Schumacher Targets Fifth Straight Win
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/t_schumacher.jpg" alt="t_schumacher" align="left"borders="0"/>
U.S. Army Top Fuel driver, Tony "The Sarge" Schumacher, will attempt to pocket his fifth straight victory here this weekend in the Toyo Tires Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.
After recording wins in Denver, Seattle, Sonoma, Calif. and Brainerd, Minn., Schumacher is now focused on tying his own 2005 record for the most consecutive Top Fuel wins in a single season.
"We're going to give it our best shot," he offered. "Of course, first, we have to qualify for the race. That's our only priority at the moment. If you don't make the show, quite obviously, nothing else matters."
Assuming he gets into the field for Sunday's race, Schumacher should have a legitimate shot at making history given his resume at Maple Grove Raceway. He has five poles to his credit to go along with three wins and a runner up finish.
"Maple Grove has been very kind to us," he added. "But, every year is different no matter what track it is. We have to make sure we adjust to the conditions that are presented to us."
Schumacher and his U.S. Army team adjusted quite well to what Brainerd International Raceway offered up last weekend. After qualifying number one, they marched through the likes of Rod Fuller, Doug Kalitta and Cory McClenathan to gain win number nine on the year.
"It's definitely been a magical season so far," he added. "But, don't think for a second that we're satisfied with where we're at. We've got plenty of work to do over the next few months."
Specifically, Schumacher wants to keep rolling right into and through the Countdown to One phase of the NHRA's Countdown to the Championship.
"You can never let up and give the competition reason to believe," he said. "Our Soldiers never do that, I can guarantee you that. They keep the pressure on in a relentless fashion. That's what we want to do the rest of the way."
With the annual Pennsylvania tour stop looming, Schumacher has been continually reminded about the prospect of him tying Joe Amato's Top Fuel career victories mark. He's two short of Amato's record, which stands at 52.
"Lately, there's not a day that goes by without me hearing about it from someone," he related. "Being a team guy, I'm not really consumed by all that talk. We're trying to win another world championship, so that's where we're concentrating our efforts."
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/t_schumacher.jpg" alt="t_schumacher" align="left"borders="0"/>
U.S. Army Top Fuel driver, Tony "The Sarge" Schumacher, will attempt to pocket his fifth straight victory here this weekend in the Toyo Tires Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.
After recording wins in Denver, Seattle, Sonoma, Calif. and Brainerd, Minn., Schumacher is now focused on tying his own 2005 record for the most consecutive Top Fuel wins in a single season.
"We're going to give it our best shot," he offered. "Of course, first, we have to qualify for the race. That's our only priority at the moment. If you don't make the show, quite obviously, nothing else matters."
Assuming he gets into the field for Sunday's race, Schumacher should have a legitimate shot at making history given his resume at Maple Grove Raceway. He has five poles to his credit to go along with three wins and a runner up finish.
"Maple Grove has been very kind to us," he added. "But, every year is different no matter what track it is. We have to make sure we adjust to the conditions that are presented to us."
Schumacher and his U.S. Army team adjusted quite well to what Brainerd International Raceway offered up last weekend. After qualifying number one, they marched through the likes of Rod Fuller, Doug Kalitta and Cory McClenathan to gain win number nine on the year.
"It's definitely been a magical season so far," he added. "But, don't think for a second that we're satisfied with where we're at. We've got plenty of work to do over the next few months."
Specifically, Schumacher wants to keep rolling right into and through the Countdown to One phase of the NHRA's Countdown to the Championship.
"You can never let up and give the competition reason to believe," he said. "Our Soldiers never do that, I can guarantee you that. They keep the pressure on in a relentless fashion. That's what we want to do the rest of the way."
With the annual Pennsylvania tour stop looming, Schumacher has been continually reminded about the prospect of him tying Joe Amato's Top Fuel career victories mark. He's two short of Amato's record, which stands at 52.
"Lately, there's not a day that goes by without me hearing about it from someone," he related. "Being a team guy, I'm not really consumed by all that talk. We're trying to win another world championship, so that's where we're concentrating our efforts."
