Champ returns to race in Joliet

For the last two weeks, Tony Schumacher's phone has rarely stopped ringing.

That's because Schumacher, who grew up in Park Ridge and used to call Long Grove home, has family and friends asking him if they can get tickets for this weekend's NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet.

"I have to get 60-100 tickets for all of my friends. I ask my friends 'Are they out of tickets? Can you not buy them?' It's crazy, I don't get 100 Christmas cards a year," a laughing Schumacher said. "They're coming to support me, and I appreciate it."

Schumacher won't get away from the barrage of texts and phone calls until he straps himself in for his race.

"My only calmness is when I'm actually sitting in the car and it's started," Schumacher said. "The mass chaos that most people would expect from a 10,000-horsepower car is my calming time because there's so many friends."

And fans as well.

Schumacher has garnered countless supporters, winning a record eight NHRA Top Fuel Dragster Series championships. He won the title in 2014, won six straight from 2004-2009 and won his first title in 1999. This season Schumacher sits in second place in the Mello Yellow Top Fuel Championship standings, 20 points behind Don Schumacher Racing teammate Antron Brown, the 2012 champion.

That would seemingly put added pressure on Schumacher to win this weekend's "homecoming" race.

"I'd love to be able to say yes (there is more pressure)," Schumacher said. "But I can't remember the last time I showed up hoping to finish second. Pressure's kind of always there."

As the son of racing pioneer Don Schumacher, pressure has always been present in the family business. The elder Schumacher left racing in 1974 when his son was 5 and took over Schumacher Electric, the Mount Prospect-based manufacturer that grew to become a world-wide leader in battery chargers and custom transformers for the electronics industry. He didn't return to racing until Tony was active and he launched the DSR team.

"I saw him in a suit and tie every day," said Tony. "I didn't know him as the race car driver."

But the racing genes were in Tony Schumacher's blood. At age 15, he had his first car and drove to Union Grove, Wisconsin, to race.

"I just fell in love with it," Schumacher said.

And he made lifelong friends who would help him reach his goals and help build cars in their free time.

"Surrounding myself with good buddies that were willing to sacrifice their time off to build cars with me is really what helped me get (here)," Schumacher said. "My friends still are living in Park Ridge that helped me get to the top."

Now the challenge for Schumacher, who moved his family from Long Grove to Austin, Texas, last year, is staying on top. After four seasons without a title, the 2014 championship felt a little more fulfilling than the others.

"Winning last year was amazing," Schumacher said. "Because of that six straight, losing that whole team, having to rebuild, to be able to do it again with your people, a different group, is very gratifying."

Route 66 Nationals

What: 18th annual Lucas Oil Route 66 NHRA Nationals

Who: The Mello Yello Drag Racing Series features drivers in four categories - Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle

Where: Route 66 Raceway, located on Route 53 (historic Route 66), about three miles south of the I-80 in Joliet.

When: Thursday through Sunday

TV: qualifying from 9-11 p.m. Saturday, and eliminations from 1-4 p.m. Sunday on ESPN2.

Tickets: Call (888) 629-RACE (7223) or purchase online at www.route66raceway.com.

<b>Schedule</b>Thursday: qualifying at 9 a.m.

Friday: eliminations, with qualifying at 4:30 and 7:15 p.m.

Saturday: eliminations with qualifying at 4:15 and 7:15 p.m., and JEGS All-Stars elimination rounds at 12:45, 3, and 6:30 p.m.

Sunday: Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m., with Mello Yellow Series eliminations beginning at 11 a.m.

Source: NHRA.com