NHRA: Don Schumacher undergoes treatment for cancer

NHRA Mello Yello drag racing team owner Don Schumacher underwent surgery Wednesday 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 at Pomona earlier this month.

The team said it will provide an update on his condition early next week, and asks that the family's privacy be respected in the meantime.