Longtime DSR assistant John Collins promoted to crew chief for Tommy Johnson Jr.’s Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T Don Schumacher Racing’s Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team will have a distinct Iowa flavor when it arrives at Gainesville, Fla., next week for the NHRA Gatornationals. John Collins, in his seventh season with DSR and fifth as an assistant crew chief to Rahn Tobler, has been promoted to crew chief for the Make-A-Wish team with driver Tommy Johnson Jr. “I sold my (auto repair) shop in 2000 to move here for the

opportunity to succeed,” Collins said. “And DSR is the organization where you can succeed.” Collins has worked with Tobler the past five seasons, including the last two as the assistant

crew chief on the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge team. “John is one of the most intelligent, creative people we have in our shop,” said DSR owner Don Schumacher, whose teams have won 220 NHRA event titles and 11 world championships. “Rahn and I both have believed that John has been ready to step up to crew chief for a couple years, and this is the right time for him. “I’m excited for John

and our Make-A-Wish team. They’ve already

John Collins: DSR Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T crew chief

Tommy Johnson Jr.'s best Phoenix run earned him the No. 2 spot in qualifying.

done a great job this year but they need to have one leader who will be with them 100 percent of the time.” Replacing Collins on the NAPA team will be Eric Lane, who has been with John Force Racing since 2001. Lane most recently was the assistant crew chief on the Top Fuel dragster driven by Brittany Force, who advanced to her first Top Fuel championship round on Feb. 23 near Phoenix where she lost to DSR’s Antron Brown and the Matco Tools team. Lane, 40, is a native of Baldwin Park, Calif., and currently lives with his family in Avon, Ind. He graduated from Mt. San Antonio College and Universal Technical Institute before working for three years on Gary Densham’s Funny Car team. The ties between Collins, 51, and Johnson, 45, are long. They are natives of Ottumwa, Iowa, and Collins’ wife Kelly graduated with Johnson in the same class from Ottumwa High School. In 1999, Collins helped on Johnson’s family-owned Top Fuel dragster. Collins lives in Plainfield, Ind., and Johnson in nearby Avon. “I’m very proud of what John has accomplished, and we all think he’s ready,” Tobler said. “I’ve told him when he’s ready I wouldn’t hold him back from doing what he’s always wanted to do. This is why he moved here from Iowa. He sold a successful body shop and repair shop to move here with his wife and two kids 14 years ago because he wanted to be a drag racer.” While Collins and Tobler have led DSR’s NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge driven by Ron Capps for nearly three years, they also have helped run Johnson’s Funny Car through this year’s first two NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events. “We’ve basically been running that car for the last two race weekends, and that car ran very well with the structure of how we do things,” Tobler said. Despite competing at the first two events without a full-time crew chief, Johnson advanced to the semifinals on Feb. 23 near Phoenix and is ranked fourth in points heading to Florida for the Gatornationals. Collins’ first full-time job on a Top Fuel team was in 2000 when he worked on Joe Gibbs Racing’s dragster driven by Cory McClenathan. Collins joined Don Prudhomme Racing the following year and was reunited with Johnson on Prudhomme’s Skoal Funny Car. In 2003, Collins was moved to Prudhomme’s Top Fuel dragster driven by Larry Dixon and the team won the NHRA world championship that year.

Eric Lane: NAPA AUTO PARTS Funny Car assistant crew chief

Antron, Matco team races off with Phoenix Top Fuel title CHANDLER, Ariz. – Antron Brown and his Matco Tools team at Don Schumacher Racing is the hottest Top Fuel team in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Winning near Phoenix on Feb. 23 to earn the 2014 season’s second event title makes it three out of the last six on the circuit including two of the last four in 2013. Antron and his Matco team led by crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald defeated Brittany Force in the final round of the event at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park (formerly Firebird International Raceway). It is Antron’s 42nd Wally trophy and 220th for DSR. In one of the closest races of the day, the Matco team produced a time of 3.755 seconds at 324.20 mph to Force’s 3.793 (322.04). It was the first championship round in any category for the 27-year-old Force.

“I didn’t look at who I was racing. None of these teams are out here to play games. School is in and you better have your thinking caps on and be ready to go. She was a strong competitor all day.” Now it’s on to Gainesville, Fla., next week for the Gatornationals where he is the defending event champion. “I have a lot of confidence when we get to the later rounds in racing. As the rounds go on, our team gets stronger and stronger. We have a great final round kick all the time. When we have to step up to the plate, we step up to the plate.” Antron, who turned 38 on Saturday, is eager to get to the Gatornationals where he won a year ago. “My best memory was being able to give Don (Schumacher) his 200th win,” Antron said. “That was very

Artwork by Bruce Tatman

special. We knew someone would, and I’m glad it was me and our Matco team. But it might not have been us if Johnny (Gray) didn’t go out before us and win the Funny Car title for 199. “And that was the first time we won in the finals at Gainesville.” Antron’s teammate Spencer Massey and the Battery Extender Powered by Schumacher dragster advanced to the semifinals in Arizona, but the U.S. Army’s Tony Schumacher was upset in the opening round by Force after he qualified No. 2. In Funny Car, Tommy Johnson Jr. and the Make-A-Wish team advanced the furthest for DSR in a Dodge Charger R/T. Jack Beckman’s Valvoline team moved on to the quarterfinals after beating Matt Hagan’s Mopar Express Lube/Rocky Dodge in an unfortunate pairing of teammates in the first round. Ron Capps’ NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge lost in the first round.

Tony Schumacher and the U.S. Army team shot up to No. 2 in the

last qualifying session near Phoenix.

From left, Michael Vendely, Ryan McGilvry and crew chief Mike Green await a run near Phoenix.

Jack Beckman's crew gets his Valvoline MaxLife Dodge Charger

R/T ready between runs. From left: Marla Weidenaar,

Sterling VanDusen, Chris Spall, Bill Haskins, assistant crew chief Terry

Snyder and Nate Archambeault.

Matt Hagan's Mopar Express Lube/Rocky Boots Dodge

‘Arizona’s Real Rock’ hangs with Ron, NAPA John Holmberg, host of Holmberg’s

Morning Sickness on 98KUPD in Phoenix, joins Ron Capps at the event outside Phoenix.

Ron was John’s in-studio guest earlier in the week of the Phoenix race.

SPOTLIGHT ON DSR

JOE CHRISMAN, NAPA AUTO PARTS Funny Car team

When not racing with DSR, he’s racing with his father Joe Chrisman has started his 10th season as a crewman at Don Schumacher Racing and says there’s only one thing that could end his tenure. “I love what I do and enjoy being around our NAPA team, and the only thing that could get me to leave would be having an opportunity to race full time with my dad.” Chrisman, 31, spends much of his time at home working with his father, Joseph Sr., on their Outlaw Pro Mod full-bodied drag machine that exceeds 160 mph in the eighth-mile. He’s working toward earning his competition driver’s license. He quit high school football after his freshman year to work after school at the family’s Tranz Act of Indy (503 N. Arthur Drive, Indianapolis) building high-performance engines and transmissions. After working as a CNC lathe operator at a machine shop, he was hired at DSR in 2005 to help Bob Glidden begin DSR’s Pro Stock operation. He worked on each of DSR’s four different Pro Stock teams and was a crewman for each of the organization’s three NHRA Pro Stock event titles. In 2008, the resident of Brownsburg, Ind., moved to the Funny Car driven by Jack Beckman and has remained with that crew including when it was shifted with crew chief Rahn Tobler to the NAPA AUTO PARTS team and driver Ron Capps in April 2012. In addition to the three NHRA Wally trophies Joe won in Pro Stock, he has been to the winner’s circle nine times with Beckman and eight times with Capps for a total of 20 NHRA titles. Joe’s Funny Car responsibilities this year are superchargers and fuel. His biggest setback at DSR has led to his newest hobby that goes at a much slower pace. After a qualifying run in 2010 at zMAX Dragway near Charlotte, he sustained damage to both knees when he returned with the race car to the pits. Between the 2011 and 2012 seasons, he had surgeries a month apart on his knees.

Spencer Massey’s Battery Extender Powered by Schumacher Top Fuel dragster leaves the line under under a blue, Arizona sky.

Joe Chrisman, NAPA AUTO PARTS team

His doctor suggested cycling as a good exercise to regain knee strength. He and NAPA teammate Dustin Heim travel with their bikes and use two-wheels to get from hotel to track at many stops on the NHRA Mello Yello tour. “I really enjoy it,” Joe said. “It’s good exercise and we see scenery we’d never see if we were riding in our Durango, especially on the Western Swing.”

Sandvik colors for Jack at Gators

Jack Beckman will sport the brightest hues of his colorful career next week when his

Sandvik Coromant Dodge Charger R/T makes the sun blush during the NHRA

Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla. Sandvik Coromant is a global leading

supplier of cutting tools, tooling solutions and know-how to the metalworking industry.

Sandvik Coromant has 8,000 employees and is represented in 130 countries.

DSR to support Hendricks County Humane Society’s ‘Dogtona’ Don Schumacher Racing is supporting the annual ‘Dogtona’ being put on to support the Hendricks County Humane Society on March 15 (Saturday) at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds Hendricks Power Expo Hall at 1900 E. Main St., in Danville, Ind. The event is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and invites families and their dogs to attended, provided they are leashed, current on vaccinations and not in heat. Admission is $5 per dog and activities include a treat walk, 50/50 raffle, nail clipping, numerous exhibitors and several rescue groups with adoptable dogs. Among dog events is the Don Schumacher Racing “Doggie Dash” for canines weighing less than 20 pounds. For information: HendricksCountyHumaneSociety.org

NHRA MELLO YELLO STANDINGS, STATS (Through Phoenix, second of 24 events; DSR drivers in CAPS)

TOP FUEL FUNNY CAR driver (wins), points driver (wins), points

1. Doug Kalitta (0), 191 1. John Force (1), 225 2. Khalid alBalooshi (1), 165 2. Robert Hight (0), 159 3. ANTRON BROWN (1), 156 3. Alexis DeJoria (1), 156 4. Steve Torrence (0), 155 4. TOMMY JOHNSON JR. (0), 136 5. SPENCER MASSEY (0), 155 5. Del Worsham (0), 132 5. Brittany Force (0), 155 6. MATT HAGAN (0), 129 7. Shawn Langdon (0), 124 7. Bob Tasca III (0), 124 8. TONY SCHUMACHER (0), 92 8. JACK BECKMAN (0), 92 9. Richie Crampton (0), 84 9. RON CAPPS (0), 88 9. David Grubnic (0), 84 10. Tim Wilkerson (0), 84

Merchandise specialist Scott Rogers spearheads DSR's involvement with the March 15 ‘Dogtona’ at Danville, Ind. Scott with his dogs Lixo and Reese.

DSR TEAM STATISTICS

TOP FUEL ANTRON BROWN: Matco Tools Pts Events Titles Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ Win/Loss

2014 3rd 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 4-1 2013 2nd 24 4 2 4 3 10 2 1 33-19 CAREER 288 42# 38 58 82 65 34 3 480-243 #26 Top Fuel/16 Pro Stock Motorcycle Best Time, Speed: 3.701*/** sec. (10- 8-12, Reading, Pa.); 328.78 mph (10-8-12, Reading) * Quickest ever/** NHRA record

SPENCER MASSEY: Battery Extender Powered by Schumacher Pts Events Titles Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ Win/Loss

2014 5th 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 3-2 2013 5th 24 4 2 8 3 7 1 0 40-20 CAREER 96 14 14 24 19 23 7 2 165-81 Best Time, Speed: 3.728 sec. (5-31-12, Englishtown, N.J.); 332.18 mph

TONY SCHUMACHER: U.S. Army Pts Events Titles Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ Win/Loss 2014 8th 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1-2 2013 7th 24 3 3 3 7 8 1 0 33-21 CAREER 386 72 53 59 102 92 72 8 665-306 Best Time, Speed: 3.736 sec. (10-6-12, Reading, Pa.); 330.30 mph (4-15-12, Charlotte 1)

FUNNY CAR JACK BECKMAN: Sandvik/Valvoline Dodge Charger R/T Pts Events Titles Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ Win/Loss

2014 8th 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1-2 2013 3rd 24 0 3 7 8 6 1 0 31-24 CAREER 182 15 19 35 52 55 10 6 238-161 Best Time, Speed: 3.986 sec. (10-7-12, Reading, Pa.); 320.58 (10-5-12, Reading)

RON CAPPS: NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Pts Events Titles Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ Win/Loss

2014 9th 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1-2 2013 6th 24 3 2 5 7 7 1 1 35-20 CAREER 413 41# 41 68 84 161 15 18 507-354 #40 Funny Car/1 Top Fuel Best Time, Speed: 3.964* sec. (5-31-12, Englishtown, N.J.); 320.89 mph (5-31-12, Englishtown); * Quickest ever

MATT HAGAN: Mopar Express Line/Rocky Boots Dodge Charger R/T Pts Events Titles Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ Win/Loss

2014 6th 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 3-2 2013 2nd 24 5 4 1 7 7 5 0 40-19 CAREER 121 10 15 16 37 40 15 4 153-108 Best Time, Speed: 3.986 sec. (7-26-2013, Sonoma, Calif.); 322.27 mph (9-17-11, Charlotte 2)

TOMMY JOHNSON JR.: Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T Pts Events Titles Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ Win/Loss

2014 4th 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 3-2 2013 (Top Fuel) 24th 4 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 1-4 CAREER 328 9# 13 40 71 150 9 42 228-284 # 7 Funny Car/2 Top Fuel Best Time, Speed: 4.021 sec. (2014, Pomona 1); 322.73 mph (2014, Pomona 1)

2014 NHRA MELLO YELLO SERIES SCHEDULE, 2013 DSR WINNERS

2014 REGULAR SEASON 2013 DSR WINNNERS 2014 WINNERS Feb. 6-9 Pomona, Calif. TF alBalooshi FC J. Force Feb. 21-23 Phoenix TF T. Schumacher FC Ron Capps TF ANTRON FC DeJoria March 14-16 Gainesville, Fla TF Antron Brown FC Johnny Gray TF FC March 28-30 Las Vegas TF T. Schumacher TF FC April 11-13 Charlotte, N.C. TF S. Massey FC Matt Hagan TF FC April 25-27 Houston TF FC May 16-18 Atlanta TF Antron Brown FC Johnny Gray TF FC May 23-25 Topeka, Kan. FC Johnny Gray TF FC May 29-Jun 1 Englishtown, N.J. FC Matt Hagan TF FC June 13-15 Bristol, Tenn. TF FC June 19-22 Epping, N.H. TF Spencer Massey TF FC June 26-29 Chicago TF T. Schumacher FC Matt Hagan TF FC July 3-6 Norwalk, Ohio FC Johnny Gray TF FC July 18-20 Denver TF Spencer Massey TF FC July 25-27 Sonoma, Calif. FC Ron Capps TF FC Aug. 1-3 Seattle FC Matt Hagan TF FC Aug. 14-17 Brainerd, Minn. TF S. Massey FC Ron Capps TF FC Aug. 27-Sep. 1 Indianapolis (Traxxas Shootout FC Jack Beckman) TF FC COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Sept. 12-14 Charlotte, N.C. TF FC Sept. 18-21 Dallas TF FC Sept. 26-28 St. Louis TF Antron Brown TF FC Oct. 2-5 Reading, Pa. TF FC Oct. 30-Nov. 2 Las Vega TF Antron Brown TF FC Nov. 13-16 Pomona, Calif. FC Matt Hagan TF FC

About Don Schumacher Racing

Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., fields seven professional NHRA teams. In Top Fuel, the U.S. Army dragster driven by seven-time world champion Tony Schumacher, the 2012 NHRA Top Fuel world champion Matco Tools dragster driven by Antron Brown and the Battery Extender Powered by Schumacher dragster driven by Spencer Massey; and in Funny Car, 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Valvoline MaxLife Dodge Charger R/T, 2011 world champion Matt Hagan in the Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Dodge, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge of Ron Capps and the Make-A-Wish Dodge driven by Tommy Johnson Jr. DSR has won 220 NHRA national event titles and 11 world championships. Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and

Facebook.com/shoeracing.

CONTACT: Don Schumacher Racing

ShoeRacing.com - (317) 358-0356 Jeff Wolf

wolfj@shoeracing.com (702) 524-1368, cell

Leah Vaughn vaughnl@shoeracing.com

(618) 516-1988, cell