DOUBLE = 200

Gray, Brown win at Gators to give DSR wins 199, 200 on a very special day

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Forty-three years after Don Schumacher won his first NHRA national event title, Antron Brown delivered the 200th to Don Schumacher Racing after Brown won the title Sunday at From left: Antron Brown, Don Schumacher and the NHRA at Gainesville, Fla. Johnny Gray. (Photos: AutoImagery.com)

And without Johnny Gray winning the Funny Car title moments before, the drama of when DSR conquered the milestone would have continued at least to the next NHRA Mello Yello Series event April 5-7 at Las Vegas.

The normally stoic Schumacher was exuberant after Brown defeated Clay Millican in the Top Fuel final (see AutoImagery.com photo at left) and was reflected in a news conference he shared with Gray and Brown. DSR GRAPHICS: Aaron Holland “It’s a tremendous reward,” said Schumacher, who will be inducted May 2 into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame at Talladega, Ala.

“I can’t say what this personally feels like. When we won both championships in November, my mother passed away the next day and I couldn’t attend the banquet. I haven’t had joy really since then ...,” he said as his voice trailed off.

“Today brings a special meaning to all of my efforts out here for all of these years.”

The accomplishment quickly was saluted.

“Everyone at NHRA applauds Don Schumacher and Don Schumacher Racing on its 200th national event victory,” said NHRA president Tom Compton.

“Since his return to the sport at the 1998 NHRA U.S. Nationals, he has built a corral of race teams that are second to none and always competing for event wins and NHRA Mello Yello world championships. Along the way, he has used his business savvy to introduce NHRA Drag Racing to a number of mainstream sponsors and has played an instrumental role in the growth of the sport during the last two decades.”

Schumacher started racing Chrysler products and continues to do so today with his fleet of DSR-built Dodge Charger R/T Funny Cars.

The first congratulatory message came from Pietro Gorlier, president and chief executive of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand.

“On behalf of everyone at Mopar, I would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Don Schumacher and his team for reaching the 200-win milestone with victories by Johnny Gray in Funny Car and Antron Brown in Top Fuel,” Gorlier said.

“Don has been a long-time loyal supporter and friend of the Mopar brand, as both a team owner and driver, making his first of many trips to the winner’s circle in a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Funny Car at the U.S. Nationals. We applaud his drive and determination that led him to this remarkable milestone and wish him many more wins in the years to come.”

It also marked one of the most significant titles won by the reigning Top Fuel champion in the Matco Tools dragster led by crew chief’s Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald, who won their 14th title for DSR.

“I just feel incredibly blessed to be a part of this whole organization,” said Brown, who moved around DSR teammate Tony Schumacher and the U.S. Army to take the points lead in the NHRA Mello Yello Series.

“It wasn’t just Johnny and me who brought Don that 200th win, it was all of us together at DSR that made it happen. It wasn’t just my team and Johnny’s team, it was all of us together.”

For Gray, who turned 60 on Wednesday, he could not think of a better way to thank Schumacher for giving him a championship-caliber race team led by crew chief Rob Wendland.

“It was awesome. Don has been absolutely great to me,” said Gray, who moved into a tie for first place with teammate Ron Capps and the NAPA AUTO PARTS team.

“It’s an awesome feeling for Antron and me, but it’s also an awesome feeling for everybody back down the line who contributed to the wins including Don who started it.”

DSR, which has won 11 world championships and event titles in each of NHRA’s four professional categories, is second in all-time titles to Racing, which has won 218 in Funny Car.

The following are drivers who have won NHRA titles for DSR:

WITH DRIVER DSR TOTAL DSR TENURE TOP FUEL - 100 Tony Schumacher 70 70 1997-present Antron Brown 14 21 Oct. 2009-present Spencer Massey 8 10 2011-present Cory McClenathan 5 34 2008-10 Melanie Troxel 2 5 2005-06 FUNNY CAR - 79 Ron Capps 25 39 2005-present Jack Beckman 15 15 2006-present Whit Bazemore 13 20 2001-06 12 37 2003-08 Matt Hagan 5 5 2009-present Don Schumacher 5 5 1970-1973 Johnny Gray 4 4 2011-present - 3 Richie Stevens 2 5 2005 Jeg Coughlin Jr. 1 52 2005 PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE - 18 Angelle Sampey 10 41 2003-07 Antron Brown 6 16 2003-06 Craig Treble 1 14 2008, 2010 Chip Ellis 1 6 2008

No. 199: Pitch Energy Funny Car

No. 200: Matco Tools, Top Fuel Dragster

Las Vegas Fanfest

The upcoming NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will kick off with its traditional NHRA driver autograph session inside the New York New York Hotel & Casino.

The event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, in the Staten Island room and Sporting House Grill located at the northeast corner of the casino.

The event will feature Don Schumacher Racing drivers Antron Brown, Jack Beckman, Ron Capps, Johnny Gray, Matt Hagan, Spencer Massey and Tony Schumacher along with other stars of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. The U.S. Army Top Fuel showcar will be on display in the lobby.

John R. Gray Day, April 10, Artesia, N.M

This is the last full-time professional racing season for Johnny Gray of Artesia, N.M., and he’s doing it in style.

Not only is he tied for the Funny Car points lead in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series after winning the last national event title on Sunday at Gainesville, Fla., but Johnny, his wife Terry and sister Terry Chandler are devoting this season to their late father, Artesia’s legendary oilman John R. Gray, who was 71 when he died on Oct. 28, 2001.

They are sponsoring their 320-mph team at Don Schumacher Racing for what Gray will not call a farewell tour, but it will be the last time he chases championship points at all 24 NHRA events held throughout the country.

Johnny will also honor his father and Artesia by taking his race team that includes two 18-wheel racecar transporters to Downtown Artesia for an afternoon display near “The Partners” statue that features John R. and his partner, Mack Chase, at the Derrick Floor & Oilfield Pioneer monuments at South Sixth and West Main streets.

Johnny and his 10-man Pitch Energy team will stop by Artesia after competing April 5-7 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway The late John R. Gray, right, before heading back to DSR headquarters near Indianapolis. and partner Mack Chase. The community is invited to visit Johnny and the team from 3-6 p.m. on April 10 (Wednesday) where the car will be displayed and Johnny will sign autograph cards and participate in an effort to raise money for Artesia’s Grammy’s House through a special reduced- price sale of souvenir shirts and collectible diecasts. The merchandise is being donated by Don Schumacher Racing. NHRA vs. NASCAR SOFTBALL SHOWDOWN

Don Schumacher Racing drivers Antron Brown, Matt Hagan, Tony Schumacher and Ron Capps will join other NHRA stars playing NASCAR drivers in a charity slow-pitch softball game at 7 p.m. on April 17 (Wednesday) before the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at ’s zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C.

The game will be played at CMC-Northeast Stadium at Kannapolis, N.C.

Other NHRA drivers planning to play include Brandon Bernstein, , , Chad Head, JR Todd, Shawn Langdon, Clay Millican and Bob Vandergriff, who is the a brainchild behind the game that will raise money for the Armed Forces Foundation and Healthcare of .

The NASCAR team includes: Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Michael Waltrip, Darrell Waltrip, David Ragan, Brad Sweet, Parker Kligerman and Kurt Busch, who is working with Vandergriff to organize the game.

The event begins at 5 p.m. with a one-hour autograph session, followed by one hour of on-field practice before the first pitch at 7 p.m. A concert by Darrell Hardwood and The CWB will play a concert after the game.

Tickets are $20 for reserved seats and $15 for general admission, and can be ordered at IntimidatorsBaseball.com/nhra.

Shoe’s Store New DSR souvenir items are being added regularly, and you don’t need to wait for the DSR merchandise trailer to arrive at a Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event in your neighborhood to be outfitted in 2013 official DSR apparel and hats. You can shop 24/7 at Store.ShoeRacingStore.com. Among the newest items is a tribute T-shirt to DSR owner and Funny Car pioneer Don Schumacher that features seven of the Funny Cars that helped him earn induction into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame at Talladega, Ala. New DSR designs are in stock.

NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series (Standings after 3 of 24 events; DSR drivers in BOLD/CAPS) TOP FUEL 1. ANTRON BROWN, 269 2. TONY SCHUMACHER, 265 3. Shawn Langdon, 207 4. Doug Kalitta, 187 5. Khalid alBalooshi, 183 6. SPENCER MASSEY, 177 7. Clay Millican, 165 8. Morgan Lucas, 159 9. Brandon Bernstein, 146 10. David Grubnic, 144 Event winners: Courtney Force, RON CAPPS, JOHNNY GRAY.

FUNNY CAR 1. RON CAPPS, 244 1. JOHNNY GRAY, 244 3. Courtney Force, 216 4. MATT HAGAN, 209 5. Cruz Pedregon, 181 6. Del Worsham, 168 7. , 156 8. Bob Tasca III, 155 9. JACK BECKMAN, 148 10. John Force, 144 Event winners: Shawn Langdon, TONY SCHUMACHER, ANTRON BROWN.

About Don Schumacher Racing Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., starts 2013 with seven professional NHRA teams. In Top Fuel, the 2012 NHRA Top Fuel world champion Matco Tools dragster driven by Antron Brown and the U.S. Army dragster driven by seven-time world champion Tony Schumacher and the Battery Extender Powered by Schumacher dragster driven by Spencer Massey; and in Funny Car, 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Valvoline/MTS Mail for Wounded Warriors Dodge Charger R/T, 2011 world champion Matt Hagan in the Mopar/Rocky Dodge, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge of Ron Capps and the Pitch Energy Dodge of Johnny Gray. DSR has won 200 NHRA national event titles and 11 world championships. Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.

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