Arby’s NHRA Southern Nationals
Event 7 of 24 (Atlanta)
Atlanta Dragway
Commerce, Ga.
May 3-5, 2019
Noteworthy:
- Leah Pritchett returns as the defending NHRA Southern Nationals Top Fuel champion
- Matt Hagan raced his Funny Car to a runner-up finish during the 2018 event
- Pritchett and Hagan visited the final elimination round at the previous event
- Pritchett recorded her first professional final round appearance at the 2015 event
- Antron Brown has raced to victory in both Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle at Atlanta Dragway
DSR-Owned Track Records:
Top Fuel, E.T.: 3.699-seconds, Leah Pritchett (2017)
Funny Car, speed: 329.02-mph, Matt Hagan (2016)
(EXCERPT)
DSR Driver Information:
Funny Car
TOMMY JOHNSON JR.
Driver of the Make-A-Wish Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
2018 Atlanta Recap:
Qualified third; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Jim Campbell in E1; defeated by Matt Hagan in E2)
Last Event (Charlotte I):
Qualified fourth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Jeff Diehl, Terry Haddock in E1; defeated by Robert Hight, Shawn Langdon in E2)
2019 Season Statistics:
Eight round wins; ranked sixth in points
Career Statistics:
452 races; 17 wins (two Top Fuel); 18 No. 1 qualifiers (one Top Fuel)
Noteworthy:
- 1985 Super Comp runner-up
Quotable:
“It’s no secret, Atlanta’s probably not my favorite track. I’ve had a lot of really bad things happen over the years at that track. I actually was runner-up there back in 1985 (competing in Super Gas) and it’s been downhill since then, but one of these days I’m going to beat that track.
“We’re starting to run better; it’s getting hot and we’re learning in the hot conditions. I think our car is going to perform well from here on out. We learned a lot last weekend and this might be the year that I finally overcome all of the Atlanta problems I’ve had in the past.”
About Don Schumacher Racing
Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) is the winningest team in NHRA Drag Racing history, having claimed more than 325 NHRA national event titles and 17 world championships since opening its doors in 1998.
Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, DSR fields seven professional teams competing in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing series. In Top Fuel, the Matco Tools dragster driven by three-time world champion Antron Brown, the MOPAR/Pennzoil/Sparkling Ice dragster driven by Leah Pritchett and eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher’s machine. In Funny Car, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat driven by 2016 world champion Ron Capps, the Mopar Express Lane/Pennzoil/Sandvik Coromant Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat piloted by Matt Hagan, and in Terry and Doug Chandler’s ‘giving cars,’ 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge, and Tommy Johnson Jr. behind the wheel of the Make-A-Wish Dodge.
DSR also campaigns two Factory Stock Showdown entries. The duo is piloted by Pritchett, the 2018 Factory Stock Showdown Series champion, and former Pro Stock racer Mark Pawuk.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at Shoeracing.com, on Twitter and Instagram at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.