With the NHRA's Countdown to 1 looming on the horizon, U.S. Army Top Fuel driver Tony "The Sarge"
Schumacher knows it's about time to really push the pedal to the floor.
Including this weekend's Toyo Tires Nationals here at Maple Grove Raceway, only two
races remain before the playoffs begin in Charlotte the middle of next month. At that point, the
top 10 drivers in each of the four professional classes will be eligible to compete for the world
championship.
"We have to start building up a head of steam over these next couple of races," said
Schumacher, a six-time world champion. "You really can't go into the Countdown on a down note."
Schumacher heads for round 17 of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series holding
second-place in the standings. Presently, he's in a heated battle with Larry Dixon to retain that
position.
"We're only eight points up on him, so it's critical we go rounds in Reading and
Indianapolis so we can stay right where we're at," offered the Chicago-area resident. "When the
points are reset for the Countdown, we'd much rather be 30 points behind Antron (Brown) than 40
points behind.
"Like our Army Strong Soldiers, we're going to stay focused on the job at hand. We want
to put ourselves in the best possible position to challenge for our fifth consecutive title."
Of late, Schumacher and his U.S. Army team have been unable to pocket a lot of rounds.
In four out of the last five races, they've exited in the quarterfinals.
"The good news is we're running well despite that statistic," he added. "We've just
been getting beat in some tight races. I truly believe we're on the verge of making a lot of
noise."
If history is any indication, Schumacher may make plenty of noise this Sunday in the
Keystone State. He's a four-time winner at Maple Grove Raceway, which leads the Top Fuel class.
"For sure, that track has been pretty good to us," he said. "Man, I'd really like to
add win number five this weekend. You can't imagine how much that would help our cause going
forward."
