Just when it appeared that the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series would be without its most successful Top Fuel racer and Tony Schumacher would find himself sidelined for the third time in six years, Rick Ware Racing stepped in.
Ware, the NASCAR-centric team owner whose empire stretches from stock-car racing to NHRA to the American Flat Track Championship to the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) and has included the NTT IndyCar Series, has brought on the eight-time Top Fuel champion and 88-time winner for a part-time stint this year. He’ll be a teammate to reigning U.S. Nationals champion Clay Millican.
It’s all in preparation for a fulltime schedule in 2026 for Schumacher, who will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America this next Tuesday, March 11. He’ll share the moment at the Daytona Beach Hilton Oceanfront Resort with fellow Class of 2025 honorees Ed Iskenderian, Carl Haas, Dale Jarrett, Skip Barber, Miguel Duhamel, and Bill Stroppe.
The news that came Wednesday was that Schumacher will run a limited Top Fuel campaign in 2025 but did not specify how many races he will enter or what his first event this year is expected to be. “His schedule will be announced at a later date,” the prepared announcement said. He is not among the 17 Top Fuel entrants for this weekend’s Amalie Oil Gatornationals at Florida’s Gainesville Raceway.
But Schumacher was elated, nonetheless. He said, “This opportunity with Rick Ware Racing gets me back in a Top Fuel car where I can compete at a high level immediately,” Schumacher said. “The passion and commitment Rick and his group have for racing is incredible, and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel. A limited schedule this year allows us to prepare for 2026 and show people what we’re capable of.
“I’m really looking forward to teaming up with Clay. He’s an incredibly talented racer with a ton of experience, and having both of us under one roof is only going to make us stronger. We’ll be able to push each other, share data, and work together to make RWR better,” Schumacher said.
The Austin, Texas, resident’s two most recent victories came last year in the Thunder Valley Nationals June 9 at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway and the Midwest Nationals Sept. 29 at Worldwide Technology Raceway at Madison, Ill. Schumacher qualified for last year’s Countdown to the Championship for the 15th time since its inception in 2007 and finished eighth in the championship standings.
“Tony is a huge addition to RWR. Bringing a driver of his caliber into our race team strengthens our overall program,” Ware said. “We now have two of the best NHRA drivers and sponsor ambassadors in the sport. With Clay and Tony working together, they can feed off each other’s strengths, provide detailed feedback, and collaborate on what they’re experiencing in the car, and that just elevates our entire operation.”
RWR joined the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series in late 2022 and made its debut at that year’s U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis.
Millican, the winningest driver in IHRA history and a six-time IHRA champion, has been with RWR throughout its entire NHRA tenure. Millican is a seven-time NHRA Top Fuel event winner and has delivered all four of RWR’s NHRA Top Fuel victories – the 2023 Route 66 Nationals May 21 at Route 66 Raceway at Joliet, Ill.; the 2023 Mile High Nationals July 16 at Bandimere Speedway at Morrison, Colo.; the 2023 Midwest Nationals Oct. 1 at World Wide Technology Raceway; and the 2024 U.S. Nationals Sept. 2 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Schumacher’s arrival in no way lessens Millican’s stature on the team.
Ware said, “Clay is the cornerstone of our NHRA program. We’re not in a position to grow our race team without his presence and contributions. Now, the two hardest-working Top Fuel drivers are right here at RWR.” He said Millican’s “talent, dedication, and passion for this sport helped put us on the map, and he deserves a ton of credit for the success we’ve had. Every NHRA win in our team’s history has come with Clay, and that speaks volumes about his ability and commitment.”
His deeper dive into drag racing is a business decision.
“We want to win in every series where we compete, but that’s tough to do in these disciplines. By fielding entries in different series, we’re able to provide a broader reach to our partners,” Ware said. “When we earn success in one discipline, it’s every partners’ success too. This also allows our partners to reach a variety of demographics,” Ware said.
“For instance, motorcycle racing skews younger, while NASCAR has a little bit older audience. With the cross-promotion we’re able to do with all of these different racing series, what we offer is financially beneficial for brands. They can engage more of their customers and VIP guests with more opportunities and different experiences. It’s allowed us to really bring added value to all of our partners,” he said.
“We’ve had partners who had traditionally been active in the NHRA, but we exposed them to NASCAR and American Flat Track, and now they’re activating across all three of these series,” Ware said. “When you deliver that kind of return, where what you’re able to provide is unique from everyone else, that’s how you continue to grow.”
The Gatornationals will get started for the pro ranks with two qualifying sessions Friday and Saturday. Eliminations are scheduled for Sunday
