Ward Wilson 2/8/2019 

32 years ago this weekend, Robert Schwab made his debut onto the American Racing Scene at the Winternationals in Pomona, California.  Armed only with the dream of owning his own Nitro Funny Car, he set out to make it happen.  The plan was simple, he would; leave his native Australia, come to America, get himself to Pomona, get a job with a Nitro Funny Car Team, earn a place as a driver, then eventually own and run his own Nitro Funny Car.

 Robert did get himself to America; he did make it to Pomona in time for Winternationals, but that’s as far as he got.  It’s not like he didn’t ask for a job, for 2 days he asked for a job.  But he quickly found Race Day was not the time to put in an application.  He was turned away by every team on the circuit.  He didn’t watch the races from the starting line as he’d planned.  With no money for a ticket, he didn’t even watch them from the stands.  Instead he listened to them from the very same parking lot he’d spent the last two nights.  There he sat on the hood of his beat up old Chevy in the shadow of thunder eating the only food he had to his name, raw Brussel sprouts, and dreaming of the days he’d be a part of the action.

His plan may have crumbled in pit row that day, but his dream never did.  He just reworked the plan, again and again he reworked the plan.  After 5 years of reworking the plan he had his first Alcohol Dragster.  Another 5 years of reworking the plan he had his first Nitro Funny Car.  He reworked the plan through a near fatal accident that left him severely burned.  He reworked the plan through the ups and down’s of business cycles.  He reworked the plan when life took him to some of the most remote mines on the planet.  He just worked and reworked, constantly.    

Still chasing the dream, the Schwab funny Car Team is back at the Winternationals this year and they are ready for the action.  The current crew has been together for the past several seasons, they are dialed in and working as a finely tuned team with, precession and accuracy. 

Driving the Schwab Funny Car this year is veteran pilot, Phil Burkhart Jr.  Phil come with over 20 years of professional racing.  He’s driven for the likes of Worsham Racing and John Force Racing and comes with 5 NHRA National Nitro Funny Car event wins, and a Divisional Championship in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class. 

Schwab would like to than TNT First Aid (www.tntfirstaid.com) for their support in making the dream a reality. Need top quality first aid supplies and training?  Think TNT First Aid!

Let’s welcome in the 2019 NHRA season.  Get ready ’cause it’s going to get loud.  Qualifying Round 1 will be broadcast live on NHRATV, Schwab’s run is today (Friday 2/8/ 2019) at 12:30 PM in Los Angeles.  That’s 7:30 AM Sunday morning for those in Australia and Papua.

#NHRA #nitro #schwabfunnycar #racing #funnycar