Photo By Maj. Alun Thomas | The U.S. Army dragster, driven by 8-time National Hot Rod Association champion Tony...... read more read more
CHANDLER, Ariz – As an eight-time National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) champion, Tony Schumacher has few peers in the world of drag racing.
Schumacher, who has been driving the U.S. Army sponsored dragster since 2000, has won a record 82 event titles over his career and adds a winning edge to everything he does on and off the track.
He also lends his talents to U.S. Army recruiting efforts, where he participates in the Youth and Education Services program, which allows high school students to learn about career opportunities in the Army at NHRA events.
Schumacher was on hand to assist the Phoenix Recruiting Battalion on their recruiting mission over a three day span, Feb. 24-26, at an NHRA event held at the Wild Horse Pass Motor Sports Park, Chandler, Arizona.
Speaking to an audience of current U.S. Army Soldiers, future Soldiers and invited guests, Feb. 25, Schumacher drew a correlation between serving the country and what he does as a professional racer.
“There’s a reason only three out of ten can join our Army, instead of four out of ten” Schumacher said. “Our recruiters can see the difference in the three that have the ability to do what it takes to join the Army. The other seven can’t get it done.”
It should be ten out of ten kids that are able to serve, Schumacher continued.
“We’re supposed to be the centers of influence that are leading our nation through our children, so we need to improve their health,” he said. “Just do the right things and kids will follow you.”
Schumacher said he talks to thousands of youngsters every year and tells them the same thing – be careful what you do, someone’s always watching, whether it’s good or bad.
“We influence people all the time, so choose wisely. If I’m going to go 330 miles per hour then I’m going to select the right people in my crew,” Schumacher continued. “The key to the Army is finding a great job and keeping that job. That’s a gift.”
Schumacher talked about the excellence of his crew and how they’ve enabled him to attain his level of success over the years.
“The most important thing is being able to adapt and change. That’s the way of the world,” he said. “I work for six minutes a year. What these guys do to help me do that is incredibly important – they’re that good.”
When your paycheck is decided by those six minutes, it’s critical you know your job, just like any profession in the Army, Schumacher said.
“Preparation is the key. It always equals results,” he said. “You study for a test, you get an A. You walk in unprepared, you’ll see what happens. An A plus is always possible, just read the book and study.”
Schumacher told the future Soldiers in attendance anyone can buy a trophy or receive one for simply participating, but earning one is what counts.
“It’s what the trophy represents; toughness, the people you surround yourself with, blood, sweat and tears,” he said. “It teaches you effort. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you start getting those a-pluses.”
Schumacher went on to post a 3.667 pass in qualifying that weekend, the third fastest recorded time in NHRA history.
| Date Taken: | 02.26.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 02.27.2017 19:17 |
| Story ID: | 225103 |
| Location: | CHANDLER, AZ, US |
| Web Views: | 290 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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