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Having experienced somewhat of a roller coaster season to date, U.S. Army Top Fuel driver, Tony Schumacher, will look to get back to his winning ways here this weekend in the SummitRacing.com Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Schumacher, who is the defending NHRA POWERade Top Fuel world champion, has collected a win (at the ACDelco Gatornationals last month), a semifinal round appearance and a couple of first round losses during the early portion of the 2007 schedule.
“We just haven’t been able to establish any consistency as yet,” said the Chicago native, who was taken out in the opening round at Houston Raceway Park by Brandon Bernstein two weeks ago. “I’m confident we’re going to get better as time moves along.”
Schumacher will be hoping the success formula that he’s utilized the last three years at The Strip will carry over into ’07. He has three wins to his credit at the state-of-the-art drag strip, one of which that came at the spring event in 2004.
“It’s a wonderful facility with a great racing surface,” he offered. “Since we started going out there in 2000, there have been a lot of terrific performances turned in.”
One of those terrific performances was claimed by Schumacher himself last October. In the middle of a heated world title chase, he just missed setting the national elapsed time record with a 4.445-second pass.
“We came so, so close,” he recalled. “For sure, if the weather conditions are right, that track can support those type runs. All of the drivers love racing in Vegas.”
Schumacher heads for The Strip sitting in third-place in the Top Fuel standings, 41 points behind leader Rod Fuller. He’s seeking an unprecedented fourth straight Top Fuel world championship.
“It’s way too early to be worried about points and where you’re at in the standings, especially, with this new Countdown to the Championship format,” he said. “Come talk to me around the time we go to Reading (Pa.). Hopefully, we’ll be firmly entrenched in the top eight in the standings and we can then contend for the title.
“Our mission is very clear – we want to win another championship for our hard-working soldiers. Without them, we would not be enjoying the freedom that we have today.”
Schumacher focused on return to victory lane
Having experienced somewhat of a roller coaster season to date, U.S. Army Top Fuel driver, Tony Schumacher, will look to get back to his winning ways here this weekend in the SummitRacing.com Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Schumacher, who is the defending NHRA POWERade Top Fuel world champion, has collected a win (at the ACDelco Gatornationals last month), a semifinal round appearance and a couple of first round losses during the early portion of the 2007 schedule.
“We just haven’t been able to establish any consistency as yet,” said the Chicago native, who was taken out in the opening round at Houston Raceway Park by Brandon Bernstein two weeks ago. “I’m confident we’re going to get better as time moves along.”
Schumacher will be hoping the success formula that he’s utilized the last three years at The Strip will carry over into ’07. He has three wins to his credit at the state-of-the-art drag strip, one of which that came at the spring event in 2004.
“It’s a wonderful facility with a great racing surface,” he offered. “Since we started going out there in 2000, there have been a lot of terrific performances turned in.”
One of those terrific performances was claimed by Schumacher himself last October. In the middle of a heated world title chase, he just missed setting the national elapsed time record with a 4.445-second pass.
“We came so, so close,” he recalled. “For sure, if the weather conditions are right, that track can support those type runs. All of the drivers love racing in Vegas.”
Schumacher heads for The Strip sitting in third-place in the Top Fuel standings, 41 points behind leader Rod Fuller. He’s seeking an unprecedented fourth straight Top Fuel world championship.
“It’s way too early to be worried about points and where you’re at in the standings, especially, with this new Countdown to the Championship format,” he said. “Come talk to me around the time we go to Reading (Pa.). Hopefully, we’ll be firmly entrenched in the top eight in the standings and we can then contend for the title.
“Our mission is very clear – we want to win another championship for our hard-working soldiers. Without them, we would not be enjoying the freedom that we have today.”
