Big Changes at NHRA for 2022

[92562]

Tony Schumacher is back full time with a sponsorship from Menard's and Todd Okahara as crew chief.

Antron Brown is leaving DSR to start his own team.

Tony Stewart is starting his own team with Leah driving top fuel and Matt Hagan driving funny car.

Wondering who DSR will pick up for the open slots.

 

[CLdrinker]

Leah must give a hell of a Rub and Tug to get a boyfriend to start a team.

 

[4Waters]

Leah must give a hell of a Rub and Tug to get a boyfriend to start a team.

I don't think a rub-n-tug is going to cover that

 

[Brokeboatin221]

I read the title and thought oh no electric nascars

 

[oldschool]

It’s someone with the last name Maynard, not Menards. A guy from a Tennessee with a lot of money that likes drag racing. There’s info on the DSR website.

 

[was thatguy]

The other thread said TS was coming back to DSR?
The Don did not shore up the vacancy of Beckman and TJ when the Terry Hatcher money ran out.
TJ stepped in a couple weeks ago when Hagan had Rona and promptly won a Wally.
If there is a FC slot at DSR, TJ or Beckman would presumably be able to bring sponsorship to the table?
But it is apparent that 6-8 car teams are history.
JFR and DSR both have pared down.
But there are franchise cars as well.
I believe Josh Hart is tied in with Torrance for instance?
I like the direction of fuel these days.
Salinas is serious, the whole family went racing.
Justin Ashley is winning fuel races with pro stock lights. Ask Brittany and Torrance about that.
Your store bought 3.67 isn’t going to do it when the kid is strapping .030 lights on your ass!
Then you have upcoming legacy’s like Krista Baldwin (the Greeks granddaughter)
Alex Laughlin making the switch, and of course the Ice Cold Josh Hart with 2 wallys in this his rookie year in Fuel.
I look forward with great anticipation to next season! It’s gonna be like the Wild West in both fuel and FC!
But has anyone else noticed that Kallita isn’t in much of these discussions?

 

[was thatguy]

Which reminds me, how long will grubby put up with Brittanys poor lights costing him a tuners championship?

 

[Tom Slick]

The other thread said TS was coming back to DSR?
The Don did not shore up the vacancy of Beckman and TJ when the Terry Hatcher money ran out.
TJ stepped in a couple weeks ago when Hagan had Rona and promptly won a Wally.
If there is a FC slot at DSR, TJ or Beckman would presumably be able to bring sponsorship to the table?
But it is apparent that 6-8 car teams are history.
JFR and DSR both have pared down.
But there are franchise cars as well.
I believe Josh Hart is tied in with Torrance for instance?
I like the direction of fuel these days.
Salinas is serious, the whole family went racing.
Justin Ashley is winning fuel races with pro stock lights. Ask Brittany and Torrance about that.
Your store bought 3.67 isn’t going to do it when the kid is strapping .030 lights on your ass!
Then you have upcoming legacy’s like Krista Baldwin (the Greeks granddaughter)
Alex Laughlin making the switch, and of course the Ice Cold Josh Hart with 2 wallys in this his rookie year in Fuel.
I look forward with great anticipation to next season! It’s gonna be like the Wild West in both fuel and FC!
But has anyone else noticed that Kallita isn’t in much of these discussions?

Rumor has it that Alan Johnson is leaving Salinas for Kalitta.

 

[ToMorrow44]

I think Antrons “team” and Tony Stewart’s teams are going to be very closely related to DSR. Last year DSR created Don Schumacher Racing Performance Parts. I think DSR is getting more into the parts supply business than running a whole stable of cars themselves.

 

[was thatguy]

Rumor has it that Alan Johnson is leaving Salinas for Kalitta.

Something has to happen for them.
I am a big fan of that entire operation, it’s painful to watch that champion caliber team struggle.
No reflection on the personnel, but sometimes you have to shake it up a bit.
Alexis is right there, Tasca is there and was points leader for a good while, Even Cruz is a threat again.
It’s been a great comeback year following the damned Rona year.

 

[92562]

I think Antrons “team” and Tony Stewart’s teams are going to be very closely related to DSR. Last year DSR created Don Schumacher Racing Performance Parts. I think DSR is getting more into the parts supply business than running a whole stable of cars themselves.

Exactly what I thought. I bet both Antron and TSR buy chassis from DSR, maybe even do an engine lease like pro stock. I am really interested to see who ends up as crew chief for the new teams since Okuhara is staying to tune Tony.

 

[was thatguy]

I think Antrons “team” and Tony Stewart’s teams are going to be very closely related to DSR. Last year DSR created Don Schumacher Racing Performance Parts. I think DSR is getting more into the parts supply business than running a whole stable of cars themselves.

Franchise teams I cal them.
Look at AJ.
Technically he’s a tuner, but I’m pretty sure his cyl heads and stuff are the norm?

 

[92562]

in tonys press conferance if you watched to the end he stated the equipment and the whole idea of him starting a team was becasue of DSR.

Yes, he and Tony Schumacher became friends when one of Stewart's drivers (Newman?) drove for Army and Tony Stewart started showing up at a lot of NHRA events back in about 2009. It's also how he met Leah.

 

[Tom Slick]

Something has to happen for them.
I am a big fan of that entire operation, it’s painful to watch that champion caliber team struggle.
No reflection on the personnel, but sometimes you have to shake it up a bit.
Alexis is right there, Tasca is there and was points leader for a good while, Even Cruz is a threat again.
It’s been a great comeback year following the damned Rona year.

100% on all of that and it really has been a great year other than low car counts and most events. Not sure what has happened to the dragsters at Kalitta, but man are they stinking up the joint. They've got Aaron Brooks calling the shots on Doug's car for the rest of the season. It will be interesting to see if he can turn things around in the last few races.

 

[was thatguy]

100% on all of that and it really has been a great year other than low car counts and most events. Not sure what has happened to the dragsters at Kalitta, but man are they stinking up the joint. They've got Aaron Brooks calling the shots on Doug's car for the rest of the season. It will be interesting to see if he can turn things around in the last few races.

I think the low car count has actually spawned some new teams, once they saw they didn’t have to overcome billion dollar teams just to qualify?
Maybe not full timers but certainly an opportunity for some privateers.
The covid year may have been the reset that opened the door for new talent, at least I like to look at it in that positive manner!

I wouldn’t put a lot of faith into Brooks.
He can do the job...but...

 

[boatpi]

And Paul Lee has been very close recently.

 

[Nordie]

I think the only question I have with the TSR deal is TS has a deal with Ford and Leah has a deal with Mopar. What about all of TS other teams, how would Ford feel about a Mopar team? My guess is there's going to have to be blue ovals on the TSR team. Not that there is anything of any factory on them cars.

Leah made a comment when backing in a boat in Havasu that she couldn't be caught driving a Ford, so Tony had to do it.

 

[oldboatsrule]

I've be willing to bet DSR has a deal with Mopar, Liah has a "deal" with whatever TSR tells her she has.