The 2017 NHRA season is off and running with 2 events (Winternationals and Arizona Nationals) already behind us. Aparently, there are drivers in both the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes who take the phrase “losing is not an option” literally. Leah Pritchett (Top Fuel) is making even more of a name for herself by starting the season out with back-to-back event wins, along with DSR Racing teammate Matt Hagan (Funny Car). This means that the two of them have yet to lose a single round of racing this season. Not to mention Leah has been busy setting a new all time NHRA Top Fuel speed record as well. Keeping in mind that just 2 years ago an decent Top Fuel pass at a dry low altitude track like the one in Arizona would be around 3.78 seconds. With time and tech moving ever forward, Leah and her team managed to cover 1000 feet of race track in only 3.65 seconds @ 329.34 mph! She will no doubt be trying to carry this momentum forward to the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Forida as well as throughout the season. One thing is for sure, Leah's crew and her Papa Johns dragster have some excellent support behind them in the form of Don Schumacher's Racing team (DSR). Don Schumacher, as a team owner, has had an extensive list of event wins, championship winning drivers, and some of the best crew chiefs and tuners the sport has ever known.
The reigning Top Fuel Champion, Antron Brown, now has 3 championships to his name as part of DSR. Don Schumacher's team also has 4 Funny Cars, all of which except one have won Don championship trophies.
Reigning Funny Car champion, Ron Capps, won his first ever title in 2016 after having been runner up 4 times in his career.
Matt Hagan, the unbeaten Funny Car driver, has won 2 championships and has experienced just about every catastrophic event possible behind the wheel of a car. Including massive fireballs and explosions at many events during his career.
Even Don's own son, Tony Schumacher, is the driver of the Army Top Fuel dragster and holds the record for most championships won by a Top Fuel driver in the history of NHRA. All that to say this, Leah is in good hands as part of a team with this much championship blood running through it. The next event in Gainesville will be the first major test for her crew this year. With the unpredictable weather conditions that have become synonymous with the Gatornationals each year, Leah's crew, as well as Hagan's crew, will need to be near perfection if they hope to cross off yet another track that has, so far this year, failed to deliver them a loss.
Leah Pritchett
