Crash course

After big-time crash, it's time for sweet home Chicago

To say the very least, the U.S. Army Top Fuel Drag Racing Team has had an interesting last three weeks.

During that time, we won two races and recorded the quickest pass in NHRA history. And, by the way, I survived a horrific crash along the way.

Perhaps, you saw my airborne act on television last week. For some unknown reason, the Army car reared up during my Friday night qualifying session in Memphis at more than 300 mph and split in half. I was lucky to walk away with just a sprained medial collateral ligament in my right knee.

I guess I'm somewhat emotionally and physically drained as we prepare for this weekend's CARQUEST Auto Parts Nationals at Route 66 Raceway outside of my hometown of Chicago. That's what happens when you win two races and crash, big time. Hey ? we wanted excitement and we found it.

We'll be hoping for another successful, but incident-free weekend at my home track. The goal is to try to ride the wave of success a bit longer.

The Army team is in a zone right now and we'd like to stay right there.

Dating back to the Brainerd, Minn. race in mid-August, we have been to three straight finals. Of those, wins were pocketed at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis and the rain-delayed O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals in Memphis this past Monday. Sandwiched between was the much discussed 4.465-second qualifying pass at Reading, Pa.

Crew chief Alan Johnson has really got the Army car humming. It's a great feeling to get up on race day and know you are going to get down the race track in fast form. It gives everyone on the team so much confidence.

We want to maintain that level of performance this weekend. We'd like nothing better than a repeat of the performance turned in on June 1 at Route 66 Raceway when we won the Lucas Oil Nationals. That was the debut of Alan Johnson as my crew chief. I'd say that was a great way to start things off. Since then, we've been getting better and better. I'd like to think we're not done improving.

Since claiming my first career victory at Route 66 Raceway, we have steadily risen in the Top Fuel point standings ? from 10th-place to fourth-place. We're now within a point of third-place, Darrell Russell. There are five races left in the season and we want to win as many of them as we can. We're looking to gather a real head of steam for next year.

Well, I've got to field more phone calls from family and friends looking for tickets. That's what happens when you race so close to home. We'll get back to you just before the re-scheduled Lucas Oil Nationals in Reading, Pa., next weekend. Until then, stay well. "The Sarge" salutes you all.

Tony Schumacher drives the United States Army sponsored Top Fuel dragster in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.