BROWNSBURG, Ind — – While the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series visited the Texas Motorplex for the O’Reilly Super Start Batteries Nationals over the weekend, I made the three-and-a-half hour trek to my hometown of Bethalto, Ill., for my 10-year class reunion. While I was having a nostalgic weekend, I missed witnessing the end of the Tony Schumacher winning streak.
And the racer who put all that to an end on Sunday afternoon was that of Ringers’ supporting team racer J.R. Todd. Todd and his Morgan Lucas-owned team have had a bit of a rocky season, with not many advancements out of the first round and no final round appearances until Sunday, scoring his first win since Houston 2007. Todd beat Schumacher on a holeshot in the Top Fuel finals with a 3.912-second, 309.84 mph run to Shoe’s 3.910-second, 310.64 mph run.
In Pro Stock Motorcycles, reigning champion and current point’s leader Matt Smith was defeated by his former teammate and now G-Squared/Drag Specialties rider Chris Rivas. Rivas scored his first career win in Chicago in early June and added another win to his belt on Sunday. Rivas’ win jumped him to third place in the Countdown to One, a mere one point behind second-place Steve Johnson.
NHRA continues on to Memphis this weekend to wrap up the third race of the three-week swing at the O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park.
The Penske Racing trio returned to the Northeast region for the second weekend in a row, this time to Dover International Speedway for the Camping World RV 400 presented by AAA.
Trouble started early for the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge and driver Kurt Busch, who started on the outside of the second row. Contact with another car forced Busch’s Dodge to pit road for repairs and put him behind the eight-ball and a lap down by the fifth lap. Busch was never able to regain positioning or handling on his car throughout the day, scoring him in 34th at the end of the 400-lap event.
Penske teammate Sam Hornish Jr., also had a couple separate run-in’s throughout the day, but an accident on lap 170 put him out of the race for good in the 42nd position.
Ryan Newman was the driver to lead the Penske trio to the finish line with a top-15 finish in the 13th place.
The trio heads to the Kansas Speedway for another Camping World sponsored race, the Camping World RV 400 presented by Coleman this weekend.
A couple side notes to conclude this Monday Minute. Ringers’ continues to wish CORR racer Scott Douglas a speedy recovery after he suffered numerous breaks throughout his leg in a practice accident at Chula Vista, Calif., a couple weeks ago. We’ve been informed by the team that he is now at home recovering and already starting the rehabilitation process through physical therapy.
I just learned earlier this afternoon that former NHRA Safety Safari Dr. Dan Brickey passed away today. Dr. Brickey had been the recipient of a heart transplant in June. Thoughts and prayers go out to Dan’s family and friends during this difficult time.
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