Massey, Beckman to start Charlotte eliminations in No. 2 positions

DSR teammates Schumacher, Gray face Countdown foes

Tony Schumacher

Photo by: NHRA

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 15, 2012) - Don Schumacher Racing's Spencer Massey in Top Fuel and Jack Beckman in Funny Car held onto their No. 2 qualifying positions for Don Schumacher Racing heading to Sunday's championship eliminations of the NHRA Nationals at Charlotte Motor Speedway's zMAX Dragway at Concord, N.C.

They will face drivers not qualified for the 10-driver, six-event Countdown to the Championship in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series

Beckman and the Valvoline NextGen team, which has qualified in the top-two for the past six events and in the top-three for eight of the last nine, will face Alexis DeJoria while Massey and the FRAM/Prestone team, meet Terry McMillen.

Ron Capps, the points leader in Funny Car for NAPA AUTO PARTS, qualified third and Antron Brown, the points leader in Top Fuel for Aaron's Dream Machine/Matco Tools, open with drivers not eligible for the Countdown.

But DSR Countdown contenders Tony Schumacher and Johnny Gray are matched with fellow drivers in the top-10. Schumacher's U.S. Army team, which qualified No. 3, faces ninth-seeded David Grubnic while the Tire Kingdom/Service Central team of Johnny Gray, who qualified 14th, is paired with fourth-seeded Mike Neff.

Matt Hagan, the reigning Funny Car world champion and only DSR driver who did not make the Countdown, opens against Bob Tasca III. Tasca, like Hagan, missed chances to make the top-10 last weekend in the U.S. Nationals near Indianapolis.

Source: Don Schumacher Racing