INDIANAPOLIS — National Hot Rod Association team owner and racing icon Don Schumacher has died at the age of 79, his team announced Thursday.
Schumacher passed away Wednesday, Dec. 20, due to complications related to lung cancer, which he had been battling for several months.
In a statement, Don Schumacher Racing described its namesake as a Funny Car pioneer whose "contributions to the auto racing industry reach far beyond drag racing and have been widely recognized."
Schumacher was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Game in 2013 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2019. He was presented with the NHRA's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.
More than two dozen drivers raced for Schumacher during his time as a team owner, and he is the only team owner with wins from each of NHRA's four professional categories.
"His teams have amassed 19 NHRA world championship titles and 367 Wally trophies, including the five he won while behind the wheel of a Funny Car," his team said in a statement. "During his driving career, he contributed cutting-edge safety innovations for the new Funny Car category including a roof-mounted escape hatch that allowed drivers to quickly exit when all-too-frequent fires occurred."
Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date, his team said. In place of flowers, the family suggested making a donation to MD Anderson Cancer Center.
