“It was a tough day, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be.” — Fuller, who would’ve been the Top Fuel champion this year under the traditional points system, on losing to Bob Vandergriff Jr. in the opening round, losing his points lead and winding up less than one round (19 points) behind Schumacher for the Countdown championship
“This was another heart-breaking loss for our team.” — Will after coming up four hundredths short of Larry Dixon in round one
“It was totally me.” — J.R. Todd on redlighting against Vandergriff in the semis
“Obviously we are very disappointed.” — Brandon Bernstein on falling off against Schumacher in the semis, which also cost him his first Top Fuel championship
“We just didn’t have enough for Schumacher at the end there.” — Vandergriff after coming up short in a final for the fifth time this year and setting the record for final-round futility at 0-12
“I did not think we were gonna’ pull this off. Coming in, we were four rounds back. So many things had to happen. But we still had a chance, and—I never thought I'd say this—this new Countdown deal really worked.” — Schumacher on being the beneficiary of NHRA’s new Countdown points system
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FUNNY CAR
I am born and raised in Southern California. I had a lot of people coming up to me in the pits from all over to see one of their own pull it off. I'm a little emotional but I see guys like Don Prudhomme, Dale Armstrong, and my good friend and partner Larry Minor and Stan Herzog. I want you to know I'm a second-generation racer and I'm no different from you. I wanted to do this because my dad did it, and I wanted to go fast, and now it's become a lot more that.
— Tony Pedregon after securing his second Funny Car championship, but his first as a team owner and teammate to his brother, Cruz