Top Fuel driver Blake Alexander is getting the maximum out of racing a limited schedule for Bob Vandergriff Jr. Racing.

Alexander, who is in his first year driving for Vandergriff, has made it to three final rounds – winning twice while just competing in six of the season’s 15 races so far.

Alexander’s latest victory came Sunday when he took home the crown at the Sonoma (Calif.) Nationals Sunday.

Alexander clocked 4.004-second elapsed time at 287.41 mph to defeat Tony Schumacher’s 4.345-second lap in the final round.

“We will take the silver lining in all this and we will move forward and go to Indy (Aug. 29-Sept. 3),” Alexander said. “I know we are a part-time team, but we come here trying to win every race, and hang out and have fun and most of the time we get to do both. The opportunity that Bob has given me to drive his race car honestly is paramount in my career at this point to take me to higher levels of competition. It is stressful trying to win every weekend, but I’m learning how to do it and I have (crew chief) Ron Douglas to help teach me. I’m trying to do my best.”

This was Alexander’s second career Wally, his first came June 27 in Norwalk, Ohio.

Alexander has clearly paid his dues to enjoy some time in the spotlight.

Prior to making his Top Fuel dragster driving debut last season driving a dragster owned by Del Worsham, Alexander was driving in the nitro Funny Car ranks.

Alexander’s career-best performance in a nitro Funny Car is his runner-up finish at the 2013 spring race at Charlotte, N.C., when he lost to Matt Hagan in the finals.

Alexander made his first career nitro Funny Car start in 2011 at Reading, Pa.

“I was just playing with house money before and now I’m playing with some of the best people in the sport,” he said. “I don’t want to ever let them down and obviously (Sunday) I could have done better, but we have this trophy. I try and do my best and win more races. I don’t know exactly what happened, I need to watch the final round, I know I had 0.157 light and I know everything I’m enjoying right now, ultimately, I’m going to be mad at myself at the end of the day because of my performance, but when you win it erases all that and I’m honestly learning how to do all this. I’m glad (Sunday) while I was learning I have this trophy.”

"Yet the needle define by attendance and TV ratings hasn’t budged. As expected, the arrival of retired fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the NBC Sports broadcasts has been popular. It’s just hard to prove it." - Monte Dutton https://t.co/QrNHiJbj73

— CircleTrackPlus (@CircleTrackPlus) July 31, 2018

Alexander took a moment to describe his relationship with Douglas.

“It’s pretty cool,” Alexander said. “He’s hard on me and I’m hard on myself. We are always trying to dig for more and find more and understand more. If the car doesn’t go down the track, he’s dejected, and if I don’t leave well I’m dejected. We are growing together and doing well and he’s someone who has taught me a new level of precision in the sport.”

Although Alexander did cut a poor light, he did regroup and pedal his dragster when it started hazing the tires late in the run.

“Credit to Del Worsham, I used to drive for him and he was pretty awesome at pedaling the race car,” Alexander said. “I always watched him and talked to him about it and he taught me how to do some things that I’m glad I know how to do.”