The NHRA’s version of Spring Training, which these days actually takes place just down the road from the spring training homes of several Major League Baseball teams, affords drag racing’s elite drivers and teams the time to gather valuable data and relax away from the pressures and hustle of an NHRA national event. It also provides some time to cut up and enjoy themselves before the grueling season begins in just three weeks. So what do you do when you aren’t under the constant scrutiny of turnaround times and the ESPN cameras? Why, you strap on your own camera, of course.
The guys and gals at Don Schumacher racing have been filming throughout the week during their participation in a private test session at the Palm Beach International Raceway in sunny Florida. All six of DSR’s cars, including Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown, and Spencer Massey in Top Fuel and Jack Beckman, Johnny Gray, Matt Hagan, and Ron Capps in Funny Car have turned laps thus far.
DSR crew members have strapped cameras to the helmet of Ron Capps for several of his testing hits and warmups in his NAPA flopper, along with some footage of Schumacher on a couple of his passes, providing a rather unique look at the nature of private test sessions that the public doesn’t often get to see.
Oh, and for those counting, of the teams that have made laps this week, DSR leads the way in the performance department with Schumacher posting a stout 3.763 at 324 MPH and Matt Hagan legging out a 4.10 at 306. Several more teams, including John Force’s four cars, are expected to hit the track on Friday when the portion of testing open to the public begins.