US Army NHRA Race Team Kicks Ass

The US Army sponsors a NHRA Top fuel dragster team. Driven by Tony Schumacher, it is owned by Don Schumacher Racing (his father). Tony and his team have been the dominant force in NHRA racing for several years now, setting innumerable records and winning championships. He is the defending NHRA champ from 2008.


A large part of the team's success was with Alan Johnson, the crew chief, and the crew members. They made up what was perhaps the strongest drag race team in history. They were so dominant and hated by their peers that they were referred to as DSR (Dark Side Racing), rather than Don Schumacher Racing.


At the end of the 2008 season, a new owner came to NHRA. Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani, a member of the ruling family of Qatar, came storming into the sport, establishing Top Fuel and Funny Car teams with unlimited financial resources. The sheikh made Alan Johnson an offer he could not refuse to run his two teams. Johnson took all of his Army team with him - no telling how much cash it took.


So, we have Tony, the defending champ, with a car and no team. Picking up the pieces, DSR hired a new crew chief and crew, and in less than two months, were back at the races for the 2009 season.


All the pundits in the racing world had predicted that Schumacher would fall on his face, since Johnson had been seen as the reason for the success of the team. Well ... not quite ....


Tony and the US Army dragster won the NHRA event in Las Vegas today. Coupled with their win two weeks ago in Houston, he has now won 2 of the first 5 events. Will Tony be as dominant this year as in the past - I don't know. But it is good to know that American pride, driven by US Army principals and sponsorship, are whupping up on the best that foreign dollars can buy.