DragChamp Racer Spotlight with Andy Schmall

From racing a rented junior dragster to claiming big money bracket race wins in his Banana Beretta, Andy Schmall tells all in this week’s Racer Spotlight.

Feature photo credit: Bob Johnson

IDAHO FALLS, ID – Andy Schmall is a talented young racer with 22 years of experience and an impressive racing resume! He’s a two-time NHRA Division 5 ET Finals Champion, has been recognized as a Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 member, and won the 2020 NHRA Division 6 ET Finals Race of Champions.

Favoring the bottom bulb, Andy used two separate cars to run himself in the $5K final round at Rocky Mountain Raceway in No Box and made a semifinal appearance at the Spring Fling Million. At the long-running Firecracker Bracket Nationals at Byron Dragway, he’s earned a $30,000 win and a $60,000 runner up.

Schmall has claimed Pro and Super Pro points championships during the same season- on three separate occasions. In 2009, he swept the Midwest Drag Racers Association points series in both classes, at Cedar Falls Motorsports Park in 2012, and at Lost Creek Raceway in 2013.

With so many accomplishments already, it’s hard to imagine what would be left on Andy Schmall’s bucket list. Although, he says he dreams about running National and Divisionals in Stock or Super Stock, someday.

Background and basics

Going back to before he was turning on win lights, Andy Schmall spent many weekends at the racetrack watching his father, Joe compete in his ’69 Plymouth Fury.

Andy learned from the sidelines until 1998 when he made a pass in a rented junior dragster at Eddyville Raceway Park. The following year, his parents bought a junior dragster for Andy and his brother to share until he was 16- when he made the move into big cars.

Speaking of racecars, Andy and his wife, Jamie, own a 72 back halved Nova and a tube chassis 88 Beretta. The Beretta is nicknamed “Banana” and Andy says he’s had the most success in that car since it’s 2017 debut.

He built the 437 big block Chevy motor, paired it with an ATI Powerglide transmission, and hopes to get one thousand passes with that combination before any major maintenance.

Schmall says he is getting closer to that goal number so he’s hired Kidd Performance to build the next Banana motor. He’s a racer that frequently travels and tells us, “Depending on the altitude, the car has run anywhere from 5.90s at sea level to 6.40s in the mountains of Montana.”

Where you can find Andy Schmall

Before moving out West, Andy would regularly double enter by running Pro and Super Pro in Minnesota. Now he calls Lost Creek Raceway in Anaconda, Montana his home track, where Andy runs Pro and Jamie runs Super Pro. They make a few trips back to the Midwest to compete in the big money bracket racing scene with their friends and family each year.

During the week, Andy works as a Refueling Operations Engineer at the Naval Reactors Facility where they receive, examine, and prepare Naval spent nuclear fuel for storage.

When asked how he landed such an unique career, he said, “I didn’t actually think I would take a job that would move me from Minnesota to Idaho, so the interview was practically stress-free. When interviewing for the position out of college there wasn’t a lot of information they could tell me, so naturally I talked about racing. At the end, the interviewer told me he would offer me a job if I could answer one question…’Who is Big Daddy?'”

Safety first

Back to racing, Andy talks about his most embarrassing moment in a racecar. He brings us back to when he was a teenager racing at the $50K at Mid-Michigan Motorplex, which was one of his first big money bracket races.

Schmall says, “I’m feeling pretty badass because Eric Anderson let me run their family dragster and I was doubled in my Dad’s Vega. I’m about four pairs from the burnout box third or fourth round of the $50K when I reach for my helmet and realize I left it on the dragster. I spring out of the car and ask our friend, Dennis Remer, to go grab it for me but there wasn’t enough time. I standing there freaking out when I hear Jeremy McKague yell that there was a spare helmet on the back of his trailer. He was parked near the staging lanes, [so] I run over, grab the helmet, hop in the car, and get crushed.”

If you happen to see Andy running from his racecar, now you probably can guess why. Andy continues, “I’d like to say I’ve never forgotten my helmet again, but that’s not the case.”

Trying to beat a pair of Brandons

Andy tells us there are two people who he doesn’t want to pull up in the other lane: his brother, Brandon Schmall, and Brandon Umberger.

When you share information all day with your brother, he basically knows your game plan if you have to run each other. Andy says, “When we’re rolling in the water box together, it really forces you to be creative and either execute a plan well, or get outside of your comfort zone.”

With Umberger, it seems like no matter how good Andy is, Brandon is a little better to get the win. Schmall says the beatdown continued outside of the driver’s seat when Umberger defeated him in the This Is Bracket Racing Off-Season practice tree challenge.

Andy told us, “Brandon [Umberger] is a great racer and his ability to routinely light the lamp when I’m in the other lane has turned into a joke more than anything.”

Strategy for success

Andy, his brother, and their father bounce driving strategies off one another and use time trials for more than just ET data. Schmall explains, “We will race each other in time runs once in a while by having the faster guy put the dial ins in the delay box. It’s funny when the car takes off on the green, but if you’re quick with math you can figure out who has the better light and drive accordingly. Those runs give you a great opportunity to try different driving strategies.”

That’s just another tool that Schmall uses to stay competitive in the ever-changing world of drag racing. He believes the sport has been brought to a new level due to the unlimited resources racers can use. That along with car consistency has grown everyone’s racing operation. He states staying competitive is the hardest part of racing today, but we will add that his record suggests he is doing just fine!

Andy Schmall Q&A

What motivates you to continue racing?

The fact that there is always something you can improve on, and there’s always someone better than you to chase.

Do you love to win or hate to lose?

Love to win more than hate to lose. If I execute a plan and get beat I don’t mind losing although it can get frustrating at times. What I hate is making dumb mistakes on the track, in preparation for racing, or not executing the plan.

Favorite music or artist?

I’ll listen to almost anything. Although, my go to is usually the Turnpike Troubadours or the “Red Dirt Radio” station on Pandora.

What are you really good at?

I’ve made some money playing corn hole at the racetrack. When that happens, I usually spend it at the buy back window the next morning.  

Name one thing most people don’t know about you.

I throw a mean hook with a house ball. I like bowling but don’t make it out very often.

What’s your favorite thing to eat?

I could eat tacos continuously.

What’s your favorite sports team?

University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs Hockey. I had season tickets in college, so it took up a lot of my Friday and Saturday nights in school. As of late, they are the 2018 and 2019 national champions with the 2020 NCAA playoffs getting cancelled.

Andy Schmall is very thankful for the support of his family and friends. “While growing up, my parents, Joe and Patti, have always supported my racing addiction. My wife, Jamie, sacrifices a lot as well. She has given up a lot of time behind the wheel to take care of our daughters, Rylee and Olivia, so I can keep doing burnouts,” he says.

Andy also thanks his brother, Brandon, wife, Morgan, and their son Chip. Additionally, Doug and Robin Kruse, The Loeffelholz Family with G&S Dyno and Chassis, The Hamma Family with Digital Delay, Fastronix Performance Wiring, and Guess Who Racing are a major part of Schmall’s racing operation.

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DragChamp is all about sharing the spotlight with sportsman drag racers. Learn more about junior drag racer Dylan Hite, West Coast gold digger David Myhre, or the legendary Sheldon Gecker in our other articles.