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NHRA Bristol Results: Schumacher Finally Scores A Win

1
Deb Williams
·10 min read
a race car with a crowd watching
NHRA Bristol Results: Schumacher Scores A Win JERRY FOSS NHRA/NATIONAL DRAGSTER

Eight-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher, with a martini and cigar in hand, sat in his lounge chair in his garage, looked at his car and a couple of his motorcycles and then proclaimed to his wife that he could record a win in the two upcoming races.

Schumacher hadn’t held a Wally – the NHRA trophy – since July 2022 at Seattle. Yet, he could sense he was on the verge of snapping his winless streak. At Epping, N.H., he met Doug Kalitta in the final round. He lost to the current NHRA Top Fuel champion, but next on the schedule was Bristol Dragway where he owned six victories and was a member of the facility’s Legends of Thunder Valley.

In Sunday’s Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Schumacher once again faced Kalitta in the final round. It marked the 96thtime in their careers they had faced each other, but just the second time this year. This time, Schumacher came out ahead with a.080 reaction time and a 4.236 ET to Kalitta’s 4.890 ET. The Chicago native’s 87th career victory and seventh at Bristol snapped a 37-race winless streak and marked the first time in nine years a competitor had come from the No. 12 qualifying position for the win.

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“I think half the guys on my team had never won a race,” Schumacher said. “Half the guys have never held this trophy yet. It’s gonna be an awesome night to go down there and let them pass it around and just enjoy the moment.

“There are times when you’ve got to figure it out. Maybe it’s a step back, and maybe it takes a little longer than you want, but what makes it great is the adversity and smiling through it because it’s going to come. You’ve got to be naïve in this world today looking at the people we have to race and think you’re gonna dominate like you used to do.”

When the 54-year-old Schumacher drove for his late father, Don Schumacher, the winningest driver in Top Fuel history racked up 15 victories in 18 final rounds in 2008. That year, he recalled that he had crew members who complained about posing for a new photo after each victory.

“They’d go, ‘Come on. We’re busy. Can we just use photos from last week?’” Schumacher recalled. “I would say, ‘Man, I get it, but there will come a time when we’re not part of the same team, but, also, whatever team we’re on isn’t doing this anymore.’ Every single time, smile. When we won 15 races, 15 times of taking photos should have been the greatest.”

Now, Schumacher drives for Joe Maynard and he cherishes each victory. He never tires of taking victory photos or changing his travel arrangements because he won an event.

“I respect each and every win,” Schumacher said.

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won at the eighth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

a group of men holding musical instruments
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action with the Virginia NHRA Nationals on June 22-23 at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Va.JERRY FOSS NHRA/NATIONAL DRAGSTER

NHRA Final Results Updated Standings from Bristol

Final finish order (1-16) at the 23rd annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. The race is the eighth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

1. Tony Schumacher; 2. Doug Kalitta; 3. Clay Millican; 4. Brittany Force; 5. Steve Torrence; 6. Shawn Langdon; 7. Billy Torrence; 8. Doug Foley; 9. Justin Ashley; 10. Antron Brown; 11. Jasmine Salinas; 12. Josh Hart; 13. Cody Krohn; 14. Shawn Reed; 15. Tony Stewart; 16. Cameron Ferre.

FUNNY CAR:

1. Austin Prock; 2. J.R. Todd; 3. John Force; 4. Matt Hagan; 5. Ron Capps; 6. Cruz Pedregon; 7. Alexis DeJoria; 8. Bob Tasca III; 9. Daniel Wilkerson; 10. Chad Green; 11. Terry Haddock; 12. Buddy Hull; 13. Bobby Bode; 14. Dave Richards; 15. John Smith; 16. Paul Lee.

PRO STOCK:

1. Jeg Coughlin; 2. Greg Anderson; 3. Dallas Glenn; 4. Erica Enders; 5. Aaron Stanfield; 6. Cristian Cuadra; 7. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 8. David Cuadra; 9. Deric Kramer; 10. Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 11. Jerry Tucker; 12. Matt Hartford; 13. Larry Morgan; 14. Kenny Delco; 15. Brandon Foster; 16. Chris McGaha.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

1. Gaige Herrera; 2. Jianna Evaristo; 3. Matt Smith; 4. Richard Gadson; 5. John Hall; 6. Hector Arana Jr; 7. Chase Van Sant; 8. Angie Smith; 9. Ron Tornow; 10. Steve Johnson; 11. Chris Bostick; 12. Ryan Oehler; 13. Kelly Clontz; 14. Marc Ingwersen.

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Sunday's final results from the 23rd annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. The race is the eighth of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Tony Schumacher, 4.236 seconds, 259.41 mph def. Doug Kalitta, 4.890 seconds, 150.06 mph.

Funny Car -- Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.989, 312.42 def. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 4.022, 313.66.

Pro Stock -- Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Camaro, 6.707, 204.94 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 20.530, 37.09.

Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.818, 198.17 def. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.861, 197.94.

Super Stock -- Byron Worner, Chevy Camaro, 9.882, 120.24 def. Jeff Adkinson, Camaro, 9.449, 140.43.

Stock Eliminator -- Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., Pontiac GTO, 11.094, 113.81 def. Monty Bogan, Chevy Camaro, 10.929, 118.54.

Super Comp -- Ray Miller III, Dragster, 8.931, 174.68 def. Vincent Nobile, Dragster, 8.933, 177.86.

Super Gas -- Gene Brown, Chevy II, 9.906, 162.63 def. JJ Brock, Chevy Camaro, Foul - Red Light.

Top Dragster -- Matt Sackman, Dragster, 6.191, 224.73 def. Vance Houston, Dragster, 6.532, 209.43.

Pro Modified -- JR Gray, Chevy Camaro, 5.812, 247.61 def. Kris Thorne, Camaro, 5.937, 203.55.

Factory Stock Showdown -- David Janac, Chevy Camaro, 8.037, 169.98 def. Stephen Bell, Camaro, 17.200, 60.47.

Mountain Motor Pro Stock -- Bo Butner, Chevy Camaro, 6.712, 162.10 def. John DeFlorian Jr., Camaro, Foul - Red Light.

Legends Nitro Funny Car presented by Modern Warriors -- Bobby Cottrell, Chevy Camaro, 4.810, 233.72 def. Geoff Monise, Pontiac Firebird, 8.510, 75.61.

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Final round-by-round results from the 23rd annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway, the eighth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Doug Foley, 3.878, 301.74 def. Tony Stewart, 5.131, 148.41; Tony Schumacher, 3.794, 325.61 def. Jasmine Salinas, 3.802, 328.78; Doug Kalitta, 3.723, 328.54 def. Antron Brown, 3.782, 327.27; Clay Millican, 4.328, 195.45 def. Cameron Ferre, 7.084, 93.18; Shawn Langdon, 3.739, 322.81 def. Shawn Reed, 5.031, 144.72; Brittany Force, 3.733, 329.42 def. Justin Ashley, 3.764, 324.36; Steve Torrence, 3.773, 329.75 def. Cody Krohn, 3.901, 311.34; Billy Torrence, 3.768, 331.45 def. Josh Hart, 3.830, 322.65;

QUARTERFINALS -- Millican, 3.848, 309.42 def. Foley, 5.325, 134.62; Schumacher, 3.815, 324.05 def. Langdon, 3.835, 300.86; Force, 3.820, 320.58 def. B. Torrence, 4.228, 212.06; Kalitta, 3.767, 326.48 def. S. Torrence, 3.775, 326.08;

SEMIFINALS -- Schumacher, 3.795, 326.16 def. Millican, 3.824, 322.50; Kalitta, 3.800, 318.02 def. Force, 4.204, 224.43;

FINAL -- Schumacher, 4.236, 259.41 def. Kalitta, 4.890, 150.06.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.951, 321.65 def. Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 4.009, 318.39; Alexis DeJoria, Toyota GR Supra, 3.938, 318.69 def. Dave Richards, Toyota Camry, 4.242, 294.75; Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.924, 326.87 def. John Smith, Charger, 5.740, 126.84; Ron Capps, GR Supra, 3.962, 323.12 def. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.176, 288.46; Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.194, 250.46 def. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 4.221, 238.55; J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.999, 319.14 def. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.097, 298.01; John Force, Camaro, 3.953, 320.97 def. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.981, 318.69; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.069, 308.00 def. Paul Lee, Charger, 6.130, 113.55;

QUARTERFINALS -- Todd, 3.977, 319.75 def. Capps, 4.001, 316.45; Force, 4.010, 316.60 def. DeJoria, 4.088, 306.19; Prock, 3.976, 319.07 def. Pedregon, 4.065, 313.22; Hagan, 4.126, 279.56 def. Tasca III, 7.292, 85.62;

SEMIFINALS -- Todd, 4.012, 311.34 def. Force, 4.060, 314.83; Prock, 3.982, 317.57 def. Hagan, 4.096, 296.89;

FINAL -- Prock, 3.989, 312.42 def. Todd, 4.022, 313.66.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.679, 205.16 def. Brandon Foster, Chevy Camaro, 6.971, 204.23; David Cuadra, Mustang, 6.694, 205.57 def. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.706, 204.57; Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.662, 205.41 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.717, 204.11; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.661, 205.51 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 7.072, 158.82; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.639, 205.41 def. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.657, 204.82; Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.657, 205.04 def. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.698, 205.38; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.633, 204.82 def. Larry Morgan, Camaro, 6.713, 202.55; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.636, 206.80 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.697, 204.60;

QUARTERFINALS -- Coughlin, 6.690, 205.32 def. Coughlin Jr., 6.736, 204.85; Glenn, 6.665, 204.91 def. Stanfield, 6.689, 205.16; Enders, 6.665, 206.67 def. D. Cuadra, 6.776, 203.55; Anderson, 6.660, 204.35 def. C. Cuadra, 6.699, 204.01;

SEMIFINALS -- Coughlin, 6.720, 204.60 def. Enders, 9.657, 104.42; Anderson, 6.658, 205.10 def. Glenn, 6.833, 179.11;

FINAL -- Coughlin, 6.707, 204.94 def. Anderson, 20.530, 37.09.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

ROUND ONE -- Hector Arana Jr, 6.868, 198.17 def. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.896, 195.11; Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.871, 196.53 def. Marc Ingwersen, Broke - No Show; John Hall, 6.876, 195.96 def. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, Foul - Red Light; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.813, 197.91 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.922, 192.82; Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.878, 195.45 def. Ron Tornow, 6.920, 195.03; Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.860, 196.96 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 8.130, 119.97; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.807, 199.61 def. Ryan Oehler, 7.012, 194.24;

QUARTERFINALS -- Evaristo, 7.115, 161.19 def. Van Sant, Foul - Red Light; Gadson, 6.876, 195.87 def. Arana Jr, 6.874, 197.68; Herrera, 6.829, 197.31 def. Hall, 6.866, 197.45; M. Smith, 6.817, 198.82 was unopposed;

SEMIFINALS -- Evaristo, 6.898, 196.50 def. Gadson, 6.916, 194.80; Herrera, 6.825, 198.12 def. M. Smith, 6.824, 198.82;

FINAL -- Herrera, 6.818, 198.17 def. Evaristo, 6.861, 197.94.

POINTS STANDINGS:

Top Fuel

  1. Doug Kalitta 631

  2. Justin Ashley 609

  3. Shawn Langdon 583

  4. Steve Torrence 522

  5. Tony Schumacher 471

  6. Antron Brown 465

  7. Clay Millican 460

  8. Billy Torrence 443

  9. Tony Stewart 378

  10. Brittany Force 373

Funny Car

  1. Austin Prock 703

  2. John Force 639

  3. J.R. Todd 594

  4. Matt Hagan 586

  5. Bob Tasca III 510

  6. Ron Capps 417

  7. Dan Wilkerson 411

  8. Alexis DeJoria 398

  9. Chad Green 351

  10. Blake Alexander 295

Pro Stock

  1. Dallas Glenn 697

  2. Greg Anderson 676

  3. Erica Enders 662

  4. Jeg Coughlin Jr. 567

  5. Aaron Stanfield 484

  6. Troy Coughlin Jr 441

  7. Jerry Tucker 432

  8. Cristian Cuadra 386

  9. David Cuadra 307

  10. Brandon Foster 298

Pro Stock Motorcycle

  1. Gaige Herrera 493

  2. Matt Smith 319

  3. Richard Gadson 266

  4. John Hall 258

  5. Angie Smith 239

  6. Chase Van Sant 238

  7. LE Tonglet 233

  8. Hector Arana Jr 193

  9. Jianna Evaristo 189

  10. Steve Johnson 153