DSR's Make-A-Wish Dodge blasts track record for provisional pole

POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 13, 2015) - RIS - Most of the attention on the 2015 Funny Car world championship race is focused on Jack Beckman's Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T of Don Schumacher Racing and points leader Del Worsham of Kalitta Motorsports. It is doe to the wire for the NHRA Finale.

Beckman dominated the regular season and Worsham has dominated the NHRA Countdown to the Championship by winning three of five playoff races.

But another DSR team, Tommy Johnson Jr. and the Make-A-Wish crew, made a big statement during Friday's second qualifying session of the Auto Club NHRA Finals at Pomona, Calif., that they also remain a force contending for the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world title by blasting the track record with his career best time of 3.917 seconds at 324.67 mph to earn the provisional pole heading to Saturday's last two qualifying runs before championship eliminations on Sunday.

"We were trying to run that on the first run but the track wouldn't hold it," said Johnson, whose team led by crew chief John Collins earned three bonus points and trails Worsham by 94 points. "I'm really happy with our Make-A-Wish guys.

"There's a slim chance we can pull this off. We're going to run it our own way, try to set a record and win the trophy Sunday then we will worry about the other guys. We're going to do everything we can to put ourselves in that position and this is a really good start."

A new national track time record at the end of Sunday's competition would pay a 20-point bonus that is equivalent to one round win during eliminations.

Johnson led a parade of three DSR Funny Cars to the top of the qualifying chart and was followed by No. 2 Matt Hagan (Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots) and No. 3 Ron Capps (NAPA AUTO PARTS).

Beckman was second quickest in the first session and earned two bonus points while Worsham was shut out in qualifying that enabled Beckman to narrow the gap between the two frontrunners to 36 points.

The only drama in Top Fuel is who will win the NHRA Finals title because Antron Brown and the Matco Tools/U.S. Army team led by crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald clinched its second world championship in four years two weeks ago at Las Vegas.

Eight-time and reigning world champion Tony Schumacher (U.S. Army) is ranked third with a time of 3.745 (324.59) and is followed by DSR teammates Brown in fourth at 3.758 and Shawn Langdon (Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher/Sandvik Coromant) seventh at 3.774.

Chandler to return in 2016 with Infinite Hero, Beckman
Don Schumacher Racing owner Don Schumacher and Laurie Baker of the Infinite Hero Foundation announced Friday that Infinite Hero will return in 2016 as the branding beneficiary on the Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driven by Jack Beckman and funded by Terry Chandler of New Mexico.

"I'm just so thankful to be part of this," Chandler said. "I feel very blessed to be involved with Infinite Hero and all that they do to help the men and women, along with their families, who have served our country. Infinite Hero truly makes a difference in lives, and our team has been fortunate to see that with our own eyes.

"For the past two years, being part of Infinite Hero with this race team, I have met so many people who inspire me. But it isn't just me who is inspired; my team members feel this in their hearts, too. To have the ability to raise awareness for these two foundations has meant the world to me. It brings so much joy to my life, and I hope that others are inspired to help."

So far this season, the Infinite Hero drag racing program has generated more than $300,000 through its DSR and NHRA drag racing programs. That includes more than $150,000 raised on the night of Veterans Day at the first annual Infinite Hero Gala at Oakley headquarters in Foothill Ranch, Calif. The exchange of IHF Challenge Coins by Beckman at NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series for a $100 donation is expected to top $150,000 during this weekend's season finale at Pomona, Calif.

"Everything this Infinite Hero team has accomplished is because of Terry Chandler's generosity, and I won't ever forget that," said Jack, 49, a former U.S. Air Force sergeant and Southern California resident. "No matter what happens at Pomona I know we all can be proud of the things we have done on and off the track."

Each run down the track this year Jack carried at least 10 Infinite Hero Challenge Coins on board his record-breaking 2015 Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car that were exchanged with NHRA fans for a $100 donation to Infinite Hero.

Infinite Hero Foundation President and Oakley CEO, Colin Baden, said the foundation has donated nearly $2.23 million to 15 different programs offering innovative and measurable treatments for combat recovery.

Schumacher said, "The Infinite Hero program honors us by letting us help their wonderful foundation. Helping the Infinite Hero program is what makes being involved in NHRA drag racing even more special. We hope to raise a lot more money and awareness to help Infinite Hero help the brave men and women of our military who sacrificed so much for us."

TOP FUEL
Provisional No. 1 qualifier: Billy Torrence 3.726-sec, 331.61 mph (Torrence Racing)

TONY SCHUMACHER, U.S. Army
Provisional qualifying position: No. 3
QUALIFYING RESULTS
FRIDAY: 3.788 sec., 324.36 mph, (Session 1); 3.745, 324.59, (Session 2)

ANTRON BROWN, Matco Tools/U.S. Army
Provisional qualifying position: No. 4
QUALIFYING RESULTS
FRIDAY: 6.261 sec., 103.71 mph, (Session 1); 3.758, 324.90, (Session 2)

SHAWN LANGDON, Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher
Provisional qualifying position: No. 7
QUALIFYING RESULTS
FRIDAY: 4.936 sec., 146.34 mph (Session 1); 3.774, 326.56, (Session 2)

FUNNY CAR
Provisional No. 1 Qualifier: Tommy Johnson Jr. (Don Schumacher Racing) 3.917 sec., 324.67 mph

TOMMY JOHNSON JR., Make-A-Wish 2015 Dodge Charger R/T
Provisional qualifying position: No. 1
QUALIFYING RESULTS
FRIDAY: 7.395 sec., 81.28 mph, (Session 1); 3.917, 324.67, (Session 2)

MATT HAGAN, Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots 2015 Dodge Charger R/T
Provisional qualifying position: No. 2
QUALIFYING RESULTS
FRIDAY: 3.995 sec., 323.50 mph, (Session 1); 3.923, 329.50, (Session 2)

RON CAPPS, NAPA AUTO PARTS 2015 Dodge Charger R/T
Provisional qualifying position: No. 3
QUALIFYING RESULTS
FRIDAY: 3.951 sec.-track record, 322.04 mph, (Session 1); 3.937, 325.69, (Session 2)

JACK BECKMAN, Infinite Hero 2015 Dodge Charger R/T
Provisional qualifying position: No. 5
QUALIFYING RESULTS
FRIDAY: 3.964 sec., 319.29 mph, (Session 1); 3.964, 296.70, (Session 2

Dusty Brandel

President of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association, Inc. Worked with Mike Hollander since Tapsis, Compuserve, etc. and has posted to the website since the beginning. First Female photo-journalist to be given a garage and pit pass for the NASCAR garage, 1972 at Ontario Motor Speedway. One of first seven female writers, photographers given access to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway garage and pits in 1971. Past President of Greater Los Angeles Press Club, 1992-96, and first female editor of the 8-Ball publication for the Press Club

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Volume 2015, Issue 11, Posted 11:19 PM, 11.13.2015