Thu, 20 Nov 2014, 10:58 AM Mission Accomplished- Schumacher Clinches Eighth Title

Courtesy of True Speed Communication Photo copyright 2014 NHRA Most Decorated Top Fuel Driver Ups His Record Championship Total

POMONA, Calif. --

Tony "The Sarge" Schumacher celebrates championship

It's official: U.S. Army driver Tony "The Sarge" Schumacher has clinched the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Top Fuel world championship Saturday by virtue of an insurmountable points lead heading into Sunday's elimination rounds of the 50th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California.

The championship ups Schumacher's record number of Top Fuel titles to eight and is his first since winning his record sixth consecutive title in 2009. He won his first in 1999. The driver of the U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster for Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) heads into Sunday eliminations with a 105-point lead over DSR teammate Spencer Massey, his nearest pursuer in the Top Fuel standings. Schumacher will be looking for his sixth event title of the season and fourth in the six-race Countdown to the Mello Yello Championship playoffs Sunday.

"Just outstanding," Schumacher said after solidifying the No. 9 qualifying position and watching Massey haze his tires in an effort to improve upon his No. 6 position in the fourth and final qualifying round. "It's definitely different sitting back and watching somebody else than it is sitting in the (driver's) seat trying to accomplish the task at hand. What a gift to be part of the U.S. Army and to have this opportunity. I'm so excited for Mello Yello, for the NHRA, what a great sanctioning body. To pull it off just goes to show you what a great group of nine guys I have and the guys back at the shop and all over. What a blessing. I think the turning point in the Countdown was running (Doug) Kalitta in (the semifinals at Maple Grove Raceway in) Reading - that was huge. He went out and ran a 73 (3.73 seconds) and we beat him and it was just a lucky break. It really is what it all came down to. That's an amazing team and they dominated all year long. It's just the way the Countdown format is set up. But that was a huge, huge run. That particular run set the stage for us. If we didn't win the race, it was one of those make-it-or-break-it things. But early on, winning the first two races (at Charlotte and Dallas), having so much success, that kind of broke everyone's back and it put us on the offensive and everyone else started battling for that second-place spot."

Schumacher entered the weekend with a 109-point lead over Massey and the DSR teammates battled it out over the four qualifying rounds Friday and Saturday with Massey able to shave only four points off the deficit.