NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
Event 11 of 24 (Bristol)
Bristol Dragway
Bristol, Tennessee
June 15-17, 2018
DSR Bristol Elimination Highlights:
- Don Schumacher Racing ‘doubles up’ in Bristol
- Tony Schumacher – Top Fuel (84th career win)
- Ron Capps – Funny Car (59th career win, 58th Funny Car win)
- DSR extends overall win tally to 323
- Capps’ victory was a milestone 300th nitro event Wally for DSR
- Capps becomes the fifth straight DSR Mopar Dodge Bristol Funny Car champion
2018, 2017 Capps
2016 Tommy Johnson Jr.
2015 Matt Hagan
2014 Johnson - Schumacher moves to third in Top Fuel points standings; Capps advances to fifth in Funny Car
- Jack Beckman remains ranked second (Funny Car)
- DSR ‘Doubles Up’ in Bristol
- Schumacher and Capps Race to Victory
(Excerpt)
Driver Information:
Funny Car:
TOMMY JOHNSON JR.
Driver of the Make-A-Wish Foundation Dodge Charger R/T
Qualified: No. 8 (4.167 E.T. at 303.03 MPH)
The Results:
E1: 4.253 E.T. at 291.26 MPH defeated Matt Hagan 5.381 E.T. at 142.06 MPH
E2: 5.139 E.T. at 158.45 MPH defeated by Courtney Force 4.197 E.T. at 298.14 MPH
Race Recap:
Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T pilot Tommy Johnson Jr. banked four bonus points during qualifying, earning a berth in the top half of the field in the No. 8 spot. The Ottumwa, Iowa, native entered Sunday gunning for his third win in the last five years at Bristol and was matched up in round one against Matt Hagan in a battle of Mopar-powered DSR Funny Cars. Johnson trailed slightly at the start but sailed solidly down the strip to collect the round win after Hagan smoked the tires.
Hoping for another even-year Bristol victory (his previous wins at the venue came in 2014 and 2016), Johnson lacked lane choice in the quarterfinals against pole-sitter Courtney Force. He put a cylinder out shortly after launch and encountered more trouble before shutting it down, as Force pulled away for the win.
Quotable:
“I thought we were running really well this weekend and had a car that would go down the racetrack, so I felt good about our chances. It’s unfortunate, we had a piston break at the hit of the throttle in the second round that cost us. But with the warm track conditions, I thought we had a really good setup. If the conditions are anywhere similar in Norwalk, I think we have a good shot at getting ourselves a win. We’re doing everything right to put ourselves in position to go rounds on Sunday, so I’m looking forward to it.”
About Don Schumacher Racing
Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., fields seven professional NHRA teams. In Top Fuel, the U.S. Army dragster driven by eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher, the Matco Tools/U.S. Army dragster driven by three-time world champion Antron Brown and the Mopar/Papa John’s Pizza/Pennzoil/FireAde/U.S. Army dragster driven by Leah Pritchett; and in Funny Car, 2016 world champion Ron Capps in the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T; two-time world champion Matt Hagan in the Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T, and 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in Terry and Doug Chandler’s Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge and the Chandlers’ Make-A-Wish Dodge driven by Tommy Johnson Jr.
DSR also campaigns two Sportsman teams. The two-car Factory Stock Showdown duo is piloted by Pritchett and veteran Pro Stock racer Mark Pawuk. Both drivers compete in Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Paks.
DSR has won 323 NHRA national event titles and 16 world championships.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at Shoeracing.com, on Twitter and Instagram at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.
NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship Points Standings:
Funny Car
1. Courtney Force – 937
2. Jack Beckman – 736
3. Robert Hight – 717
4. J.R. Todd – 694
5. Ron Capps – 693
6. Matt Hagan – 669
7. Tommy Johnson Jr. – 606
8. Cruz Pedregon – 508
9. John Force – 502
10. Bob Tasca III – 500