TOP FUEL

(Adam Cranmer photo)

Eight-time champion Tony Schumacher won the Gatornationals for the fifth time in his career.

The win is Schumacher's 83rd overall. His Don Schumacher Racing U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster defeated Antron Brown from the left lane in the final round with a pass of 3.703 seconds at 329.26 mph after a reaction time of .066. Brown turned in a lap of 3.764 seconds at 322.65 mph paired with a .034 reaction time to keep the race in doubt until Schumacher turned on the win light.

"Everything went right today,” Schumacher said. “That final round with Antron was an absolute battle. He has had my number here for a while. I know he's won more than I have and that pushes me to be better. Going against him makes me step up. Going against their team makes my U.S. Army guys step up. And to go out and win the Gatornationals for the fifth time is special.”

Schumacher started from the No. 1 position after setting an elapsed-time track record during round two of qualifying on Friday with a pass of 3.682 seconds at 328.22 mph.

Schumacher defeated Smax Smith in the first round and took down Clay Millican in the second to set up a showdown with Steve Torrence in the semifinals. Torrence overpowered the track and slowed, allowing Schumacher to reach the final round.

(Ron Lewis photo)

The driver of Don Schumacher Racing's Papa John's Pizza/FireAde dragster became the first Top Fuel driver to ever start a season by winning the first two titles from the No. 1 qualifying position and no driver ever has started the year by winning three straight in Top Fuel.

Even though her day ended in the second round, she was able to maintain her hold on the No. 1 spot in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series points standings.

Pritchett lost her first race in elimination rounds this year when Doug Kalitta used a quicker time at the starting line in the second round that dropped her record to 9-1 when his time of 3.754 seconds at 325.14 overcame her quicker time of 3.738 (323.97).

"We had a break in the first round when Scott Palmer had a problem at the starting line," Pritchett said. "He was running really, really well in qualifying.

"I would say that Doug is one of the most intimidating cars right now. That car is incredibly intimidating and we brought everything we had to that party and at the end of the day our streak ended because of me. I'll take the hit on that but it's not like I'm getting super, super down about it.

"I did the best job that I thought that I could do and the car is obviously there. So I'm personally taking on how to improve and become an even better racecar driver.