Share this inspiring DSR Video about a wish granted by Terry Chandler
DSR Top Fuelers during a Four-Wide qualifying session
Chandler grants wish Christopher, Charity Challenge nets $20,000
for Infinite Hero for DSR highlights of NHRA Four-Wide qualifying
CONCORD, N.C. (April 29, 2017) – Don Schumacher Racing enjoyed one of its best days in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series on Saturday, and it had nothing to with elapsed times during qualifying sessions.
In Mello Yello qualifying, Antron Brown and the Matco Tools team leads DSR by qualifying third for Sunday’s championship eliminations in the unique NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway near Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Points leader Matt Hagan and the Mopar Express Lane 2017 Dodge Charger R/T Powered by Pennzoil qualified fourth as the highest seeded DSR Funny Car.
The Four-Wide Nationals is contested on the world’s only four-lane dragstrip that pits up to four nitro cars abreast. Each team receive one chance to run in each lane during qualifying. In Sunday’s championship eliminations, which are scheduled to start at noon (EDT), the first two to the finish line advance to the next round. The event winner will only need to be the first to the finish line in the last of three rounds to earn the Wally Trophy.
The Four-Wide is the first of six Mello Yello events this year when DSR did not have one of its seven teams qualify higher than No. 3.
But DSR’s day far more successful and memorable than any day when it ended with a No. 1 pole position.
DSR’s two highlights on the second day of the event started with Terry Chandler granting a “wish” for 9-year-old Christopher who had told the Make-A-Wish Foundation his dream was to ride a Pro Stock Motorcycle.
His wish came to fruition thanks to Chandler, a philanthropist who funds the Make-A-Wish and Infinite Hero Foundation Funny Cars for DSR, and Angelle Sampey, a former world champion and rider for DSR. And it happened on #WorldWishDay. Christopher has suffered from Juvenile Batten Disease since he was 6 and is virtually blind.
Chandler provided Christopher with a full leather riding suit and full-face helmet. Sampey and Team Liberty Racing helped him aboard a stationary 190-mph Victory Magnum motorcycle then started it with Sampey helping him control the throttle.
A few hours later, the second round of the Charity Challenge, a “grudge race” between “Papa John” Schnatter and DSR’s Top Fuel points leader Leah Pritchett, who drives the Papa John’s Pizza Top Fuel dragster, raised $20,000 for the Infinite Hero Foundation with DSR owner Don Schumacher and Schnatter each contributing $10,000.
Pritchett used a supercharged Gen III HEMI in a 2017 Dodge Challenger configured for drag racing to beat Schnatter’s prized 1971 Camaro Z28, the same car he bought for $1,600 when he was 15 years old from money he made washing dishes at Rocky’s Sub Pub in his hometown of Jeffersonville, Ind., and later sold to help his father’s tavern survive bankruptcy.
Pritchett won with a time of 9.86 seconds at 153.35 mph. Schnatter slowed to a 12.331 (112.42) when his Camaro developed a minor problem.
The Charity Challenge has raised $40,000 this year to help Infinite Hero. The next Challenge will be July 8 at Route 66 Raceway near Chicago.
TOP FUEL
No. 1 qualifier: Clay Millican (Stringer Performance), 3.716 sec., 325.77 mph
ANTRON BROWN, Matco Tool/U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster
Qualified: No. 3
SUNDAY
First round: BROWN, Ike Maier, Tony Schumacher, Pat Dakin
QUALIFYING
FRIDAY: 3.720 sec., 328.06 mph, (Session 1); 6.698, 103.80, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 3.803, 319.22, (Session 3); 3.814, 314.90, (Session 4)
TONY SCHUMACHER, U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster
Qualified: No. 8
SUNDAY
First round: SCHUMACHER, Antron Brown, Ike Maier, Pat Dakin
QUALIFYING
FRIDAY: 3.778 sec., 324.51 mph, (Session 1); 3.740, 323.81, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 3.,789, 319.45, (Session 3); 6.772, 98.95, (Session 4)
LEAH PRITCHETT, Papa John’s Pizza Top Fuel dragster
Qualified: No. 9
SUNDAY
First round: PRITCHETT, Shawn Langdon, Clay Millican, Terry Haddock
QUALIFYING
FRIDAY: 3.770 sec., 322.73 mph, (Session 1); 3.770, 320.51, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 6.491, 91.84, (Session 3); 3.785, 320.13, (Session 4)
FUNNY CAR
No. 1 qualifier: Courtney Force (John Force Racing) 3.851 sec.-track record, 323.27 mph
MATT HAGAN, Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T
Qualified: No. 4
SUNDAY
First round: HAGAN, Bob Bode, Tim Wilkerson, Cruz Pedregon
QUALIFYING
FRIDAY: 4.593 sec., 184.80 mph, (Session 1); 3.898, 331.38, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 4.088, 313.73, (Session 3); 5.086, 151.94, (Session 4)
RON CAPPS, NAPA BRAKES Dodge Charger R/T
Qualified: No. 6
SUNDAY
First round: CAPPS, John Force, Chad Head, Del Worsham
QUALIFYING
FRIDAY: 3.905 sec., 321.12 mph, (Session 1); 3.904, 324.12, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 3.964, 320.89, (Session 3); 3.920, 321.88, (Session 4)
TOMMY JOHNSON JR., Terry Chandler’s Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T
Qualified: No. 7
SUNDAY
First round: JOHNSON, Jack Beckman, Robert Hight, Jim Campbell
QUALIFYING
FRIDAY: 3.993 sec., 312.86 mph, (Session 1); 3.922, 319.52, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 3.994, 311.05, (Session 3); 3.952, 316.52, (Session 4)
JACK BECKMAN, Terry Chandler’s Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T
Qualified: No. 10
SUNDAY
First round: BECKMAN, Tommy Johnson Jr., Robert Hight, Jim Campbell
QUALIFYING
FRIDAY: 3.970 sec., 323.12 mph, (Session 1); 4.379, 203.28, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 4.725, 173.01, (Session 3); 4.384, 205.04, (Session 4)
ABOUT DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered near Indianapolis in Brownsburg, Ind., fields seven professional teams in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. In Top Fuel, the U.S. Army dragster driven by eight-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher, the three-time and reigning world champion Matco Tools dragster driven by Antron Brown and Leah Pritchett in the Papa John’s Pizza dragster.
In 2017 Dodge Chargers R/T Funny Cars, two-time world champion Matt Hagan in the Mopar Express Lane Dodge, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge driven by 2016 world champion Ron Capps, 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge and the Make-A-Wish Dodge driven by Tommy Johnson Jr.
DSR has won 302 NHRA national event titles and 16 world championships.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Jeff Wolf (wolfj@shoeracing.com), 702.524.1368
Leah Vaughn (vaughnl@shoeracing.com), 618.516.1988