• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

MayorsManor.com

NHL blog, LA Kings hockey news and interviews from The Mayor

  • Radio Replay
  • Prospect Rankings
  • Podcast
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / NHL / Blackhawks / NHRA champ Tony Schumacher talks Blackhawks, Kings

NHRA champ Tony Schumacher talks Blackhawks, Kings

November 26, 2011 By John Hoven

Tony Schumacher (photo: NHRA)

Tony Schumacher may drive an NHRA top fuel car for a living, but he easily relates to the pressure that comes from playing in overtime of Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final.

Yes, he’s a seven-time World Champion. Yet, perhaps his defining sports moment was in 2006. Entering the final race of the season he and his U.S. Army sponsored crew needed to do just about everything to overtake the points leader – including win the race and set a new elapsed time record. In one of the most unlikely scenarios, it all came down to what’s now known as ‘The Run’ – where he made one pass down the track to win the race, set the record and capture the championship.

Sudden death if there ever was one.

Away from the drag strip, one of his passions is pretty simple to understand too.

“I love hockey,” said Schumacher during a recent conversation. “I grew up playing hockey with the St. John’s Military Academy. If I’m not racing, and people ask me what kind of sports I’m watching, I’m watching guys on ice knock each other over and scoring goals. It’s amazing what the sport has done since the rule changes a few years ago – it is so fast, so good. It’s mind boggling, how a man can put on a pair of skates and be that good at anything.”

When the Kings and Blackhawks battle on the ice tonight, you can bet ‘The Sarge’ will be watching.

“I live in Chicago, so I’m obviously a Blackhawks fan,” Schumacher shared. “But, the only other jersey I have hanging in my office is an LA Kings jersey, signed about four or five years ago by the whole team.”

Originally from the LA area, Schumacher still marvels that hockey has become so popular on the west coast.

“It’s funny because I was born in California, over in Canoga Park. It’s just one of those places you never expected a hockey team to be because it’s all warm, it’s California – beautiful women, blondes and beaches. Here, right in the middle of it all, you have the LA Kings, who have become an an amazing hockey team.”

Still, if home is where the heart is, Schumacher is most likely thinking Blackhawks.

“A few years back when Chicago won the Stanley Cup, it was a long time coming. There was a big transformation, the team played well, they were unstoppable and unbreakable. They were great to watch. As a hockey fan, to be part of a city where a team is that good, it was really cool.”

As he travels the country, in between racing 325 mph in less than four seconds, he regularly speaks to the military and other groups – where leadership is often teamwork.

Does he see any similarity to being part of a race team and what the ‘Hawks and Kings have done over the last few years by building a core group of players?

“Yes, it’s extremely important and leadership is important. Having the key guys that can lead (other) guys who are new and unfamiliar with those big, monster moments – that’s what was so good that year (referring to when Chicago won the Stanley Cup in 2010). When you get a group of people that you know at any given time are going to be great, and you can send them out for that moment when it’s mandatory, it will make the rest of the guys rise to the occasion because nobody wants to be the weak link. Then again, last year, we saw eight of the guys leave and we saw the demise of that quality. It will take some time to get it back. They still have a good core, but they need to get more of the other players playing.”

For more fun with several other NHRA drivers, be sure to check out some of the articles linked below.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Interview with Courtney Force – she knows all about fast moving sports

Interview with Ron Capps – talking UFC and more

Interview with UFC fighter Clay Guida – talks Blackhawks hockey and haircuts

Robert Hight rides a Zamboni into drag racing’s season finale

NHRA Funny Car driver Jeff Arend talk Kings v Maple Leafs

Follow @mayorNHL

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

Filed Under: Blackhawks, comments, hockey, Interview, Kings, Los Angeles, Mayor, MayorsManor, NHL, Non hockey people, Playoffs, preview Tagged With: Chicago, comments, hockey, Los Angeles, Mayor, MayorsManor, NHRA, Playoffs, preview, quote, Schumacher, Stanley Cup

About John Hoven

John Hoven is a former member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and co-hosts Kings of the Podcast. He's also the founder and editor of MayorsManor.com, which has been named Best Sports Blog in Los Angeles and Hockey Blog of the Year. Click "ABOUT OUR TEAM" below for a full bio.

Primary Sidebar

Kings Of The Podcast

Kings Of The Podcast: Ep. 147 with Jordan Spence

Kings Of The Podcast returns for another all-new episode, and this time around John Hoven and Dennis Bernstein are joined by LA prospect Jordan Spence. Some of the topics covered in this hour-plus KOTP edition include: — Mark Yannetti and the NHL Draft — Being born in Australia and relocating to Japan, then Canada — […]

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

  • Ontario Reign Projected Lineup vs. Tucson Roadrunners; Several LA Prospects Returning To Action
  • Kings Of The Podcast: Ep. 148 – Live from NHL All Star Weekend in Florida
  • Rapid Review: Notes and Highlights from Kings Latest Stormy Loss in Carolina
  • Reign Recap: Four Goal First Period Powers Ontario to Victory Over Colorado
  • Projected Lineups – LA at Carolina; Kings Blow Into Town With History Against Them
  • Ontario Reign Projected Lineup vs. Colorado Eagles; It’s a 3-2 Season Series
  • Reign Recap: Ontario Falls Short Against Calgary 4-1
  • Ontario Reign Projected Lineup vs. Calgary; Time to Wrangle Up Another W
  • Rapid Review: Notes and Highlights from Kings 5-2 Loss in Tampa Bay
  • Reign Recap: Ontario Tops San Diego 7-2, Four Players Record Multi-Point Nights

Tweets by mayorNHL

Footer

Archives

Tags

AHL Blackhawks Brown camp Carter Clifford coach comments Doughty draft Ducks history hockey interview Kings Kopitar lineup Lombardi Los Angeles Manchester Mayor MayorsManor Monarchs Murray NHL Ontario Penner Playoffs Prospect Quick quote Radio Reign Richards roster Sharks Stanley Cup Stoll Sutter Toffoli trade video WCB West Coast Bias Williams

MayorsManor

  • About Our Team
  • Contact Us
  • Store

© 2023 MayorsManor.com