SCHUMACHER - "NHRA SAID PRO NITRO WAS LEGAL"
Mon, 2008-04-14 09:13
DON SCHUMACHER’S RESPONSE TO NHRA’S ACTION AGAINST HIM
Team owner Don Schumacher addressed the media at The Strip at Las Vegas
Motor Speedway following the announcement by NHRA that he was being
fined $100,000 “for possessing nitromethane fuel in (his) professional
pit clearly in violation of the fuel regulations…” He also answered a
few pointed questions on the subject. Obviously, Schumacher views the
fine in a completely different light than does the NHRA. Here, with
very minor editing, is his statement:
“I received notification from NHRA this morning that they have imposed a $100,000 fine (on) Don Schumacher Racing because we possessed nitromethane that is Pro Nitro methane at the facility on Saturday. It was removed Saturday off site. I (was) also told at Gainesville, and prior to Gainesville, by both (NHRA president) Tom Compton and Graham Light that Pro Nitro is now an accepted nitromethane in NHRA.
“We’ll appeal the fine through the proper process, and go forward from there. DON SCHUMACHER’S RESPONSE TO NHRA’S ACTION AGAINST HIM
Team owner Don Schumacher addressed the media at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway following the announcement by NHRA that he was being fined $100,000 “for possessing nitromethane fuel in (his) professional pit clearly in violation of the fuel regulations…” He also answered a few pointed questions on the subject. Obviously, Schumacher views the fine in a completely different light than does the NHRA. Here, with very minor editing, is his statement:
“I received notification from NHRA this morning that they have imposed a $100,000 fine (on) Don Schumacher Racing because we possessed nitromethane that is Pro Nitro methane at the facility on Saturday. It was removed Saturday off site. I (was) also told at Gainesville, and prior to Gainesville, by both (NHRA president) Tom Compton and Graham Light that Pro Nitro is now an accepted nitromethane in NHRA.
“We’ll appeal the fine through the proper process, and go forward from there.
“Homeland Security has put a program in place that anybody can possess nitromethane, but if you possess more than 400 lbs., which is approximately 42 gallons anywhere, whether that be at your home, your shop or anywhere, you must be Top Screened. Don Schumacher Racing is the only team that I’m aware of that is Top Screened -- at my facility in Brownsburg (Indiana) and at every NHRA facility, so I am not violating Homeland Security regs in any way at all. I have all of the numbers, I am Top Screened, and have been Top Screened because of Pro Nitro, and I am in (a) position that I follow the laws.
“The fine speaks to itself. My teams were in possession of nitromethane that we had brought to test with in Las Vegas last October prior to the (AC Delco Nationals) race. That’s where this fuel has come from. We moved some fuel out here that we utilized in that test session. We didn’t use all of it then, so we kept it here in Las Vegas, not here in my race rigs or any place like that. We stored it here in town, and we brought it back to the pits yesterday, to be able to test with it on Monday.
“Pro Nitro, based on verbal conversations between Tom Compton and myself, Graham Light and myself, is an accepted nitromethane to be utilized in NHRA events, and in fact a (shipping) container of Pro Nitro was distributed by VP (Racing Fuels) earlier this year and utilized in (NHRA) national events.
A member of the media then asked Schumacher if VP was a manufacturer or distributor of nitromethane, to which Schumacher replied, “Darned if I can answer. That’s between NHRA and VP.”
He was then asked if Pro Nitro had to be sold through VP Racing Fuels.
“Today, and based on my conversation with Graham (Light) today, I can sell Pro Nitro to VP at X amount of dollars and then turn around and have them mark it up $500 or $600 a drum and sell it back to me so I could use my own nitro, I guess, but that isn’t what’s written in the rule book, from my reading the rule book. We’re being forced to accept the sources of nitromethane that NHRA has mandated. There used to be Dow Chemical and Wego. Dow pulled out of the sport a year and a half ago, which left only Wego, and prior to Gainesville is when Tom Compton and Graham notified me that Pro Nitro was now a legal nitro to be used at NHRA events, and that I could sell nitromethane to VP and certainly VP could distribute it. But all of the other areas in distribution and that kind of stuff, I can’t speak to that, you’ll have to get that from NHRA. VP is the only distributor they allow on site here distributing gasoline and nitromethane.”
A member of the media tried to press Schumacher as to where the nitro had been stored, but he refused to be specific as to its storage location. CompetitionPlus.com has learned from reliable sources that LVMS was indeed the site of that storage. “I don’t want to get anybody else involved in this,” he said. “This is a Don Schumacher Racing situation and NHRA and doesn’t involve anybody else at all.”
He was then asked why he thought this action had been taken against him, to which he replied, “I’m not going to make any guesses at all about this. I’m a businessman and certain business situations puts a target on my chest, so I just deal with it.”
Schumacher made no estimate on when his appeal might be heard, citing the busy racing and travel schedule the principals would be facing as obstacles to a quick solution.
Schumacher was previously fined for a hospitality violation at Columbus not too many years ago for circumventing NHRA’s “required” catering services. He appealed that fine and lost.
Schumacher was then asked about what had taken place during this weekend’s PRO Board of Directors meeting, but he cited confidentiality in refusing to answer. He did, however, say that it would be safe to assume that areas like track preparation, safety, “the quality of the show,” and other areas were discussed.
He was then asked if this fine was the result of a safety violation, but he responded by briefly outlining how VP had increased the price of nitromethane about 40 percent some years ago. “I found that to be displeasing, so I arranged to import nitromethane myself from China into the United States just to supply the teams and supply the sport. A rule was written by NHRA that there were only two accepted suppliers of nitromethane. I believe that’s written, but it was certainly transmitted to the teams, probably in letter form, and it was transmitted to the teams verbally, that only Dow-Angus and Wego were the accepted suppliers of nitromethane. At that time I think Steve Leseur was still in the fuel business. Shortly after that Steve started to use VP as his distributor of nitromethane. He went to VP, and I continued to bring nitro in, so they wrote a rule that only the Dow-Angus and the Wego nitro was allowed here at the races. They said fine, your fuel can be used at the test sessions. My fuel was the fuel that was supplied to the IHRA for all these years. The reasoning why the (Dow-Angus and Wego exclusivity was allowed) is something that would have to be answered by the NHRA. I know (NHRA) is concerned about nitromethane being supplied to the sport because without nitromethane we can’t race. It would be an alcohol show which may not draw the fans that this draws. That’s always a concern. Nitromethane, insurance and tires. Those are the big issues, and I certainly understand that.
“I believe competition is a beneficial situation in a world wide economy, and when you make it where there’s only one supplier, they can charge whatever they want to. I know what nitromethane costs in China. A drum delivered to my shop in Brownsburg, we’re talking just over $500. Less than $525 for a drum of nitro. That’s with freight, product costs – everything. I believe that as our economy goes into the troubles that it’s in, all raw materials, including nitromethane, will get a little cheaper. Steel, copper, aluminum, gas – all of the things that we use in our everyday lives will get cheaper.”
Schumacher was then asked for an opinion as why there’s been such a massive price increase in the costs of nitromethane from VP Racing Fuels. “They can increase it because they’re the only guys that are allowed out here.
“God, I love NHRA drag racing!”
“Yesterday we discovered nitromethane in Don Schumacher Racing’s pits that was not purchased through the official distributor and that is clearly in violation of the rules,” Graham Light said, in an interview with ESPN2 during the event telecast Sunday evening. “As stewards of that product we take our responsibility very seriously. There are very strict guidelines as to the purchase and use of nitromethane. As a result of this violation, a $100,000 fine has been levied against Don Schumacher’s team.”
Light confirmed this as the largest fine ever levied against a team in NHRA POWERade Drag Racing.
Team owner Don Schumacher addressed the media at The Strip at Las Vegas
Motor Speedway following the announcement by NHRA that he was being
fined $100,000 “for possessing nitromethane fuel in (his) professional
pit clearly in violation of the fuel regulations…” He also answered a
few pointed questions on the subject. Obviously, Schumacher views the
fine in a completely different light than does the NHRA. Here, with
very minor editing, is his statement: “I received notification from NHRA this morning that they have imposed a $100,000 fine (on) Don Schumacher Racing because we possessed nitromethane that is Pro Nitro methane at the facility on Saturday. It was removed Saturday off site. I (was) also told at Gainesville, and prior to Gainesville, by both (NHRA president) Tom Compton and Graham Light that Pro Nitro is now an accepted nitromethane in NHRA.
“We’ll appeal the fine through the proper process, and go forward from there. DON SCHUMACHER’S RESPONSE TO NHRA’S ACTION AGAINST HIM
Team owner Don Schumacher addressed the media at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway following the announcement by NHRA that he was being fined $100,000 “for possessing nitromethane fuel in (his) professional pit clearly in violation of the fuel regulations…” He also answered a few pointed questions on the subject. Obviously, Schumacher views the fine in a completely different light than does the NHRA. Here, with very minor editing, is his statement: “I received notification from NHRA this morning that they have imposed a $100,000 fine (on) Don Schumacher Racing because we possessed nitromethane that is Pro Nitro methane at the facility on Saturday. It was removed Saturday off site. I (was) also told at Gainesville, and prior to Gainesville, by both (NHRA president) Tom Compton and Graham Light that Pro Nitro is now an accepted nitromethane in NHRA.
“We’ll appeal the fine through the proper process, and go forward from there.
“Homeland Security has put a program in place that anybody can possess nitromethane, but if you possess more than 400 lbs., which is approximately 42 gallons anywhere, whether that be at your home, your shop or anywhere, you must be Top Screened. Don Schumacher Racing is the only team that I’m aware of that is Top Screened -- at my facility in Brownsburg (Indiana) and at every NHRA facility, so I am not violating Homeland Security regs in any way at all. I have all of the numbers, I am Top Screened, and have been Top Screened because of Pro Nitro, and I am in (a) position that I follow the laws.
“The fine speaks to itself. My teams were in possession of nitromethane that we had brought to test with in Las Vegas last October prior to the (AC Delco Nationals) race. That’s where this fuel has come from. We moved some fuel out here that we utilized in that test session. We didn’t use all of it then, so we kept it here in Las Vegas, not here in my race rigs or any place like that. We stored it here in town, and we brought it back to the pits yesterday, to be able to test with it on Monday.
“Pro Nitro, based on verbal conversations between Tom Compton and myself, Graham Light and myself, is an accepted nitromethane to be utilized in NHRA events, and in fact a (shipping) container of Pro Nitro was distributed by VP (Racing Fuels) earlier this year and utilized in (NHRA) national events.
A member of the media then asked Schumacher if VP was a manufacturer or distributor of nitromethane, to which Schumacher replied, “Darned if I can answer. That’s between NHRA and VP.”
He was then asked if Pro Nitro had to be sold through VP Racing Fuels.
“Today, and based on my conversation with Graham (Light) today, I can sell Pro Nitro to VP at X amount of dollars and then turn around and have them mark it up $500 or $600 a drum and sell it back to me so I could use my own nitro, I guess, but that isn’t what’s written in the rule book, from my reading the rule book. We’re being forced to accept the sources of nitromethane that NHRA has mandated. There used to be Dow Chemical and Wego. Dow pulled out of the sport a year and a half ago, which left only Wego, and prior to Gainesville is when Tom Compton and Graham notified me that Pro Nitro was now a legal nitro to be used at NHRA events, and that I could sell nitromethane to VP and certainly VP could distribute it. But all of the other areas in distribution and that kind of stuff, I can’t speak to that, you’ll have to get that from NHRA. VP is the only distributor they allow on site here distributing gasoline and nitromethane.”
A member of the media tried to press Schumacher as to where the nitro had been stored, but he refused to be specific as to its storage location. CompetitionPlus.com has learned from reliable sources that LVMS was indeed the site of that storage. “I don’t want to get anybody else involved in this,” he said. “This is a Don Schumacher Racing situation and NHRA and doesn’t involve anybody else at all.”
He was then asked why he thought this action had been taken against him, to which he replied, “I’m not going to make any guesses at all about this. I’m a businessman and certain business situations puts a target on my chest, so I just deal with it.”
Schumacher made no estimate on when his appeal might be heard, citing the busy racing and travel schedule the principals would be facing as obstacles to a quick solution.
Schumacher was previously fined for a hospitality violation at Columbus not too many years ago for circumventing NHRA’s “required” catering services. He appealed that fine and lost.
Schumacher was then asked about what had taken place during this weekend’s PRO Board of Directors meeting, but he cited confidentiality in refusing to answer. He did, however, say that it would be safe to assume that areas like track preparation, safety, “the quality of the show,” and other areas were discussed.
He was then asked if this fine was the result of a safety violation, but he responded by briefly outlining how VP had increased the price of nitromethane about 40 percent some years ago. “I found that to be displeasing, so I arranged to import nitromethane myself from China into the United States just to supply the teams and supply the sport. A rule was written by NHRA that there were only two accepted suppliers of nitromethane. I believe that’s written, but it was certainly transmitted to the teams, probably in letter form, and it was transmitted to the teams verbally, that only Dow-Angus and Wego were the accepted suppliers of nitromethane. At that time I think Steve Leseur was still in the fuel business. Shortly after that Steve started to use VP as his distributor of nitromethane. He went to VP, and I continued to bring nitro in, so they wrote a rule that only the Dow-Angus and the Wego nitro was allowed here at the races. They said fine, your fuel can be used at the test sessions. My fuel was the fuel that was supplied to the IHRA for all these years. The reasoning why the (Dow-Angus and Wego exclusivity was allowed) is something that would have to be answered by the NHRA. I know (NHRA) is concerned about nitromethane being supplied to the sport because without nitromethane we can’t race. It would be an alcohol show which may not draw the fans that this draws. That’s always a concern. Nitromethane, insurance and tires. Those are the big issues, and I certainly understand that.
“I believe competition is a beneficial situation in a world wide economy, and when you make it where there’s only one supplier, they can charge whatever they want to. I know what nitromethane costs in China. A drum delivered to my shop in Brownsburg, we’re talking just over $500. Less than $525 for a drum of nitro. That’s with freight, product costs – everything. I believe that as our economy goes into the troubles that it’s in, all raw materials, including nitromethane, will get a little cheaper. Steel, copper, aluminum, gas – all of the things that we use in our everyday lives will get cheaper.”
Schumacher was then asked for an opinion as why there’s been such a massive price increase in the costs of nitromethane from VP Racing Fuels. “They can increase it because they’re the only guys that are allowed out here.
“God, I love NHRA drag racing!”
“Yesterday we discovered nitromethane in Don Schumacher Racing’s pits that was not purchased through the official distributor and that is clearly in violation of the rules,” Graham Light said, in an interview with ESPN2 during the event telecast Sunday evening. “As stewards of that product we take our responsibility very seriously. There are very strict guidelines as to the purchase and use of nitromethane. As a result of this violation, a $100,000 fine has been levied against Don Schumacher’s team.”
Light confirmed this as the largest fine ever levied against a team in NHRA POWERade Drag Racing.
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