With eight world championships and 86 national event wins, Tony Schumacher is the most successful driver in NHRA Top Fuel history, but despite checking nearly every box on the drag racing list of accomplishments, he has yet to hoist a four-wide Wally trophy. He’s come close, finishing as the runner-up in 2012 and 2017 in Charlotte, N.C. as well as recording a runner-up finish at the 2018 Las Vegas NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. Aboard the Okuma Top Fuel dragster, Schumacher was hoping this weekend’s visit to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway would be the event where his four-wide luck would change, but a first-round loss halted his shot at picking up a first four-wide win.
Starting from the No. 2 seed for the second time in three events, Schumacher drew No. 7 qualifier Shawn Reed, No. 10 qualifier Justin Ashley, and No. 15 qualifier Terry Totten as his first-round competitors. Schumacher was second off of the starting line and on a good run before his machine started to spin the tires near the top end, slowing to a 4.109 E.T. while Ashley and Totten posted a 3.777 and 3.911, respectively, to advance into the next round.
“We know how to run really fast now. We’re consistently qualifying in the top half of the field. We’re doing good, but we need to be able to go down the track more often. We need a bigger window. So, we’re going to start working on that window,” said Schumacher, who earned two bonus points during qualifying when he clocked the second-quickest run of the third session to place him second on the elimination ladder.
“We were on a good run there (in E1). It started spinning the tires near the top end. It’s doing it in a familiar spot over and over again. Seems like every change we make, it’s still hitting that spot. We’re staying to test tomorrow, and we’re going to make a change to try and fix that spot. We need a window in that area that will allow us to not have to slow the car down, still run fast, but be able to get through that danger zone.”
Schumacher will have another shot at a four-wide trophy when the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to zMAX Dragway for the second of two four-wide style events. Schumacher will be back behind the wheel of the Okuma dragster at the Concord, N.C. race as part of a three-event primary partnership with Okuma America Corporation, which is headquartered nearby in Charlotte. He will begin the race weekend ranked seventh in the Top Fuel standings.
This story was originally published on April 15, 2024. 
