Don Schumacher underwent surgery today to treat Stage 1 Squamous cell carcinoma  at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. The cancer was discovered during an annual check-up last week at the renowned medical facility.

“I will beat this,” he said Tuesday after learning of the diagnosis and instantly charting a course to recovery.

Don Schumacher underwent surgery today to treat Stage 1 Squamous cell carcinoma  at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. The cancer was discovered during an annual check-up last week at the renowned medical facility.

“I will beat this,” he said Tuesday after learning of the diagnosis and instantly charting a course to recovery.

“Finding this early is the key,” he said from Rochester. “Thank God, I’ve been coming here to the Mayo Clinic for annual physicals so this could be discovered. I can’t stress to everyone how important it is to get regular physicals and take care of your health.”

Schumacher owns Schumacher Electric Corp. and Don Schumacher Racing, which won two NHRA world championships Nov. 15-16 at Pomona, Calif.

DSR will provide an update on his condition early next week.

We ask that the family’s privacy be honored.

A former front-running driver, Schumacher retired from driving in 1974 to build his family's Schumacher Electric business. He returned in the late-1990s as a team owner with son Tony, and together they won the 1999 NHRA Top Fuel championship. Today, Schumacher's racing teams has won 240 NHRA national event titles and 13 world championships. This season DSR swept the championships in both Top Fuel and Funny car divisions.

Join us in praying for a speedy recovery for Don.