NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

A perfect finish to the Western Swing has Top Fuel’s Tony Schumacher on the right track, and that could be dangerous for the rest of the loaded class heading into this weekend’s Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park.
 
Schumacher won in Seattle two weeks ago, erasing some early-season struggles for a team that appears to be coming together at the right time. That has the eight-time Top Fuel world champ excited for his first appearance in Topeka since the 2018 campaign, as the longtime star returned to full-time racing this year. There were some early bumps in the road, but as Schumacher and his team showed in Seattle, this team may be primed for a run at another world title as the Countdown to the Championship approaches.
 
He holds the track record for the quickest pass at Topeka’s House of Speed and a 2010 win at the facility, and Schumacher, who has 86 career victories, will try to add another this weekend in his 11,000-horsepower Scag Top Fuel dragster, knowing full well the importance of this stage of the season.

“You’ve got to perform this time of the year,” Schumacher said. “The right attitude is important, and there was excitement [in Seattle]. Coming into [Seattle], we found ourselves 12th in points, 100 out of the Top 10, and you’ve got to perform. These drivers in this class are all great. It’s a tough sport, and you’ve got to be able to overcome adversity. It’s all really close right now, and you’re to the point where there’s just a few races before the Countdown. We’re going to keep trying, and we’ve got a group of people who are excited.” 
 
Brittany Force (Top Fuel), John Force (Funny Car), and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) won the 2021 event, and this year’s Topeka race will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), including live eliminations coverage starting at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 14. It is the 14th of 22 races during the 2022 season, and only two events follow the annual stop in Topeka before the six-race playoffs begin.
 
Schumacher is just 10 points out of 10th place and only 51 out of eight in a tightly bunched Top Fuel category, finally turning the corner in Seattle in the first race with new majority team owners Joe and Cathi Maynard. The team qualified third there and made a series of strong runs as Schumacher continued to praise the work of his team.
 
They’ve worked through a lot this year, and Schumacher likes where the group is headed, even while dealing with Top Fuel stars like Brittany Force, the current points leader who won in Topeka last year, four-time defending world champ Steve Torrence, Mike Salinas, who has four wins this year, Justin Ashley, Doug Kalitta, Denver winner Leah Pruett, Antron Brown, Josh Hart, and 2018 winner Clay Millican.

 “I’ve been doing this a long time, and there’s ebbs and flows,” Schumacher said. “The worst thing I can do is to put pressure on them when they don’t need it. The guys weren’t making mistakes, and you can’t point fingers. They’re giving everything, and it’s hard on them. These guys have worked so hard, and it’s so hard to get here. It’s a tough sport, but when the good stuff comes, it’s a beautiful thing.”

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 6:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Aug. 12, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Aug. 13 at 2 and 5 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. CT on Sunday, Aug. 14. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, 1 p.m. on Sunday, and then eliminations at 2 p.m. ET Sunday.
 
To purchase tickets to the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor, fans can click here or call 800-884-6472For more information about NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.