Trying to win a championship yet prepare for the inevitable dogs on Tony Schumacher …

Tony Schumacher spent much of his time during the NHRA U.S. Nationals weekend fielding questions about the impending departure of crew chief Alan Johnson.

Johnson announced on Saturday in Indianapolis that he intends to leave the U.S. Army team in pursuit of a new role as team owner with backing from Al-Anabi Motorsports.

Six races are left in the 2008 season and for now, that’s Schumacher’s focus.

“I’ve said it a million times    I said it before this weekend, I wake up in the morning and I believe in God and I have a beautiful family, and that’s what my focus is 99 percent of the time,” Schumacher said. "Alan leaving a race team is not going to make me any less of a father or a husband. I’ll still come home and enjoy life.”

 

 

Trying to win a championship yet prepare for the inevitable dogs on Tony Schumacher …

Tony Schumacher spent much of his time during the NHRA U.S. Nationals weekend fielding questions about the impending departure of crew chief Alan Johnson.

Johnson announced on Saturday in Indianapolis that he intends to leave the U.S. Army team in pursuit of a new role as team owner with backing from Al-Anabi Motorsports.

Six races are left in the 2008 season and for now, that’s Schumacher’s focus.

“I’ve said it a million times    I said it before this weekend, I wake up in the morning and I believe in God and I have a beautiful family, and that’s what my focus is 99 percent of the time,” Schumacher said. "Alan leaving a race team is not going to make me any less of a father or a husband. I’ll still come home and enjoy life.”

Schumacher will be the first to admit, he knew in the back of his mind that Johnson sought to have his own team and realizes the decorated tuner is merely fulfilling a dream.

“You know, we’ve had an incredible five years,” Schumacher added. “People dream every day about having a guy like Alan Johnson for five years, and it’s been, again, a pleasure.”

The 5-time world champion tied Joe Amato’s career national event win mark [52] with his victory at the NHRA U.S. Nationals victory. His triumph represented his eleventh of the season and sixth consecutively.

In 2009, he’ll learn to win without the assistance of Johnson and his tune-up.

“We are going to have a new challenge and get up and race against him and we all know how difficult that is, but, it’s something that we’ll just have to face next year,” Schumacher said. “It’s not like we have a choice in the matter. We have to get up. We have to cowboy up, saddle up in that race car and do our job.”

One thing is for certain, Schumacher says, is he will be up for the challenge of racing opposite Johnson’s team. The experience will be a constant reminder of the special bond they shared for a half-decade.

“Everything he’s done has been a blessing for us,” Schumacher added. “He’s taught our team how to race and how to get through adverse conditions and he’s taught us how to go fast and how to enjoy life and respect the wins we’ve had.

“I always said, three years ago, take some time for every picture because you never know if it’s your last one. You’ve got to do it, smell the roses while you’re there and we’ll get up in the morning and still race. I’m still a race car driver and I’m still going to wake up and get to sit in a race car and have a great time doing what I love.”

SEEKING A REPLACEMENT – Schumacher said he’ll leave the tuner choice to his father and team owner Don Schumacher. One thing is for certain, he’s sure there will be a healthy wish list to choose from.

“With Alan Johnson leaving the team I’m sure there’s a hundred resumés for drivers, sure, but there’s a hundred resumés for crew chiefs, too, and it’s the same deal,” Schumacher said. “Everyone wants to drive because we [sic] have a chance of winning. We have a great car, great budget, great leaders, great teams, and the other crew chiefs on our team are outstanding. We have enough people that we have a pretty good list, too.”

Could the elder Schumacher promote from within the team? No one’s talking at this time. However, there might be some hints.

“It’s not my call and I don’t want to be talking out of turn,” Schumacher explained. “But I love Jason McCulloch; I love my team, and at some point you have to give them a shot at it, too. And I’m not sure what they are going to do. I have no idea whether they want to go down or stay with us; I don’t know. We haven’t gotten that far yet, we’re still enjoying the success of Indy.

“I wouldn’t mind sitting back for a year and saying, ‘You know, Jason, I don’t mind a learning curve.’ I don’t mind when Nick and Roger and the guys on that team, they have worked so hard and they have learned so much that it’s not just about winning. It’s about crunch time, being able to get through some tough times so that the future looks great. I think those guys deserve a chance. Not sure they will get it or not, but I’d like to see it happen. And I’d be willing to sit back and take a beating for a few races or years or whatever to keep that team together and you know, that’s my opinion, just one guy who gets in a race car, but I’d like to see it happen. A lot of great chew chiefs have come up and had the chance at that shot. I think those guys deserve it.”