Schumacher admitted in an interview with Torco’s ComptitionPlus.com that he didn’t know if he could fill the vacancy with a driver who had no nitro experience, much less alcohol racing credentials.

John Force took that chance and made the offer. The crew chief, who answers to the nickname of Zippy, accepted. Force committed to doing what it took to bring Neff into the JFR fold.

Neff now has his lifetime opportunity.

“It wasn’t like I always thought about being a driver,” said Neff, who tuned Gary Scelzi to the 2005 Funny Car title. “I had an interest in driving and making some runs. When I was offered the deal from John Force Racing, it interested me. It was an exciting thing. It was hard for me to leave Don Schumacher Racing because it was such a good place to work. I’ve always been happy and I have had no complaints. I really like all of the people I work with and Don has always been really good to me.

Schumacher admitted in an interview with Torco’s ComptitionPlus.com that he didn’t know if he could fill the vacancy with a driver who had no nitro experience, much less alcohol racing credentials.

John Force took that chance and made the offer. The crew chief, who answers to the nickname of Zippy, accepted. Force committed to doing what it took to bring Neff into the JFR fold.

Neff now has his lifetime opportunity.

“It wasn’t like I always thought about being a driver,” said Neff, who tuned Gary Scelzi to the 2005 Funny Car title. “I had an interest in driving and making some runs. When I was offered the deal from John Force Racing, it interested me. It was an exciting thing. It was hard for me to leave Don Schumacher Racing because it was such a good place to work. I’ve always been happy and I have had no complaints. I really like all of the people I work with and Don has always been really good to me.

“Driving a Funny Car is something I would love to do,” Neff said. “I just couldn’t say no. I always felt that if I had turned down the opportunity that it would be something I’d always regret for not taking that challenge.”

While Schumacher expressed a gut feeling that Neff is going to become another crew chief at JFR, Neff said the driving gig is the only reason he’s departing. Otherwise, he’d stay put.

“It’s why I took the deal,” Neff said. “I am not going over there to be a crew chief. Later on if I decide that I don’t want to drive, then I will deal with it then. I’m going over there to drive and not be a crew chief.

Neff said if he became a crew chief it would be on his terms. But that’s only after he’s given the driving a shot.

Neff isn’t naïve. He knows his tuning talents are squarely tied into the mix.

The biggest thing I think they [JFR] were looking for was somebody who would fit in with the people they have and also remain someone that John Medlen wanted to work with,” Neff said. “I would be honored to work with that talented staff. I really didn’t have any driving experience to be a draw for them. Whenever they talked to me they just wanted to give me the chance to do that.

“Tuning? I’m sure that had something to do with it. I’m sure that I have something that can add to the team and make that program a little better.”

It’s the potential of that addition that could make some uneasy in the mix – especially Schumacher. Schumacher has said that he’s committed to keeping Neff in the loop until the program expires.

Schumacher also said the same thing about Bazemore just weeks before he released him in favor of Jack Beckman.

“The best thing for me to get a leg up on next year is to start testing but my focus and priority is finishing out this season with Schumacher and Scelzi,” Neff said. “I want to win another championship. That is my commitment now. I have no intentions of leaving right now. I want to give it a 100% effort for the rest of the year. I don’t know what Don wants to do because I haven’t really talked to him since all of this was made public. As far as I know, I am planning on finishing the rest of the year.”

Neff hasn’t talked with Schumacher since the news broke and doesn’t anticipate any uneasiness going forward until the completion of his verbal agreement with DSR. The verbal agreement is all that legally binds the parties involved.

“I guess it could be an uncomfortable situation to work in but I don’t know,” Neff said. “Don has always been a good guy and doesn’t seem like the type that would let things like this anger him. He’ll be looking out for the best interests of the team like I am. I think the best interest for all would be for me to stay the rest of the year and continue on. I hope it isn’t an uncomfortable situation. I didn’t feel uncomfortable talking to him about the chance to go drive for JFR.”