thedrifter
06-26-06, 03:55 AM
Schumacher wins, with heart
By Ken Roberts
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Monday, Jun. 26 2006
MADISON — Although Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher drives a dragster
sponsored by the U.S. Army, he carried with him all weekend a Purple Heart
awarded to a local Marine killed in Iraq nearly two years ago.
That special memento might have been the reason Schumacher, 36 of Long Grove,
Ill., was able to beat defending race champion Brandon Bernstein on Sunday in
the finals of the NHRA Midwest Nationals before about 25,000 fans at Gateway
International Raceway.
It was the 12th race on the 23-event schedule and the 10th year the NHRA has
stopped at Gateway.
"His brother (Brian) approached me on Friday and asked me to carry it. He knew
I drove for the Army," Schumacher said. "It was my pleasure to carry it for
him. We did that in Bristol and it was really weird. We won Bristol and you put
something like that in your pocket and you think 'aw can that happen again?'
"It's just weird. I said if you've got an angel riding with you, you can't
lose. There are some things that are much, much bigger. Maybe we made a family
a little bit happier. It's pretty cool to win that one."
Schumacher was carrying the Purple Heart given to Christopher Belchik, a Marine
from Godfrey. Belchik, who was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with a V
for combat valor, was killed by a mortar round on Aug. 22, 2004.
He had saved the lives of several Marines that morning when he discovered mines
near their position. He also was cited for actions in intense combat in April
in the Fallujah area while driving away the enemy.
Although he wasn't in a war overseas, Schumacher was in a battle in the finals
with the No. 3 points man in the standings in Bernstein, the No. 2 qualifier.
And although Bernstein had a quicker reaction time off the starting line (.070
to .079), Schumacher was able to win because Bernstein spun his tires 200 feet
off the line. Schumacher had a 4.565-second pass at 327.59 mph, while Bernstein
went 7.447 at 102.72.
"I looked and Tony was screaming ahead of us," Bernstein said. "So there was no
reason to push the car and do something stupid."
The win and the final round appearance was the first of the season for
Schumacher, a three-time NHRA champion. It was also his first victory at
Gateway. He had been a runner-up there in 1999.
Schumacher, who qualified fifth, reached the finals by beating Scott Weiss,
David Baca and J.R. Todd. Bernstein, running from the second spot, defeated
Larry Dixon, David Grubnic and Doug Kalitta to get the championship round.
"I'm sure it's going to be a pretty good party," Schumacher said.
Tony Pedregon, piloting a Chevy Monte Carlo, beat former teammate John Force in
the finals of the Funny Car category when Force broke a blower belt while
leading about 220 feet from the finish line.
Force, a 13-time series champion, was ahead of Pedregon just past the
1,000-foot mark when the belt broke shutting off the engine and allowing
Pedregon to blow by Force and his Ford Mustang for the victory.
"It's not a good feeling when you see Force's header flame at about 800 feet,"
said Pedregon, who had a 4.859 elapsed time at 320.43 mph to Force's
4.904-269.35 time and speed. "These cars have a tendency to run real good right
before they blow up."
Pedregon, 41 of Chino Hills, Calif., is one of three brothers in the sport
(Cruz and Frank are the others). He advanced with wins over Del Worsham, Bob
Gilbertson and Gary Scelzi. Force made the final with triumphs over Scott
Kalitta, Whit Bazemore and Tommy Johnson Jr.
"We beat some good cars," the 2003 series champion said. "I was up for the
Scelzi race. I knew that was going to be a tough one. Anytime you can race
Force in the final round and get him, my sponsors are going to love it. I
really like John. It's really kind of hard to dislike him after being together
for all those years."
kroberts@post-dispatch.com 618-257-0745
Ellie
By Ken Roberts
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Monday, Jun. 26 2006
MADISON — Although Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher drives a dragster
sponsored by the U.S. Army, he carried with him all weekend a Purple Heart
awarded to a local Marine killed in Iraq nearly two years ago.
That special memento might have been the reason Schumacher, 36 of Long Grove,
Ill., was able to beat defending race champion Brandon Bernstein on Sunday in
the finals of the NHRA Midwest Nationals before about 25,000 fans at Gateway
International Raceway.
It was the 12th race on the 23-event schedule and the 10th year the NHRA has
stopped at Gateway.
"His brother (Brian) approached me on Friday and asked me to carry it. He knew
I drove for the Army," Schumacher said. "It was my pleasure to carry it for
him. We did that in Bristol and it was really weird. We won Bristol and you put
something like that in your pocket and you think 'aw can that happen again?'
"It's just weird. I said if you've got an angel riding with you, you can't
lose. There are some things that are much, much bigger. Maybe we made a family
a little bit happier. It's pretty cool to win that one."
Schumacher was carrying the Purple Heart given to Christopher Belchik, a Marine
from Godfrey. Belchik, who was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with a V
for combat valor, was killed by a mortar round on Aug. 22, 2004.
He had saved the lives of several Marines that morning when he discovered mines
near their position. He also was cited for actions in intense combat in April
in the Fallujah area while driving away the enemy.
Although he wasn't in a war overseas, Schumacher was in a battle in the finals
with the No. 3 points man in the standings in Bernstein, the No. 2 qualifier.
And although Bernstein had a quicker reaction time off the starting line (.070
to .079), Schumacher was able to win because Bernstein spun his tires 200 feet
off the line. Schumacher had a 4.565-second pass at 327.59 mph, while Bernstein
went 7.447 at 102.72.
"I looked and Tony was screaming ahead of us," Bernstein said. "So there was no
reason to push the car and do something stupid."
The win and the final round appearance was the first of the season for
Schumacher, a three-time NHRA champion. It was also his first victory at
Gateway. He had been a runner-up there in 1999.
Schumacher, who qualified fifth, reached the finals by beating Scott Weiss,
David Baca and J.R. Todd. Bernstein, running from the second spot, defeated
Larry Dixon, David Grubnic and Doug Kalitta to get the championship round.
"I'm sure it's going to be a pretty good party," Schumacher said.
Tony Pedregon, piloting a Chevy Monte Carlo, beat former teammate John Force in
the finals of the Funny Car category when Force broke a blower belt while
leading about 220 feet from the finish line.
Force, a 13-time series champion, was ahead of Pedregon just past the
1,000-foot mark when the belt broke shutting off the engine and allowing
Pedregon to blow by Force and his Ford Mustang for the victory.
"It's not a good feeling when you see Force's header flame at about 800 feet,"
said Pedregon, who had a 4.859 elapsed time at 320.43 mph to Force's
4.904-269.35 time and speed. "These cars have a tendency to run real good right
before they blow up."
Pedregon, 41 of Chino Hills, Calif., is one of three brothers in the sport
(Cruz and Frank are the others). He advanced with wins over Del Worsham, Bob
Gilbertson and Gary Scelzi. Force made the final with triumphs over Scott
Kalitta, Whit Bazemore and Tommy Johnson Jr.
"We beat some good cars," the 2003 series champion said. "I was up for the
Scelzi race. I knew that was going to be a tough one. Anytime you can race
Force in the final round and get him, my sponsors are going to love it. I
really like John. It's really kind of hard to dislike him after being together
for all those years."
kroberts@post-dispatch.com 618-257-0745
Ellie