Virginia NHRA Nationals
Event 10 of 24 (Richmond)
Virginia Motorsports Park
Dinwiddie, Virginia
June 8-10, 2018
DSR Richmond Elimination Highlights:
- Antron Brown raced to a semifinal finish at the inaugural Virginia NHRA Nationals
- The entire DSR Top Fuel contingent advanced to the quarterfinals
- Brown gained two spots in the Top Fuel points standings
- Jack Beckman remains second in the Funny Car standings
- Four DSR drivers sit in the ‘top five’
Top Fuel: Leah Pritchett, Tony Schumacher; Funny Car: Beckman; Matt Hagan
Schumacher leaves Virginia Motorsports Park with the facility’s E.T. and Top Fuel speed record
3.771-seconds (2008)
327.51 MPH (2018)
Driver Information:
Funny Car:
TOMMY JOHNSON JR.
Driver of the Make-A-Wish Foundation Dodge Charger R/T
Qualified: No. 10 (4.083 E.T. at 314.82 MPH)
The Results:
E1: 4.233 E.T. at 272.06 MPH defeated by John Force 4.141 E.T. at 308.78 MPH
Race Recap:
Tommy Johnson Jr.’s round-one matchup found him lined up opposite John Force. Johnson was first out of the gate and the Make-A-Wish Dodge led early. By the 660-foot mark, Force was able to catch up and eclipsed Johnson soon after, ending the Make-A-Wish team’s day early.
Quotable:
“It was a frustrating weekend. We were off a little bit all weekend. We actually feel good and confident with the new car. We’re starting to figure it out.
“It’s disappointing losing first round, especially with as hot as it is out here. It’s tough, if you’re going to suffer through this, you might as well get a win. But we’re really looking forward to Bristol. I think we will start to turn a corner there.”
NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship Points Standings:
Funny Car
1 Courtney Force – 856
2 Jack Beckman – 683
3 Robert Hight – 665
4 Matt Hagan – 633
5 J.R. Todd – 615
6 Ron Capps – 576
7 Tommy Johnson Jr. – 554
8 John Force – 468
9 Shawn Langdon – 461
10 Cruz Pedregon – 454
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 321 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.