The Mike Neff – Don Schumacher – John Force Racing Scenario has all the makings of a good soap opera. Sources indicate the arrangement between Neff and Schumacher, with the veteran tuner now serving in an advisory role, may not make it beyond this weekend’s event at Reading, Pennsylvania.

Schumacher had revised Neff’s status from that of crew chief on Gary Scelzi’s Dodge Charger to an advisory role prior to last weekend’s event at Brainerd, Minnesota. This precautionary move was reportedly made to ensure that co-crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Phil Shuler could adequately handle the added responsibilities of tuning for both Scelzi and his teammate Jack Beckman.

A semifinal finish by Scelzi and several strong runs by both cars put the writing on the wall for Neff.

“I really need to talk to Don to see what we are going to do from this point on,” Neff said. “Don has been really good to me throughout this whole thing. There’s no animosity between us. I just don’t see it working through the season.”

The Mike Neff – Don Schumacher – John Force Racing Scenario has all the makings of a good soap opera. Sources indicate the arrangement between Neff and Schumacher, with the veteran tuner now serving in an advisory role, may not make it beyond this weekend’s event at Reading, Pennsylvania.

Schumacher had revised Neff’s status from that of crew chief on Gary Scelzi’s Dodge Charger to an advisory role prior to last weekend’s event at Brainerd, Minnesota. This precautionary move was reportedly made to ensure that co-crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Phil Shuler could adequately handle the added responsibilities of tuning for both Scelzi and his teammate Jack Beckman.

A semifinal finish by Scelzi and several strong runs by both cars put the writing on the wall for Neff.

“I really need to talk to Don to see what we are going to do from this point on,” Neff said. “Don has been really good to me throughout this whole thing. There’s no animosity between us. I just don’t see it working through the season.”

Contrary to rumors that suggested that Neff wasn’t allowed within the inner-workings of the car in Brainerd, the tuner said that he had an active role during the weekend but was clearly secondary to Okuhara and Shuler.

“I was around and talking to the guys, but I’m not going to take credit for their success,” Neff said. “They did a great job. I was around to throw in my two cents worth.

“This was just Don’s way to try his plan for next year. He wanted to let those guys try and see how it all worked.”

Neff isn’t sure when he’ll get to make his first laps in the Force car. He’s speculating that it will be within the next month or so. Neff said no one should be surprised about the talk of parting ways officially at this point.

“This is no real secret,” Neff said. “Don and I talked prior to Brainerd and we agreed that we’d talk about it after the race. We decided to handle it on a race-to-race basis.

“I’m ready to go and get started at Force Racing. The sooner I can go will be the better for me. Todd and Phil have everything covered over there. Me getting out of there and Don not having to pay me would be the best for him. It would be good for him and good for me and we could leave on good terms.”

Will Reading be Neff’s final working gig with DSR?

“It’s hard to say,” Neff said. “I think we are getting close to going our separate ways at some point. I wish Gary and the team and everybody the best of luck. They are my buddies and I want to see them do well.”