NHRA pros at Epping, NH

Anderson and Force get first Epping wins; Schumacher give U.S. Army a birthday present

Results compiled by Kay Burk
Photos by Ron Lewis and Richard Muir

(Ron Lewis photo)

John Force picked up his second Funny Car win of the season Sunday, June 14, at the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway. Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also took home victories at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL

Tony "the Sarge" Schumacher's 79th career victory came on the 240th birthday of the U.S. Army.

A day after earning his 78th career No. 1 qualifying position, the winningest Top Fuel driver in NHRA history got wins over Morgan Lucas, Clay Millican, DSR teammate Spencer Massey and three-time series champion Larry Dixon to earn a second consecutive Wally trophy at New England Dragway. It was Schumacher's 720th NHRA elimination round win.

"There's only one race a year you can do that on, so it's very special," Schumacher said of winning on the U.S. Army's birthday. "To go out there and qualify No. 1, the odds are against you. People think it's easy to win from the No. 1 spot, but it's difficult. It was a rough first round, but Mike (Green) and Neal (Strausbaugh) made the correct changes to go fast and we won the race."

Schumacher ran a 3.809 at 321.35 mph in his U.S. Army dragster during the final round win over three-time world champ Larry Dixon, who finished in 3.881 at 319.60 in his C&J Energy Services dragster.

Dixon, whose last win came in 2011 at Phoenix, was appearing in his third final of the season and first at New England Dragway. He is now fifth in points.

Schumacher remained in second place in the Top Fuel standings with his first win since February at Wild Horse Pass Raceway Park in Phoenix, but he closed the points deficit to his DSR teammate and fellow U.S. Army driver Antron Brown from 118 to 33 after Brown was eliminated by Dixon in the first round.