RELATED STORY – RELATED ARTICLE: WHEN DRAG RACING NEEDED DON SCHUMACHER, HE DELIVERED
The drag racing world is mourning the loss of one of its greatest friends, innovators, and trendsetters.
Don Schumacher passed away in the evening hours of December 20, 2023, following complications related to a battle with lung cancer. He was 79.
Though Schumacher had stepped back from his role as team owner in the last couple of seasons, his impact on drag racing remained largely in his contributions of decades prior involvement.
Schumacher’s contributions were recognized in most recent years with significant awards and appointments such as the NHRA’s Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in Daytona Beach, Florida, as well as the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Alabama. He also joined a prestigious list of straight-line racing legends in the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2007.
Schumacher was fiercely competitive regardless of the role he played in drag racing. He was a barn-storming match racer, and series drag racer in the 1960s and 70s. Schumacher stepped away from drag racing in 1975 for a myriad of reasons, most notably to grow the family business, Schumacher Electric. He grew the family business into a global corporation, increasing its value by ten times.
Drag racing still had its hold on Schumacher over the decades and lured him back in as a team owner, joining his son Tony in 1998. A year later, the two of them won their first series championship. It was to be the first of many championships for Schumacher in his new role.
The championship totals are impressive, but even more impressive is the number of drivers he assisted in maintaining their careers. In total, in his time, more than 25 different drivers suited up for the decorated team owner. Schumacher is the only team owner to have wins from each of NHRA’s four professional categories. He was also successful in the Factory Stock Showdown Series, winning the 2018 title in only his second year of campaigning cars in the category.
His teams have amassed 19 NHRA world championship titles and 367 Wally trophies, including the five he won while behind the wheel of a Funny Car.
While his stats as a team owner and driver largely define Schumacher’s career, his contributions to drag racing in the name of safety are largely overlooked. He implemented many ideas as a driver, including a roof-mounted escape hatch that allowed drivers to quickly exit when all-too-frequent fires occurred. He was also the first to mount the lever that activated a fire suppression system on his Funny Car’s brake handle so the driver could apply both while keeping one hand on the steering wheel.
As a team owner, he funded and spearheaded a project to develop a protective, enclosed canopy for Top Fuel dragsters, which has since been adopted by multiple NHRA teams.
Schumacher was also intent on utilizing his team’s fleet of race cars to raise money and awareness for various charities. Each year ahead of the U.S. Nationals, DSR hosts a pre-race event at its Brownsburg, Ind. headquarters to benefit Riley Hospital for Children, and for seven seasons, Schumacher, along with Terry and Doug Chandler, campaigned ‘giving cars.’ The program enabled non-profits, such as the Infinite Hero Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and MD Anderson Cancer Center, to be recognized through a dedicated tribute livery at no cost to the organization. The impact Schumacher had both on and off the race track is undeniable.
When not at a race track or leading his teams of employees, Schumacher enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren, fishing, and golfing.
Arrangements, including a celebration of life ceremony, will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests making a donation to MD Anderson Cancer Center.
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