Schumacher and the U.S. Army Top Fuel team ended one of its longest non-winning streaks Sunday by earning their 73rd title and eighth at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to jump from eighth to fourth in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series standings after four of 24 races.

Schumacher's last final round was last June at Route 66 Raceway near Chicago where he also won the last of three titles in 2013.

Schumacher won in his 126th championship round with a time of 3.797 seconds at 326.16 mph to defeat points leader Doug Kalitta's 3.814 (321.12). It was Schumacher's quickest run of the weekend in the NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals with crew chief Mike Green and assistant Neal Strausbaugh.

What has impressed Tony has been the titanium-like nerves of Green and Strausbaugh who have adjusted to three new crewmembers while still working to become a dominant Top Fuel dragster.

"I wouldn't trade Mike and Neal for the world. I know what they've been trying to do. They stay here late and get here before everyone else. They want to win more than anyone I've ever seen.

"It's easy to smile when you're winning but to pull a team together through a difficult time like we were having is what makes championship teams. At the end of the year when you're making those last couple of runs to win a championship and you knew you stuck together through the adversity and got through tough times. That is when you want to win the most together and pull off miracles.

"We're going to be a great team."

DSR's Antron Brown, who started championship eliminations from the No. 1 qualified position, lost to Schumacher in the semifinals.