNationals at the historic drag strip.
“Go back to 2008, we win 15 races in a year,” Schumacher began. “I’m told by Alan Johnson (crew chief) that he’s leaving our team, and the whole crew’s going.”
Schumacher, blindsided by the move, hired Mike Green for the 2009 season. That year, ‘The Sarge’ rose to the occasion while facing his former crew in Houston.
“We end up going to that race and it’s the first time we’re going to match up with (Larry) Dixon and Alan Johnson in a race,” Schumacher said. “We end up beating them on a holeshot, winning that race. That to me, was one that in 2009 that you look back and go ‘that was fantastic.’ We were simply written off and to be able to have that opportunity, in Texas at a great track like that, and to be able to meet up with your old team, who you just literally came off a 15-race winning season with, and to matchup and to beat them, that is singly, maybe the most awesome moment.”
Schumacher is a three-time SpringNationals winner at the south Texas drag strip.
“Houston’s a powerful track, so (I’m) looking forward to it,” Schumacher said. “Not only do we get to go to Houston, a powerful track, but it’s the first Scag (Power Equipment) race. The last time we were there, even though it was a whole year ago, we went out and won it. And it’s the last year. It’s going to be a sold-out show.”
Schumacher currently sits seventh in Top Fuel points. (NHRA Photo)
One of the biggest talking points heading into the SpringNationals, is the crowd size.
“It’s not only sold-out, they can put more stands in,” Schumacher said. “I have a lot of people calling me like, ‘Dude, they’re telling me we can’t get tickets.’ We can help a little, as a driver, like we got a couple in our bag, but I can’t solve that problem. That’s a beautiful place, we’ve had some great success there and I just love racing there.”
Since his return to full-time competition this season, the winningest driver in Top Fuel history is still searching to get his footing back in his Don Schumacher Racing dragster.
Even though he’s seventh in points through four events, Schumacher remains confident in himself and the team going into Houston.
“(We’re) exactly where we thought,” Schumacher said. “I’ve never worked with Todd Okuhara before, his brother Scott, Mark. (They’re) new guys for me, I drive a little different. They’re kind of catching up to where I am and I’m catching up to where they are. We’ve got a car that even though we’re seventh in the points, is way better than it even looks. We’re out there making fantastic early parts of the run, and then mowing through the clutch. As we reel that in a little bit, it’s going to be good.”
Even though the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series is the main fan attraction for the SpringNationals, Schumacher noted that the NHRA sportsman classes will be most impacted by Houston Raceway Park’s uncertain future.
“We are blessed that we get to drive Top Fuel cars, but there are 600 cars in sportsman class that are going to be there also, and that’s been their home forever. We go all over the country, but they run there so often. So, there’ll be a lot of sad faces in the crowd.”
Houston Raceway Park was sold to developers last year and portions of the property will be converted into an industrial park. Sportsman and bracket racing is scheduled through at least the remainder of this season.
Keyword: Schumacher Heads To Final Houston Race With Confidence