As the World Mourns the Passing of Don Schumacher, Here Is a Look at His Legendary Motorsports Career

The evolution of American motorsports can be credited to many individuals. NHRA and drag racing legend Don Schumacher is among the chosen few who led from the front. Back in 2015, he had made a miraculous return to the dragstrip after successfully fighting off head and neck cancer. However, earlier this year, the dreaded disease returned and on Wednesday, Schumacher lost his life at the age of 79 to a health complication after battling lung cancer for the past several months. A wave of sadness has since gripped the motorsports world.

While Don Schumacher’s expertise was mainly in drag racing, he has been an immense contributor to the world of motorsports throughout his life. Just over a year ago, Schumacher —the owner of the most successful NHRA team—was awarded the prestigious NHRA Lifetime Achievement Award. He is also a Class of 2019 Inductee to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. As the racing community mourns the passing of a true pioneer and legend, let us look at the numerous achievements he enjoyed in his legendary career.

The glorious Funny Car & Top Fuel career of Don Schumacher

Don Schumacher’s Funny Car career can be divided into two phases. While the first stint as a racer in the ’60s and ’70s propelled him to prominence in the national racing scene, his return to racing as the owner of Don Schumacher Racing established him as a legend of the sport.

Schumacher made his debut in a Stardust Dodge in the mid-1960s. At the time of his debut, there were already some popular drivers in the sport, like Pat Minick. Chicago was the home of drag racing back then, but Don Schumacher was about to change it forever. His rise to the top started with his win at the 1970 NHRA U.S. Nationals. Following the victory, Schumacher’s demand for featuring in drag races rose unprecedentedly.

This also motivated him to include Bobby Rowe in the red Stardust Dodge and Raymond Beadle in the blue Stardust as he drove the yellow version. In 1972, he won the Coca-Cola Cavalcade of Stars and smashed all the records the following year. Don Schumacher won the 1973 AHRA World Championship, five national events in NHRA, nine in IHRA, and a shocking 70 percent of the 560 races in which he competed. As his fandom expanded, an appalling decision arrived in the same year.

Don Schumacher announced his retirement from racing in 1973 to shift his focus to Schumacher Electric, the family business. His tenure in Schumacher Electric proved to the world that the NHRA racer had many talents. With his participation, the company expanded globally, increasing its value by more than ten times.

After 25 years as a business tycoon, Don Schumacher returned to drag racing in 1998. This time, it was not as a driver but as a team owner, along with his son Tony Schumacher. The duo established Don Schumacher Racing. By the end of 1999, DSR had already become a championship-winning team. This motivated the team to expand its roster to more than one car. Tony Schumacher drove the team to 8 championships, and over the years, DSR has accumulated 19 NHRA World Championships and 362 Wally trophies.

Looking at DSR’s success as a team, Don Schumacher’s journey as a legendary owner had begun, and the racing community was about to witness history in the making.

DSR’s ever-lasting legacy in the echelons of motorsports history

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In the history of NHRA, Don Schumacher Racing is the only team to have won the Top Fuel and Funny Car championships in the same year. Not only that, but DSR has been able to emulate this feat four times. With time, DSR’s interest in the different aspects of racing grew, and its operations expanded to DSM Precision Manufacturing and DSR Performance.

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DSM Precision Manufacturing has become one of the best precision manufacturers for motorsports, defense systems, and even the aerospace industry. DSR Performance focuses more on automotive sports and has become one of the leading race engineering brands. The stepping stone to these organizations was when DSR started building its own cars in its facility in Brownsburg, Indiana.

Due to his massive industry contribution, Don Schumacher was announced as an International Drag Racing Hall of Fame inductee in 2007. As the applause and achievements kept coming, DSR continued to field many more legendary NHRA drivers in the following years. While Tony Schumacher had been the face of DSR for a long time, Anton Brown, Leah Pruett, Matt Hagan, Jack Beckman, and Mark Pawuk are among the 25+ drivers who have represented the team over the years.

However, there was more for Don Schumacher. As he grew in stature, he aimed to spread joy in the world through his benevolent initiatives; every year, before the U.S. National championships, DSR conducts an event whose profits are forwarded to the Riley Hospital for Children. Schumacher’s influence off the track grew, allowing non-profit organizations like Make-A-Wish Foundation, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Infinite Hero Foundation to gain the spotlight through the livery tribute program.

Don Schumacher’s contributions to the world is a never-ending list. Looking back at his iconic career, one is filled with nothing but praise and admiration for a true racing legend.

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