CHANDLER, Ariz. — Don Schumacher Racing cars topped the elapsed-time charts at the National Time Trials preseason test session for National Hot Rod Ass’n fuel cars.
Five-time and reigning Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher was the quickest of 14 drivers at Firebird Int’l Raceway with a 4.480-second pass in the U.S. Army Dragster that was five-hundredths off his season best from 2007. Teammate Ron Capps led the 14-strong Funny Car contingent with a 4.785 at 322.34 miles per hour in his new NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger.
One of Schumacher’s class-best 11 top-qualifying efforts last season came at this track.
He appeared to move seamlessly from drag racing to stock-car racing back to straightline driving this past week.
“I spent a day at a small oval track out near Sacramento with Bill McAnally Racing,” Schumacher said. “I had a blast. I ran about 150 laps in one of their late-model cars and really got a good feel for that kind of racing.”
However, Schumacher was happy to “return to the world I know” to challenge for an unprecedented fifth-straight and sixth overall Top Fuel title.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Schumacher said. “I love driving the U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster.”
Former Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Antron Brown completed his Top Fuel licensing process with quarter-mile runs of 4.570 seconds at 292.58 mph and 4.582/296.89 mph in the David Powers-owned Matco Tools Dragster.
“I’m happy and ecstatic,” Brown said. “I feel like a giddy 16-year-old who just got their driver’s license. I’m getting a lot more confident in myself in understanding what’s happening all the way down the race track. I know what to expect and my confidence level has really boosted.
“I feel relieved, because there’s a lot riding on me. We have such an all-star crew starting with [crew chief] Lee Beard. They’re doing a phenomenal job. I’m going to do my job to step up and do the best I can because I know we have a championship-caliber car and crew.”
Doug Kalitta turned in the second-best time at 4.545 seconds Saturday as cool morning temperatures yielded to 70-degree weather. Sunday’s action was washed out.
Morgan Lucas was third quickest at 4.548 seconds at a fastest speed of 329.99 mph. Lucas said that impressed him, along with new teammate J.R. Todd’s day best of 4.568 seconds, 306.19 mph.
In the Funny Car ranks, three single-team operations and a rejuvenated Tommy Johnson, Jr., rounded out the top five.
Jim Head, the surprise contender last year, had his Toyota Solara primed for a 4.841-second pass at 313.95 mph. Tim Wilkerson, who has persevered on his own but forged a data-sharing deal this off-season with Snake Racing, was third in his Levi Ray & Shoup Chevy, and snake-bitten Del Worsham was back among the leaders with a 5.216/216.62.
Johnson, whose sponsorship switch to Larry Dixon’s dragster cost him his ride at Don Prudhomme’s Snake Racing, hooked up with retiring Kenny Bernstein to drive the Monster Energy Drink Dodge Charger and edged out current champ Tony Pedregon with a 5.228 e.t. Saturday.
Perhaps the most talked-about cars all weekend never hit the track. The John Force Castrol/Auto Club Ford Mustangs, including those of Robert Hight and Mike Neff, awaited adjustments. And Ashley Force’s car was set to arrive Sunday afternoon from a 34-hour haul from the shop at Brownsburg, Ind.
Courtney Force earned her Top Alcohol Dragster license as she shared the car with older sister Brittany, who still is pursuing her step up from the Super Comp class.
And one champion just found the weekend unproductive.
 “There’s nothing to tell you,” Funny Car’s Scelzi said Sunday. “It’s pouring down rain today, so they’ve already cancelled today. We made one run on Friday and it was a tire-shaker; the slide-valve didn’t open. Then we had a couple of other glitches yesterday and then last night it shook the tires again. It was better, but it still shook the tires. I don’t want to be negative, but, realistically, I don’t think it’s been a very productive test session.”