THRILL OF THE COUNTDOWN HAS REIGNING TOP FUEL WORLD CHAMPION TONY SCHUMACHER IN HOT PURSUIT OF ANOTHER SERIES CROWN, EXCITED FOR AAA TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS

ENNIS, Texas – RIS -  In his ideal world, everyone would be chasing reigning Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher as he made a push towards his ninth NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championship.

But as it currently stands, Schumacher is going to have to do the chasing, and that’s perfectly fine, too, considering his impressive ability to perform at a high level when the situation demands it.

Currently second in the Top Fuel points standings, Schumacher will attempt to track down red-hot teammate Antron Brown over the final three races of the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, starting with this weekend’s 30th annual AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex, where Schumacher is the defending event winner. Brown is unbeaten through the first half of the Countdown, winning the first three races, but Schumacher is ready for the challenge of trying to make up 94 points over the final three events in his 10,000-horsepower U.S. Army dragster.

“For as long as we’ve been doing this, and for all the events and championships we’ve earned over the years, we show up at the track each and every weekend of the season looking forward to the challenges,” Schumacher said. “That’s what makes our U.S. Army team so great, and that’s what makes it great to be a part of this U.S. Army team. We do have quite a challenge in front of us over the second half of the Countdown. Hats off to Antron and all those Matco Tools/U.S. Army guys because they’ve had about as perfect of a run so far as you can have in this sport.

“If you do the math, we have five round wins to make up in the next three race weekends, which is entirely within the realm of possibility, especially for this U.S. Army team. We’ve made up larger deficits before and came out with the championship by the time all was said and done. We live for the challenges we face every day and this is one we’re certainly ready to tackle.”

Courtney Force (Funny Car), Dave Connolly (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) joined Schumacher as winners of this event one year ago.  It is the fourth of six playoffs races in the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship and it marks a chance for drivers to make one last push towards a world title. The race will be televised on ESPN2.

Schumacher is locked in on the task ahead, which starts with trying to unseat Brown, who has been near-flawless thus far in the Countdown. He has knocked off Schumacher, who has 80 career wins and three in 2015, at two events in the NHRA’s playoffs, including the final round at the most recent event in Reading.

“Unless you’re out there running the table, and even then, there always seem to be things you could do better, or wish you’d maybe done a little differently,” Schumacher said. “The Army car and team was strong on Sunday at Reading. The guys worked really hard to fight back from adversity after we broke a crankshaft after crossing the line to win our first-round race and then blowing up big-time. We made it all the way to the final against Antron and lane choice seemed to play a big part of it. There’s that ‘right-place, right-time’ thing we always talk about. The Army car has gotten progressively better each week through the Countdown so far. With a week off to get ready for Dallas, I think we’re ready to go out and get things done the rest of the way.”

Schumacher’s duel with Brown will certainly be one of the must-see storylines this weekend at the Texas Motorplex, and it also includes the type of pressure and attention that has brought out the best in Schumacher throughout his record-breaking career.

“Well, for starters, we are truly blessed with the opportunity and are proud to represent the greatest fighting force in the world, and that is the U.S. Army,” Schumacher said. “Wearing those Army colors week in and week out makes it easy to want to be the absolute best in everything we do. All nine of my guys are the absolute best at what they do and, with all the experience we have working together, good things are bound to happen.

“We know what it takes to achieve the ultimate goal and we’re motivated to chase after it relentlessly. I always say it is a gift to be able to do what we do, and it is a gift to be presented with the opportunity to come to bat with the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and your team needing a grand slam to win the game, to win the championship. Some people wilt under that kind of pressure. This Army team has proven time and again that it is at its best when those opportunities come around, and we have one of those in front of us right now. It’s time to go out and get it done.”

Schumacher could close the gap considerably with a big performance in Dallas, but he must also fend off a talented group that includes much more than Brown. Brittany Force sits 100 points behind Schumacher in third, while other Top Fuel stars in the Countdown include three-time world champion Larry Dixon, who is four points behind Force, Richie Crampton, a four-time winner in 2015, J.R. Todd, Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon, Steve Torrence and Dave Connolly.

“Obviously, it would be incredible to wipe out the entire deficit at Dallas and then hit Vegas and Pomona on equal ground,” Schumacher said. “It’s mathematically possible, but is it likely? I would think not, especially with the way that team has been performing the first half of the Countdown. But, you never know. The way we approach it is to take care of what we can control, and that is to go out and try to be fastest in every qualifying session, then run the table on Sunday. That’s the best we can do. The rest is out of our control because you never know what’s going to happen with those guys and girls in the other lane. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time and, odds are, we can at least take significant chunks out of the points deficit over the next three race weekends.”

In Funny Car, Del Worsham, who won the first two races of the Countdown, saw his lead shrink to just 16 points over Jack Beckman, who won his seventh race of the year at Maple Grove, also setting a national elapsed time record. Other Countdown stars include reigning Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan, who trails Worsham by 90 points, Tommy Johnson Jr., who is 98 points outside of first, Ron Capps, John Force, Alexis DeJoria, Cruz Pedregon, Robert Hight and Tim Wilkerson.

Erica Enders will look to get a step closer to a second straight world title in Dallas in Pro Stock, but will have to deal with the likes of four-time world champion Greg Anderson, who sits 72 points back in second, Allen Johnson, rookie Drew Skillman, who picked up his first career Pro Stock win in St. Louis, Larry Morgan, Chris McGaha, who won the most recent race to move into third and 104 points behind Enders, Vincent Nobile, Jason Line, Shane Gray and Jonathan Gray.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, reigning world champion and points leader Hines picked up his second Countdown win at Maple Grove, opening up an 89-point lead over teammate Eddie Krawiec. Hector Arana Jr., who won in St. Louis, is 101 points behind Hines, while others to watch include Jerry Savoie, Matt Smith, Hector Arana, two-time season winner Karen Stoffer, Jim Underdahl, Chip Ellis and Scotty Pollacheck.

Drivers in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series also will be racing hard in their quest to become winners of the thrilling event during the weekend.

As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday, Oct. 16, with sessions at 2:45 and 5:45 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, Oct. 17, at 12:45 and 3:45 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18.

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call the Texas Motorplex at (800) 668-6775 or visit www.texasmotorplex.com. For more information about the NHRA visit www.NHRA.com.

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AAA TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS FACT SHEET

WHAT: 30th annual AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals, the 22nd of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the fourth of six races in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Drivers in four categories - Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle - earn points leading to 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships.

WHERE: Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas. The track is located at 7500 W. Highway 287.

COURSE: Championship drag strip; Track elevation is 500 feet above sea level; Track direction is southwest to northeast.

WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 15-18

SCHEDULE: 

THURSDAY, Oct. 15 - LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying

FRIDAY, Oct. 16 - LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 2:45 and 5:45 p.m.

SATURDAY, Oct. 17 - LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 12:45 a.m. and 3:45 p.m.

SUNDAY, Oct. 18 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:      

Sunday, Oct. 18, ESPN2 will televise one hour of qualifying coverage at 4 p.m. (ET).

Sunday, Oct. 18, ESPN2 will televise three hours of coverage starting at 8 p.m. (ET).

SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):      

Saturday, Oct. 17, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 9/Transponder 02C

Sunday, Oct. 18, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 9/Transponder 02C        

(3710 MHz, vertical; Data Rate: 40.46147055 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 29.27 Ms; FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 36 Mhz)

Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.

2014 EVENT WINNERS: Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel; Courtney Force, Funny Car; Dave Connolly, Pro Stock; Andrew Hines, Pro Stock Motorcycle.

MOST VICTORIES:  John Force, FC, 7; Tony Schumacher, TF, 6; Warren Johnson, PS, 5; Cruz Pedregon, FC, 4; Greg Anderson, PS, 4.

TRACK RECORDS:            

Top Fuel - 3.761 sec. by J.R. Todd, Sept. ’14; 326.71 mph by Doug Kalitta, Sept. ’14

Funny Car - 4.039 sec. and 314.90 mph by Courtney Force, Sept. ’14

Pro Stock - 6.550 sec. and 211.99 mph by Allen Johnson, Sept. ’12

Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.828 sec. by Hector Arana Jr., Sept. ’11; 197.22 mph by Michael Phillips, Sept. ’11

               

NATIONAL RECORDS:

Top Fuel - 3.680 sec. by Antron Brown, Aug. ‘15, Brainerd, Minn.; 332.75 mph by Spencer Massey, Aug. ‘15, Brainerd, Minn.

Funny Car - 3.897 sec. by Jack Beckman, Oct. ‘15, Reading, Pa.; 330.47 mph by Matt Hagan, Sept. ‘15, Madison, Ill.

Pro Stock - 6.455 sec. by Jason Line, March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders-Stevens, May ‘14, Englishtown, N.J.

PS Motorcycle - 6.728 sec. by Andrew Hines, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.; 199.88 mph by Hector Arana Jr., March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.

                                               

TICKETS: For tickets call (800) 668-6775. Tickets also are available at www.texasmotorplex.com.     

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NHRA MELLO YELLO COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGINGS

GLENDORA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) following the third of six playoff races in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, and the 21st of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

Top Fuel: 1.  Antron Brown, 2,432; 2.  Tony Schumacher, 2,338; 3.  Brittany Force, 2,238; 4.  Larry Dixon, 2,234; 5.  Richie Crampton, 2,187; 6.  J.R. Todd, 2,181; 7.  Shawn Langdon, 2,177; 8.  Doug Kalitta, 2,173; 9.  Steve Torrence, 2,160; 10.  Dave Connolly, 2,158.

Funny Car: 1.  Del Worsham, 2,361; 2.  Jack Beckman, 2,345; 3.  Matt Hagan, 2,271; 4.  Tommy Johnson Jr., 2,263; 5.  Ron Capps, 2,256; 6.  John Force, 2,211; 7.  Cruz Pedregon, 2,169; 8.  Tim Wilkerson, 2,162; 9.  Alexis DeJoria, 2,154; 10.  Robert Hight, 2,140.

Pro Stock: 1.  Erica Enders, 2,385; 2.  Greg Anderson, 2,313; 3.  Chris McGaha, 2,281; 4.  Larry Morgan, 2,240; 5.  Allen Johnson, 2,227; 6.  Drew Skillman, 2,212; 7.  Vincent Nobile, 2,187; 8.  Jason Line, 2,179; 9.  Shane Gray, 2,149; 10.  Jonathan Gray, 2,119.

Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1.  Andrew Hines, 2,378; 2.  Eddie Krawiec, 2,289; 3.  Hector Arana Jr, 2,277; 4.  Jerry Savoie, 2,259; 5.  Matt Smith, 2,244; 6.  Chip Ellis, 2,223; 7.  Karen Stoffer, 2,199; 8.  Hector Arana, 2,167; 9.  Jim Underdahl, 2,126; 10.  Scotty Pollacheck, 2,076.

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