Tony Schumacher Looking for Solid Start to NHRA Virginia Nationals
Tony Schumacher, driver of the Waltrip Brewing Co./Leatherwood Distillery Top Fuel Dragster, is gearing up to compete at the NHRA Virginia Nationals. This event, which holds significant history for Schumacher, will see him returning to a track where he has previously tasted victory and achieved multiple accolades.
In the past, Schumacher has clinched the event title in 2008 and secured the No. 1 qualifier position four times between 2006 and 2018. The 2022 Virginia NHRA Nationals saw him qualifying 11th and advancing to the quarterfinals, showcasing his consistent performance at this venue. However, the NHRA Mission Foods Series did not compete in Richmond in 2023, adding a layer of anticipation for his return this year.
Schumacher’s recent form has been impressive. At the last event in Bristol, he qualified 12th and emerged as the event champion, defeating top competitors like Jasmine Salinas, Shawn Langdon, Clay Millican, and Doug Kalitta. This victory added to his remarkable 2024 statistics, which include one national event win, two runner-up finishes, and a win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. Over his illustrious career, Schumacher has competed in 563 races, securing 87 wins and 88 No. 1 qualifiers.
Entering the Virginia Nationals as the most recent Top Fuel winner, Schumacher tied with Funny Car racer Ron Capps for the most wins at the Bristol facility, with seven victories each. His team, riding high on their recent successes, aims to make a strong impact this weekend. Schumacher has his sights set on making his third consecutive final round appearance and fourth of the year.
In Bristol, the Waltrip Brewing Co./Leatherwood Distillery team introduced a striking new co-branded livery, which will be seen again in Richmond. The decision to continue with this design underscores the team’s desire to capitalize on their recent momentum. Additionally, Leatherwood Distillery has launched a sales promotion that donates fifty cents from every bottle sold to A Soldier’s Child and another fifty cents to a veteran-supporting organization, running through Veteran’s Day.
Fans will have an opportunity to meet Schumacher during the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge driver autograph session on Saturday morning. This session, held at the Mission Foods midway display, promises to be a highlight for fans eager to engage with their favorite driver.
Reflecting on his upcoming participation, Schumacher expressed his excitement.
“I’m excited to get back to Virginia. It’s been a few years since we raced there, and I always enjoy seeing old friends in places where we’ve raced in the past,” he said. “The facility does a great job maintaining the track, it’s always very smooth. We’re feeling really good right now coming off of that nice win in Bristol. That was a major confidence boost for our team. We earned the right to compete in another Mission Foods challenge this weekend, and it would be awesome to kick off the weekend with a solid qualifying outing and another Mission trophy on Saturday before we get into eliminations on Sunday. We’ll be back in the Waltrip Brewing Co./Leatherwood car again this weekend, and I was so excited when I heard we were keeping that paint scheme going for another race because not only does it look great, but the fans loved it as well. Hopefully we can go two-for-two in that car and park it in the winner’s circle once again.”
As Tony Schumacher prepares for the NHRA Virginia Nationals, all eyes will be on him to see if he can continue his winning streak and make yet another memorable appearance at this storied event.
This story was originally published on June 20, 2024.
The post Tony Schumacher Looking for Solid Start to NHRA Virginia Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
