BangShift.com Don Schumacher, Transformational Force In Professional Drag Racing As Boss, Owner, Manufacturer Dies At 79

Don Schumacher, Transformational Force In Professional Drag Racing As Boss, Owner, Manufacturer Dies At 79

Dec 21, 2023Brian Lohnes1320 Drag News, BangShift 1320, BangShift NewsComments Off on Don Schumacher, Transformational Force In Professional Drag Racing As Boss, Owner, Manufacturer Dies At 79

Don Schumacher, a one man force of nature in the sport of NHRA drag racing for more than 50 years passed away on December 20th due to illness related to a protracted cancer battle, he was 79 years old. It is nearly impossible to state with any accuracy how important a factor Schumacher was in the development of professional drag racing in the modern era. His formation of Don Schumacher Racing and operation of the multi-faceted corporation still stands as the high water mark of success in the sport in in terms of the volume of race teams, wins, and facets of the company.

If Schumacher could simply claim to be a US Nationals winner and multi-car team owner in the 1970s it would be impressive. If he could hang his hat on growing a family business, Schumacher Electric, into an employer of thousands and global corporation, it would have been a life accomplishment. If he could simply claim to be the only owner in the history of the sport to have wins in every major professional category, doubly so, but those marks barely scratch the surface. 367 team victories and 19 world championships are the true measured numbers here and they may never be touched again. There is also the manufacturing and machining business that he founded which continues to be an industry leading enterprise in not only motorsports, but aviation, defense, and more.

Lastly, Don Schumacher was a George Steinbrenner-esque figure in drag racing. He was not a man who went drag racing for the glamour or the visibility of owning the team. He went to win and if you did that, you’d be in his good graces. He was never shy in voicing his opinion to racers, crew-chiefs, and others when their performance was less than stellar. It was because of this expectation of excellence at all times that his teams did what they did in the manner that they did it. He simply did not accept excuses or failure without question.

Beyond his sometimes hardened persona there was a man who cared deeply about helping people, doing charity work, and supporting causes that helped people. For years, the DSR charity bowling tournament in Indianapolis was teaming with drag racers, IndyCar racer, and other to raise money for the Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. He truly enjoyed helping whenever he could.

He could be downright intimidating. He could be downright stern. But he was also always professional and when his teams won, as they so often did, he was as happy a guy as you could ever see.

Don Schumacher’s impact on drag racing will continue to resonate and ring through the nation for years and years to come. He created more than a drag racing team. He created an actual multi-generational legacy that continues to provide work, inspiration, and horsepower for the industry.

Godspeed.

Here is the official announcement from Don Schumacher Racing of Don’s passing –

JUPITER, Fla. (December 21, 2023) – It is with heavy hearts that the Schumacher family announce the passing of motorsports icon Don Schumacher. The NHRA team owner and Funny Car pioneer had spent the past several months privately battling lung cancer before succumbing to illness-related complications on Wednesday, December 20.

Schumacher, who was 79 at the time of his passing, leaves a lasting legacy on not only the NHRA community, where he etched his name as one of the sport’s most successful team owners and a champion for the advancement of safety innovation, but on the motorsports community as a whole. Schumacher’s contributions to the auto racing industry reach far beyond drag racing and have been widely recognized. In November 2022, Schumacher was honored at the NHRA Awards Ceremony where he was presented with the NHRA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2019, he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in Daytona Beach, Florida, and in May 2013, he was enshrined into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Alabama. He also joined a prestigious list of straight-line racing legends when he was invited into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2007.

A fierce Funny Car match racer in the 1960s and ‘70s who fielded multiple entries with top-notch drivers to fulfill the demand for bookings of his Stardust Funny Cars, Schumacher took a departure from motorsports in the early 70’s to grow the family business, Schumacher Electric. While operating Schumacher Electric, he grew the family business into a global corporation. Schumacher increased the company value more than ten-fold and employed thousands of people around the globe. He was known as a fierce and compassionate leader to all who worked with him.

In 1998, he returned to NHRA Drag Racing to build a team with son Tony Schumacher. Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) made its competition debut at the 1998 U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, and by the time the 1999 season had wrapped, DSR had clinched its first of many championship titles. Soon after, the single-car team exploded into a multi-car powerhouse.

As the patriarch of DSR, Schumacher was a force to be reckoned with. More than 25 drivers have raced for the legendary team owner. He created champions, introduced new personalities to the sport, and was responsible for the resurgence of several careers. Schumacher is the only team owner to have wins from each of NHRA’s four professional categories. He was also successful in the Factory Stock Showdown Series, winning the 2018 title in only his second year of campaigning cars in the category.

His teams have amassed 19 NHRA world championship titles and 367 Wally trophies, including the five he won while behind the wheel of a Funny Car. During his driving career, he contributed cutting-edge safety innovations for the new Funny Car category including a roof-mounted escape hatch that allowed drivers to quickly exit when all-too-frequent fires occurred. He was also the first to mount the lever that activated a fire suppression system on his Funny Car’s brake handle so the driver could apply both while keeping one hand on the steering wheel.

As a team owner, he funded and spearheaded a project to develop a protective, enclosed canopy for Top Fuel dragsters, which has since been adopted by multiple NHRA teams. Schumacher was also intent on utilizing his team’s fleet of race cars to raise money and awareness for various charities. Each year ahead of the U.S. Nationals, DSR hosts a pre-race event at its Brownsburg, Ind. headquarters to benefit Riley Hospital for Children, and for seven seasons, Schumacher, along with Terry and Doug Chandler, campaigned ‘giving cars.’ The program enabled non-profits, such as the Infinite Hero Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and MD Anderson Cancer Center to be recognized through a dedicated tribute livery at no cost to the organization. The impact Schumacher had both on and off the race track is undeniable.

In more recent years, Schumacher turned his focus to growing Don Schumacher Motorsports, more commonly known as DSM Precision Manufacturing and DSR Performance. DSR Performance is considered one of the sport’s leading race engineering and aftermarket parts brands. DSM Precision Manufacturing is a successful precision manufacturing supplier for the motorsports, defense, and aerospace industries. These entities will continue to honor the business legacy of Schumacher.

When not at a race track or leading his teams of employees, Schumacher enjoyed spending time with his children, grandchildren, fishing, and golfing.

Arrangements, including a celebration of life ceremony, will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests making a donation to MD Anderson Cancer Center.