NHRA Carolina Nationals
Event 22 of 24 (Charlotte II)
NHRA Countdown, Event 4 of 6
zMAX Dragway
Concord, N.C.
October 12-14, 2018

DSR Charlotte II Elimination Highlights:

• Ron Capps raced to a milestone 60th Funny Car victory, his third of the season
  Capps advanced three spots to third in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoff standings
• Tony Schumacher reached the Top Fuel semifinals for the third time in the first four Countdown events
• Capps’ victory marked 333 event wins for Don Schumacher Racing

Driver Information:
Funny Car:

TOMMY JOHNSON JR.
Driver of the Make-A-Wish Foundation Dodge Charger R/T

Qualified: No. 1 (3.873 E.T. at 329.10 MPH)

The Results:
E1: 7.265 E.T. at 112.70 MPH defeated by Dave Richards 4.283 E.T. at 279.27 MPH

Race Recap:
After securing his second consecutive No. 1 qualifier, Tommy Johnson Jr. and the Make-A-Wish team drew part-time racer Dave Richards in the opening round. Johnson was first to hit the throttle but was up in smoke right at the step and Richards was able to claim the upset win.

Quotable:
“It’s certainly disappointing and frustrating. You’re right in the middle of a championship chase, and to have a first round loss like that puts a huge dent in that chance. We’ll just keep swinging. Our Make-A-Wish Dodge is running so well. Didn’t expect that by any means. It’s frustrating but we’ll keep coming at them.”

NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship Points Standings:
Funny Car
1. Robert Hight – 2445
2. J.R. Todd – 2434
3. Ron Capps – 2336
4. Tim Wilkerson – 2334
5. Tommy Johnson Jr. – 2296
6. Courtney Force – 2264
7. John Force – 2241
8. Matt Hagan – 2229
9. Jack Beckman – 2204
10. Shawn Langdon – 2152

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 SRT Hellcat, 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 333 NHRA national event titles and 17 world championships.

Follow Don Schumacher Racing at Shoeracing.com, on Twitter and Instagram at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.