ESPN NHRA

CONCORD, N.C. -- If they didn't know it already, those neophyte drag racing fans at the new zMax Dragway on Sunday learned anything is possible in the final round of an NHRA event, including a historic achievement.

Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Steve Johnson earned a victory when Eddie Krawiec jumped the start. Justin Humphreys' first career win came when heavily favored Pro Stock driver Kurt Johnson couldn't start the car and never made it to the line. And Funny Car racer Jack Beckman edged Cruz Pedregon by one-thousandth of a second.

The unexpected was the norm in the inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals until Tony Schumacher went to the line in the last matchup of the day.

Then the surprises ended. Schumacher this season is as close to a sure thing as you'll ever see.

He entered uncharted territory by defeating Antron Brown in the final, becoming the first man to win 53 Top Fuel NHRA events. It moved Schumacher past retired five-time champion Joe Amato.

In heat over 90 degrees, bad news for an 8,000-horsepower dragster, Schumacher easily won the final with a pass of 3.882 seconds at 317.64 mph, the fastest run recorded since the NHRA went to 1,000-foot races.

Schumacher now has a record 12 victories this season. He also has won seven consecutive events -- an incredible 28-0 in 1,000-foot matchups.

With five races to go in the Countdown to One playoff, every drag racing fan should soak this in. What Schumacher and crew chief Alan Johnson are doing this year is one of those rare sports moments that approaches perfection.

"We are witnessing something very special," Schumacher said. "It is very unique and something we may never see again. I understand that and it's why I feel so fortunate."

Schumacher, who drives the Army-sponsored dragster, had two soldiers waiting for him after he won. They put him on the back of a Humvee and held a sign over his head that that had "53" in big red writing. They drove down back the service lane as the crowd cheered.

Amato raced in 99 final rounds to get his 52 victories. Sunday was the 84th final round of Schumacher's career.

Schumacher has won 60 rounds of racing this year, one short of Kenny Bernstein's 2001 record. Sunday was Schumacher's 14th final round in 2008, tying the single-season record Larry Dixon set in 2002.

Both of those marks will belong exclusively to Schumacher soon.

"It's so inspirational knowing those goals are out there," Schumacher said. "And getting up this morning knowing we were that close to doing something no one had ever done before, well, it's just a privilege."

It's a privilege that Schumacher knows won't last forever. This year is the end of an era.

Schumacher feels like a kid on Christmas morning, the day he was born 38 years ago. He calls this season his greatest gift because the man who helped him do this is leaving at the end of the year.

Alan Johnson, who earned his 75th Top Fuel victory Sunday, is starting his own team next season. No doubt a few of the crew members at Don Schumacher Racing will join him.

"I will always be grateful for everything Alan has done for us," Schumacher said. "We'll always be friends, and hopefully next year we can beat him. I'm just thankful for everything we've accomplished together."

Lame-duck teams rarely do well in professional racing, but this situation is different. Everyone involved knows this is a chance to set records that could stand for years, if not decades.

Don Schumacher, Tony's father, is celebrating his 10th year as a team owner. He now has the largest team in the NHRA with eight drivers.

Don was an accomplished drag racer himself in his day and has seen all the greats -- John Force, Don Garlits, Bernstein, Don Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney, etc. But he's never seen a season like this one.

"I just feel blessed to be a part of it," Don Schumacher said. "When I got back into this sport with Tony, I never dreamed anything like this could happen. All I wanted was to keep Tony safe and give him a good car every week."

A good car has evolved into possibly the best dragster with the best team ever assembled. But a sixth championship is not a given.

Without the playoff format, which began last season, Tony Schumacher could have coasted to the title. But the Countdown, similar to NASCAR's Chase, resets the points and makes the leader earn it at the end.

Schumacher now has a 46-point lead over Brown heading to the race at the Texas Motorplex next weekend. So there's still work to be done to make 2008 a year all NHRA fans will remember.

"When I think about it, what we've done seems so impossible," Schumacher said. "No one has ever done this before for a reason. I know how hard it is. I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts."

Terry Blount covers motorsports for ESPN.com. He can be reached at terry@blountspeak.com.