This was Vandergriff's seventh final round appearance but he has never won in his previous six times in the final round. Schumacher already clinched the championship today.

The driver got off the starting line at almost the same time. Schumacher started to pull ahead and then at about 330 feet, flames started shooting out of the headers on Vandergriff's car and he shut it down. Schumacher went on to get the win with his second-quickest lap of the weekend. This was Schumacher's ninth win of the season and ties Larry Dixon and Gary Scelzi for most Top Fuel wins in a season.