Drag Racing | Tony Schumacher needs 5 more wins to catch all-time leader

Ever since Tony Schumacher began driving a Top Fuel dragster in 1996, he has been so fast and so dominant that his closest race now is against history.

Even for a driver who went 337 mph earlier this season, Schumacher, 38, is chasing down the giants of the sport with amazing speed.

Schumacher has won six times in his U.S. Army dragster this season and has 47 career wins. He needs only five more to catch all-time leader Joe Amato.

Schumacher is a big favorite to continue his sprint to the top when the 21st annual Schuck's Auto Supply Nationals begins with two qualifying sessions today at Pacific Raceways in Kent.

"I think we have a team capable of pulling off some awesome stuff," Schumacher said. "I saw Joe Amato earlier this year, and he said, 'You're right on me, aren't you?' He set a high mark. We've been winning a lot of races, and we aren't there yet."

Not only has Schumacher won here the past two years, he's been to the final four straight times and won three of them. This season, Schumacher has made it to the final round eight times in 13 races, the most dominating stretch of a career that includes five world championships, including the past four.

Ironically, when pressed to pinpoint his greatest accomplishment, Schumacher remembers the days when he wasn't winning every race.

"Smiling when you win races is very easy, but smiling when it's all bad and everything goes wrong, that's tough," Schumacher said. "Our team has been able to get through the tough times, and that's what wins championships. In the end, we just want to keep winning for our soldiers."

Schumacher said the NHRA's decision to temporarily shorten all the tracks to 1,000 feet from the usual 1,320 after the death of driver Scott Kalitta in June won't affect the way he drives. And he might have an added benefit.

"The safety is there, and the oildowns are not," Schumacher said. "We had a great race in Denver. Without any oildowns we can go to live TV. We may have solved a 60-year problem of fans knowing who won before it comes on TV."

Rookie Top Fuel driver Antron Brown is second in the points race, successfully making the switch from NHRA Pro Stock motorcycle rider to Top Fuel driver.

Brown, who won 16 times in 10 seasons on his Suzuki motorcycle, has already had two wins in Top Fuel this season.

Driver dedicates season to sons

Top Fuel driver Doug Herbert has dedicated this season to the memory of sons Jon, 17, and James, 12, who were killed in a traffic accident Jan. 26.

Jon and James were estimated to be traveling at more than 80 mph when they were killed only a half-mile from Herbert's home in Lincolnton, N.C.

Herbert travels to schools and speaks about the dangers of speeding and has started a program called BRAKES (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe).

"After this accident with my boys I found out there are more than 6,000 teenagers every year killed in car accidents," Herbert said. "I had no idea it was that big of a problem. We're just trying to do something to make a difference, and I think we are."

Herbert, who also has a 10-year old daughter named Jessica, has started a defensive-driving class in Charlotte, N.C.

Spouses compete

Melanie Troxel switched from Top Fuel to a Funny Car and now competes directly against husband Tommy Johnson Jr.

The two, who race for different teams, haven't actually raced against each other yet, but she knows it won't be fun when they do.

"I'm sure one of us will end up sleeping on the couch," Troxel said. "I'm glad it hasn't happened yet, but it would be great if it happened in the final."

Troxel became the first woman to win in both the Top Fuel and Funny Car divisions (there have been 14 total, including Johnson Jr.) when she won May 18 in Briston, Tenn.