On the most recent episode of WFO Radio NHRA Nitro, eight-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher joined host Joe Castello to talk about his highly anticipated return to the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series at the Cornwell Tools U.S. Nationals. Schumacher, a 10-time Indy winner, will strap back into a Top Fuel dragster under the Rick Ware Racing banner, partnering with crew chief Rob Flynn and debuting a new sponsor, American Communications Construction. For Schumacher, picking the sport’s biggest event for his return was equal parts circumstance and intent.
“Obviously, I would have picked the first race we could have gotten to, but there’s more to it than just me wanting to be out there,” Schumacher said. “You’ve got to pick the right crew chief, the right equipment. These things take time. Indy is a great race, a big race, and a tough race. We’ve had such great success there, and some devastating losses too, but we’ve been fortunate to be the winningest Top Fuel team to ever run that racetrack.”
Schumacher spoke at length about his new teammate, Clay Millican, and the genuine camaraderie that has developed between them. “I think we’re going to turn out to be the best teammates-or he’ll turn out to be the best teammate I’ve ever had,” Schumacher said. “We sit down and talk like a couple of old dudes racing cars about what it’s like and how to make it better. We’ll call it good guy, bad guy. I’ll be the bad guy for a while, he can be the good guy.”
That willingness to embrace being the “bad guy” is something Schumacher says comes naturally, even if it means drawing criticism. “What you don’t want is nobody commenting. They can comment good, they can comment bad, I really don’t care. It’s part of life.”
The hiring of Rob Flynn as crew chief was a deliberate move for Schumacher and team owner Rick Ware. “There’s a handful of people that can win championships, and you’ve got to wait for the right guy at the right time,” Schumacher explained. “We’re not going to just try to fill the field. We’re going out there to win a championship. We handpicked this group, and you’ve got to have the budget to do that.” Schumacher is also impressed with Ware’s vision, which included making his and Millican’s dragsters look like true team cars. “It’s the first time Rick said, ‘Let’s make them look like team cars,’ and they do. It’s great team unity.”
The return has also meant bringing in a new sponsor from outside the usual drag racing circle – something Schumacher believes is vital for the sport. “For a young kid, stop taking the ones off the cars. Start looking at companies that are outside and can benefit from it. That’s what we did with American Communications Construction,” he said. “They’ve never been to a race before. They do the fiber optics under the ground for AT&T and Comcast – they make things go fast, and so do we. It’s meant to be.”
In typical Schumacher fashion, the conversation also drifted into broader observations about drag racing. He noted the importance of television coverage, the need to get fans to the track, and the unique sensory experience of Top Fuel. “When they hear a Top Fuel car for the first time on the start line, you realize there is nothing like this,” Schumacher said. “It’s our job, NHRA’s job, and FOX’s job to make people hear and feel that so they come out there.” He touched on the competitive nature of the current field, the allure of performance milestones like 340 mph runs, and the respect he has for other forms of motorsport – naming Michael Schumacher and Formula 1 as his dream seat-swap scenario.
The interview also had its lighter moments. Schumacher credited actress Michelle Pfeiffer’s role in Grease 2 with inspiring him to buy a motorcycle as a teenager, and joked about his willingness to use “all available resources” in a recent off-track wine blending competition. But when it comes to racing, his focus is clear.
“I’m not going out there to be a filler. I’m going out there where we can hire a guy like Rob Flynn, hire the right crew, and have the budget to do it. I’ve made my livelihood out of this, and I’m proud to represent a Texas company, Texas people, doing Texas-sized work. I can’t be happier.”
As the countdown to Indy begins, Schumacher’s mix of confidence, candor, and competitive fire sets the tone for what could be one of the most compelling comebacks of the season. “We’re going to be a machine from day one,” he said. “Do the same thing every time. If I do my job and Rob does his, we can win. That’s what we’re here to do.”
This story was originally published on August 14, 2025. 
