Mon, 27 Feb 2017, 19:38 PM Pritchett Wins Second Straight Title, Pole for Papa John's Pizza

Courtesy of Don Schumacher Racing Photo copyright 2017 Auto Imagery, Inc. With World-record Performance, Reaction Time Edge Over Rival

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Leah Pritchett delivered an outstanding driving performance along with another stellar effort from Don Schumacher Racing's Papa John's Pizza Top Fuel dragster Sunday to win her second title in two NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events to remain unbeaten in the young season.

Leah Pritchett and team celebrate second win this season.

She also defended her Arizona Nationals title at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park near Phoenix by using a better reaction time for the second straight year to defeat rival Brittany Force in the third all-female final round in NHRA history.

And just like she did two weeks ago at the season-opening Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., Pritchett's Papa John's Pizza team qualified No. 1, which is the third time in the past six races since last October in which she earned the pole.

Leah Pritchett defeated Brittany Force in the second consecutive year.

The Papa John's dragster led by crew chief Todd Okuhara and assistant Joe Barlam set the world record with an elapsed time of 3.658 seconds in qualifying on Friday and Pritchett's quicker move at the start against Force enabled her 3.705 at 328.22 mph to overcome a quicker 3.704 (330.39)

"Honestly, I'm trying to keep up with my team for how well they're doing and make them proud of me as a driver and do the job that is expected of a Don Schumacher Racing team," she said. "We're blessed with the equipment, the talent, the capabilities of the people and everyone it takes to make to (win). So I'm happy that I could hold up my end of the bargain.

"I'd like to be capped off on a confidence level because this sport is extremely humbling and it can turn at any moment. So I like the confidence that we have right now because it's not too high. We're double-checking each other's work in a very positive way. The thing I'm most impressed about is how well our team is working together and how much we enjoy working together."

Pritchett joined with Tommy Johnson Jr. in Terry Chandler's Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T to sweep No. 1 qualifying spots for DSR's 30th time when Johnson posted his career-best elapsed time of 3.837 the fifth quickest by a Funny Car with John Collins and assistant Rip Reynolds.

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