Doug Kalitta sat silent on his golf cart at the top end of the track, watching the final-round results. And even Tony Schumacher, who had a gracious moment with the man whose goal he stole after exiting the car, couldn't help sympathize with the Mac Tools Dragster.

"I felt so bad. I love the guy. Of all the people to battle with, if I couldn't win it, I'd pray for him to win it. He's so deserving."

Doug Kalitta sat silent on his golf cart at the top end of the track, watching the final-round results. And even Tony Schumacher, who had a gracious moment with the man whose goal he stole after exiting the car, couldn't help sympathize with the Mac Tools Dragster. "I felt so bad. I love the guy. Of all the people to battle with, if I couldn't win it, I'd pray for him to win it. He's so deserving."

They were standing by the car during qualifying early in the weekend. And Schumacher said he told Kalitta, "We're probably won't be able to talk all weekend. It'll be too intense. But you guys are true champions. But we're probably going to have to part ways because it's going to get too sticky. "

Schumacher teammate Melanie Troxel, who won here at the season opener and led the standings for the first half of the season, was instrumental in Schumacher's triumph. She defeated Kalitta in the semifinals.

"He had a great light (.058 seconds against a perfect .000) and Melanie strapped a .20 (.026) on him," Schumacher said. "He lives by the sword and died by it. To go out there and win like eight times on a holeshot -- phenomenal driver. Man, unbelievable. Weird day."

Schumacher said, "I took my son and went to church. My wife and his wife, and my kid and his kid were sitting there watching the race together. We said a prayer before the run. Unfortunately somebody has to lose. They are a championship team. He's a great driver with a good family. But this sport comes down to being the baddest in the world and being able to pull off miracles."

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