Tony Schumacher, the winningest Top Fuel driver in NHRA history, will return to competition at the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, Aug. 29-Sept. 1 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Schumacher will debut the No. 15 American Communications Construction Top Fuel dragster with Rick Ware Racing, launching a seven-race stretch to close out the 2025 season.
The 10-time U.S. Nationals winner holds the record for Top Fuel victories at the event, with a shot at tying Frank Manzo’s all-time U.S. Nationals record of 11 wins.
“The U.S. Nationals has always been special to me, and I’m grateful for the chance to return to Indy with Rick Ware Racing and American Communications Construction,” Schumacher said. “Getting back behind the wheel of a Top Fuel dragster at the ‘Big Go’ in front of the most passionate fans in all of motorsports means a lot.”
Texas-based American Communications Construction will serve as the primary partner for Schumacher and RWR’s No. 15 entry. The partnership will begin at Indianapolis and continue through the NHRA season finale, Nov. 13-16 at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in California.
“The NHRA is a natural fit for American Communications Construction because it reflects the fast-moving, high-performance environment we operate in every day,” said Aven McBride, president of the company. “Launching our partnership at the U.S. Nationals is a proud moment for our company, and we’re excited to grow our presence with Tony and RWR.”
Schumacher will be paired with veteran crew chief Rob Flynn as RWR builds momentum for a full-season Top Fuel campaign in 2026. The team will operate alongside RWR’s other Top Fuel entry driven by Clay Millican and tuned by Jim Oberhofer.
“These last seven races are a great opportunity for us to build something strong for 2026,” said Schumacher, an 88-time Top Fuel winner. “It’s about getting everyone dialed in – learning, improving and laying the foundation for next year.”
Schumacher last won in 2024 at the Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol and the Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois. He qualified for last season’s Countdown to the Championship for the 15th time and finished eighth in the standings.
“The U.S. Nationals is the biggest race on the NHRA calendar, and we’re going into it with two of the best Top Fuel drivers in Clay Millican and Tony Schumacher,” said Rick Ware, team owner. “Last year, Clay delivered RWR its first Indy win, and to come back with a lineup that includes Tony Schumacher is huge.”
Millican earned his first U.S. Nationals victory in 2024 by defeating four-time champion Steve Torrence in the final. Earlier this season, Millican scored his eighth career win at Pomona by defeating Tony Stewart with a reaction time of .038 seconds.
“Winning the U.S. Nationals last year was one of the proudest moments of my career,” Millican said. “Having Tony Schumacher join the team makes it even better. He’s a part of NHRA history, and to have someone with his knowledge and experience is a huge asset.”
Millican will compete in the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Aug. 15-17 at Brainerd International Raceway before the series heads to Indianapolis. The 71st running of the U.S. Nationals will mark the final event before the Countdown to the Championship begins.
