Schumacher leads NHRA pros on All-America team

Monday, 30 November 2009

Two-time Jerry Titus Award winner Tony Schumacher headlines a list of five NHRA drivers named to the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association All-America Team.

Schumacher was named to the First Team; Ashley Force Hood was named to the Second Team; Larry Dixon, Mike Edwards, and Robert Hight were named to the Honorable Mention Team.

The Jerry Titus Award, which is given in remembrance of the late racer/journalist, will be presented to the top vote-getter among the eight First-Team drivers at the conclusion of the AARWBA All-America ceremonies, Jan. 16, in Brownsburg, Ind.

According to the AARWBA, just two drivers – separated by a scant two votes – are contenders for this year’s Jerry Titus Award and "one is not at all unexpected but the other is a high surprise."

Schumacher, a Titus Award winner in 2006 and 2008, is joined on the First-Team by Dario Franchitti (Open Wheel), Mark Martin (Stock Car), Jon Fogarty/Alex Gurney (Road Racing), Donny Schatz (Short Track), Ron Hornaday (Touring Series), and J.R. Hildebrand (At-Large).

Schumacher, driver of the U.S. Army dragster, won his sixth straight and seventh overall NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel championship in 2009 and this is his seventh selection as an AARWBA First-Team All-America.

One driver from each of seven categories is elected to the First Team, one more to the Second Team, and all drivers receiving at least five percent of the vote (minimum five votes) earn honorable mention.

Force Hood, third-year driver of the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, earned her first All-America recognition with two wins, 39 round wins (t2 in Funny Car) and she led all Funny Car drivers with six runners-up and six No. 1 qualifiers (4.17 avg. qualifying position).

Dixon, driver of the Al-Anabi dragster, compiled a 47-18 round-win record (.723 winning pct.) en route to his five wins and nine final rounds, he led all Top Fuel drivers with nine No. 1 qualifiers (2.57 avg. qualifying position) and he finished just two points behind Schumacher.

Edwards, driver of the Young Life/ART Pontiac GXP, earned his first career NHRA Full Throttle Series Pro Stock championship by storming through the six-race playoff (two wins, 15-4 round-win record) after finishing the regular season in third place.

Hight, driver of the Auto Club Ford Mustang, made a historical run through NHRA’s six-race playoff – winning three of six races and compiling an NHRA-best 15-3 round-win record – to win his first NHRA Full Throttle Series Funny Car title after finishing the regular season in 10th place.

Information on the All-America Banquet is available at www.AARWBA.org. The banquet and ceremony is open to the public.

First Team
Open Wheel: Dario Franchitti
Stock Car: Mark Martin
Road Racing: Jon Fogarty/Alex Gurney
Drag Racing: Tony Schumacher
Short Track: Donny Schatz
Touring Series: Ron Hornaday
At Large: J.R. Hildebrand

Second Team
Open Wheel: Helio Castroneves
Stock Car: Jimmie Johnson
Road Racing: David Brabham/Scott Sharp
Drag Racing: Ashley Force Hood
Short Track: Joey Saldana
Touring Series: Parker Kligerman
At Large: Frank Manzo

Honorable Mention
(At least five percent of the vote)
Stock Car: Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart
Road Racing: Gil deFerran/Simon Pagenaud, Luis Diaz/Adrian Fernandez
Drag Racing: Larry Dixon, Mike Edwards, Robert Hight
Short Track: Levi Jones, Brad Kuhn
Touring Series: Justin Lofton
At Large: Travis Pastrana/Christian Edstrom