NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The season has not gone as planned thus far for Top Fuel standout Tony Schumacher. But all of that can change in an instant at this weekend’s prestigious 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

It’s a race that helped shape Schumacher’s legacy as the winningest and most successful Top Fuel driver in NHRA history. As NHRA celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2026, Schumacher’s incredible success is a big part of it, from his eight world championships to his remarkable 10 victories at the Big Go.

It is the most in NHRA history, as one of the sport’s biggest stars has shined the brightest on the sport’s biggest stage.

Which goes back to how quickly Schumacher could turn around a season that has had its share of rough moments. Currently 12th in points in the loaded Top Fuel ranks in his American Communications Construction dragster for Rick Ware Racing, Schumacher and his team are eager to get their season on track. An 11th Indy victory would unquestionably do the trick.

“I’ve been here in this position before, where it just wasn’t quite right and you’re one decision or one little thing away from going fast,” Schumacher said. “We’ll get there, and we’ve got a lot of smart guys on this team who have won a lot of races. We’ll get it figured out.

“I don’t have another thought process but going and winning Indy. We tested after Brainerd, and the car ran well. We made some big changes, but we’re walking into [Indy] thinking we can win this race.”

Schumacher knows plenty about surreal moments in Indy. His Top Fuel debut came at the Big Go in 1996, advancing to the final round after qualifying 16th in the field, just seven days after getting his license.

His first Indy win came in 2000, signaling a run of dominance on drag racing’s grandest stage. He won eight times during that decade, with Schumacher’s most recent Indy victory coming in 2026. An 11th U.S. Nationals victory would do wonders for a team and a season that’s included just four round-wins through 13 races.

Schumacher will also have to take on the likes of points leader and reigning world champ Doug Kalitta, who has won three straight races in 2026, Shawn Langdon, Tony Stewart, Leah Pruett, Antron Brown, Ashley, and rookie sensation Maddi Gordon.

But Schumacher knows a bit about Indy magic and never counts out the possibility of it happening again.

“This is my 30th year of racing at Indy, and it’s such a special place,” said Schumacher, who has an unprecedented 88 career Top Fuel victories. “It’s done some special things for me. This is where it started.

“A lot of guys on my team are very young, and I hope they understand this is part of the journey. If it wasn’t so frustrating at times, the wins wouldn’t be so amazing. The car went down the track three times in a row during testing [in Brainerd], and it went fast, so we're encouraged by that.”

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 6:15 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 4, two rounds at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 5, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 12 and 2:45 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on Monday, Sept 7.

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 3 and 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

To purchase tickets to the 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are admitted free.