Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals
Event 15 of 24 (Sonoma)
Sonoma Raceway
Sonoma, California
July 27-29, 2018
Noteworthy:
- Antron Brown returns as the Top Fuel event runner-up
- Leah Pritchett enters the event fresh off of a win from the previous race (Denver) and is looking to capture her third win of the season en route to ‘sweeping the swing’
- Pritchett claimed the 2017 TF No. 1 qualifier when she powered to the quickest pass in Sonoma Raceway history (3.669-seconds)
- Tommy Johnson Jr. captured his first professional No. 1 qualifier at Sonoma in 1994 (Top Fuel)
- Ahead of the race weekend, Ron Capps will be honored with the inaugural Eric Medlen Spirit Award during the annual Eric Medlen Nitro Night fundraising dinner on Thursday, July 26
- DSR-Owned Track Records:
Top Fuel, E.T.: 3.669-seconds, Leah Pritchett (2017)
(EXCERPT)
DSR Driver Information:
Funny Car:
TOMMY JOHNSON JR.
Driver of the Make-A-Wish Foundation Dodge Charger R/T
NHRA Sonoma Event Highlights:
2015 runner-up
1994 No. 1 qualifier (Top Fuel)
2017 Sonoma Recap:
Qualified fifth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Ron Capps in E1; defeated by Courtney Force in E2)
Last event (Denver):
Qualified sixth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Bob Tasca III in E1; defeated by Robert Hight in E2)
2018 Season Statistics:
13 round wins; ranked seventh in points
Career Statistics:
436 races; 17 wins (two Top Fuel); 15 No. 1 qualifiers (one Top Fuel)
Noteworthy:
Captured his first professional No. 1 qualifier at Sonoma in 1994 (Top Fuel)
Ran his career-best speed during the 2017 event (332.02-mph)
Quotable:
“Looking forward to Sonoma. We were the runner-up there two years ago and always have a great time in wine country. I got engaged there last year at this race so I’m looking forward to going back and reliving those great memories. We have a really good race car right now that was pretty competitive in Denver. That was our best race in quite a while so we’ll see if we can build on that momentum and keep it going. Main thing is to win the race and stop anybody from getting a sweep.”
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 326 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.