If fan support plays any role whatsoever in driver performance, you might give Top Fuel's Tony Schumacher a slight edge in this weekend's National Hot Rod Association Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent.

Driving the U.S. Army car, Schumacher is hoping to put on a strong performance for military fans at track just miles away from the largest joint installation on the west coast.

"It's been a very successful partnership," Schumacher said this week of his 10-year sponsorship deal with the Army. "It's been great for brand awareness and helping in recruiting. The Budweiser car has its fans ... I have the Army and it's a whole another level of awesomeness."

Schumacher, nicknamed "The Sarge," enters this weekend's tour stop second in the NHRA Full Throttle Series standings, 176 points behind leader Larry Dixon. Schumacher, a seven-time world champion, defeated Brandon Bernstein in the finals of the Thunder Valley Nationals June 18-20 in Bristol, Tenn., with a run of 3.982 seconds at 306.53 mph. It was the fourth victory of the season for Schumacher, and marked the 65th career victory and 100th final round appearance for the Long Grove, Ill., native.

Dixon defeated Anton Brown in a final race decided by .002-second June 26-27 at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, setting up another week of battling with Schumacher.

"It's been fun," Schumacher said of his rivalry with Dixon, as the pair has won 11 of the season's first 13 Top Fuel races. "We're right in the thick of it again. I've been in second (place in the standings) a number of times. Our team is great in crunch time."

Schumacher said he's looking forward to coming to the Northwest and a track he's had good success at.

"You get a lot of people coming out to (Pacific Raceways) that have been looking forward to it all year because it's the only time the event comes to their area," he said.

For those who haven't been to a race before, Schumacher said the access fans are given to drivers and pit crews bring a kinship to the sport unlike any other.

"It makes them feel like they're a real part of something," he said.

Schumacher has been able to build up that kinship during visits to military installations across the country, including a past trip to Fort Lewis in recent years. He hopes to see fans of the U.S. Army car out in force come the weekend.

"It's great when you can see them in the stands and on the fence cheering," he said.