INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 1, 2026) – The season has not gone as planned thus far for Top Fuel standout Tony Schumacher. But all of that can change in an instant at this weekend’s prestigious 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
It’s a race that helped shape Schumacher’s legacy of the winningest and most successful Top Fuel driver in NHRA history. As NHRA celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2026, Schumacher’s incredible success is a big part of it, from his eight world championships to his remarkable 10 victories at The Big Go.
It is the most in NHRA history, as one of the sport’s biggest stars has shined the brightest on the sport’s biggest stage.
Which goes back to how quickly Schumacher could turn around a season that’s had its share of rough moments. Currently 12th in points in the loaded Top Fuel ranks in his 12,000-horsepower American Communications Construction dragster for Rick Ware Racing, Schumacher and his team are eager to get their season on track. An 11th Indy victory would unquestionably do the trick.
“I’ve been here in this position before where it just wasn’t quite right and you’re one decision or one little thing away from going fast,” Schumacher said. “We’ll get there and we’ve got a lot of smart guys on this team who have won a lot of races. We’ll get it figured out.
“I don’t have another thought process but going and winning Indy. We tested after Brainerd and the car ran well. We made some big changes, but we’re walking into (Indy) thinking we can win this race.”
Last year’s Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals saw Austin Prock (Funny Car), Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) win the world’s biggest drag race. This year’s event will once again be broadcast on FS1 with qualifying and the NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout throughout the weekend. Monday’s eliminations will be broadcast on FOX beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
It is the last of 14 races in the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series regular season, with the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs right around the corner. An epic U.S. Nationals is on tap as well, with special 75th anniversary highlights including:
- Appearances from NHRA legends Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, Kenny Bernstein, Joe Amato, Shirley Muldowney, Larry Dixon, Darrell Gwynn and many more.
- A celebration of NHRA’s 75-year history with exhibition runs on Friday and Sunday from the classic Rat Trap and Bradford’s Fiat nitro Fuel Altereds.
- Plus, push-start cackle cars on Friday and Sunday driven by NHRA legends.
- The Sox & Martin Hemi Challenge returns as the longest-running continuous specialty race in NHRA history, featuring exciting heads-up, wheelstanding, and side-by-side racing of Hemi-powered ’68 Super Stock Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas competing in the NHRA SS/AH class.
- Free parking for all fans in attendance for the entire weekend.
- Night qualifying on Friday, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday and the PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout on Sunday before Labor Day raceday.
Schumacher knows plenty about surreal moments at Indy. His Top Fuel debut came at The Big Go in 1996, advancing to the final round after qualifying 16th in the field, just seven days after getting his license.
His first Indy win came in 2000, signaling a run of dominance on drag racing’s grandest stage. He won eight times during that decade, with Schumacher’s most recent Indy victory coming in 2026. An 11th U.S. Nationals victory would do wonders for a team and a season that’s included just four round wins through 13 races.
Schumacher will also have to take on the lights of points leader and reigning world champ Doug Kalitta, who has won three straight races in 2026, Shawn Langdon, Tony Stewart, Leah Pruett, Antron Brown, Ashley and rookie sensation Maddi Gordon.
But Schumacher knows a bit about Indy magic and never counts out the possibility of it happening again.
“This is my 30th year of racing at Indy and it’s such a special place,” said Schumacher, who has an unprecedented 88 career Top Fuel victories. “It’s done some special things for me. This is where it started.
“A lot guys on my team are very young and I hope they understand this is part of the journey. If it wasn’t so frustrating at times, the wins wouldn’t be so amazing. The car went down the track three times in a row during testing (in Brainerd) and it went fast, so we’re encouraged by that.”
Funny Car’s Prock swept Indy last year, winning the race, the Callout and the regular season championship. This year, Matt Hagan leads the points, but only 22 points separate him from the next three drivers – Jordan Vandergriff, Ron Capps and J.R. Todd – in what will be an epic showdown at The Big Go.
Six-time Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders won for the fourth time at Indy last year, getting her 50th career victory with a win over Matt Hartford. Dallas Glenn earned the regular season championship and went on to secure his first world title. With four wins, Greg Anderson currently has the points lead in the talent-heavy class.
Two-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champ Gaige Herrera rolled to his second straight win at The Big Go by defeating Brayden Davis last year. Teammate and reigning champ Richard Gadson leads the points, while others to watch include Matt and Angie Smith, Steve Johnson, Ryan Oehler, Jianna Evaristo, John Hall and Chase Van Sant.
Also competing will be drivers in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown and Right Trailers Outlaw Street.
As always, fans get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans get a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit Manufacturers Midway, an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 6:15 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 4, two rounds at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 5 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 12 and 2:45 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on Monday, Sept 7.
Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 3 and 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.
To purchase tickets to the 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are admitted free. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.
About Mission Foods
MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/
About NHRA
NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
