NHRA Nationals
Event 12 of 24 (Norwalk)
Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park
Norwalk, Ohio
June 21-23, 2019
DSR Norwalk Elimination Highlights:
- Jack Beckman advanced to the final round on Sunday to lead DSR at the 13th annual NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio
- With his run to the final, Beckman powered to two runner-ups and two semifinal finishes over the past four consecutive events
- Tommy Johnson Jr. recorded his fifth semifinal appearance in six events
- Leah Pritchett snapped a four-race first-round exit streak by advancing to the Top Fuel semifinals
- Johnson, Beckman, and No. 1 qualifier Ron Capps leave Norwalk ranked in the ‘top five’ in the Funny Car rankings
- Antron Brown maintained his No. 4 position in the Top Fuel standings
(EXCERPT)
Driver Information:
Funny Car:
TOMMY JOHNSON JR.
Driver of the Make-A-Wish Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
Qualified: No. 8 (3.928 E.T. at 326.40 MPH)
The Results:
E1: 4.288 E.T. at 215.62 MPH defeated Tim Wilkerson 4.462 E.T. at 195.11 MPH
E2: 4.058 E.T. at 316.38 MPH defeated Ron Capps 11.144 E.T. at 75.31 MPH
E3: 6.969 E.T. at 143.34 MPH defeated by Jack Beckman 4.980 E.T. at 234.45 MPH
Race Recap:
After winning the Route 66 NHRA Nationals three weeks ago, Tommy Johnson Jr. was looking to bookend the four-race stretch with another victory behind the wheel of his Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. He opened Sunday with a round win over Tim Wilkerson, extending his record to 25 – 6 over the tenured driver and set up a match with teammate Ron Capps. Against Capps, Johnson was clean from start to finish, clocking a run of 4.058 seconds to easily defeat the No. 1 qualifier who lost traction at the hit. Johnson advanced to his sixth semifinal of 2019 where he faced another teammate in Jack Beckman. Ultimately, Johnson suffered the same fate as Capps in the right lane. He lost traction early versus Beckman who also lost traction during his run, but Johnson wasn’t able to capitalize.
Quotable:
“We were hoping to have a shot at our first Norwalk win, but just overpowered the track early and couldn’t get it back under me to chase down Jack. We can’t be too disappointed in the four-race stretch. We got a win and two semifinal appearances. We’ve got a really good Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat right now. It’s been a long four-in-a-row, and everybody is looking forward to a weekend off. We’ll regroup and come back swinging in Epping.”
NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship Standings:
Top Fuel
1. Steve Torrence – 1164
2. Doug Kalitta – 760
3. Brittany Force- 744
4. Antron Brown – 733
5. Mike Salinas – 732
6. Leah Pritchett – 651
7. Clay Millican – 649
8. Richie Crampton – 532
9. Terry McMillen- 524
10. Austin Prock – 518
Funny Car
1. Robert Hight – 1022
2. John Force – 869
3. Tommy Johnson Jr – 856
4. Jack Beckman – 819
5. Ron Capps – 809
6. J.R. Todd – 764
7. Bob Tasca III – 689
8. Matt Hagan – 656
9. Tim Wilkerson – 619
10. Shawn Langdon – 580
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.