Just when it appeared Spencer Massey wasn’t going to be a contender for NHRA’s 2014 Mello Yello Series Top Fuel title, he delivered a huge performance.

The veteran driver for Don Schumacher Racing mowed down the competition to win the Toyota Nationals Sunday at The Strip at Vegas Motor Speedway.

Just when it appeared Spencer Massey wasn’t going to be a contender for NHRA’s 2014 Mello Yello Series Top Fuel title, he delivered a huge performance.

The veteran driver for Don Schumacher Racing mowed down the competition to win the Toyota Nationals Sunday at The Strip at Vegas Motor Speedway.

In the finals, Massey upended No. 1 qualifier J.R. Todd with a 3.756-second elapsed time at 330.88 mph. Todd lost traction immediately and slowed to 7.375 seconds.

“The car started running off extremely well,” said Massey, who qualified No. 2. “We started running a new chassis this weekend and we kind of wanted to see where it was going to lead us. The first run it showed a lot of promise, meaning we could give it more power and it is going to hold it. Obviously (Saturday) night it ran a 74 at 330 (mph), and that was huge for (Massey’s crew chiefs) Phil Schuler and Todd Okuhara, and my entire team. We have been working so hard all season long and now to not only finally make good solid runs and be consistent and go rounds on race day, but also go win this thing. Don Schumacher’s birthday is Tuesday and this an early birthday present for Mr. Don, and it is exciting.”

This was Massey’s third win of the season – he also had victories at Atlanta and Topeka, Kan. – and the 17th of his career. More importantly, it moved Massey from seventh in the points to second place in the points. Massey trails points leader Tony Schumacher by 109 points.

Massey ousted Terry McMillen, Shawn Langdon and Leah Pritchett before defeating Todd.

Against McMillen, Massey seemed to have the victory secured until he started smoking the tires at halftrack and had to pedal to get the win with a 4.268-second run.

“First round wasn’t very pretty, going out there and smoking the tires and getting sideways and almost taking out cones and getting close to the wall,” Massey said. “After that it had to be game on.”

The clash against Langdon is one Massey was ready for.

Massey clocked a 3.769-second lap to beat Langdon, the reigning Top Fuel world champion, who slowed to 4.501 seconds.

“If he (Langdon) would have kept going he could have had a really good chance in Pomona to come around (Tony), and I had to stop that,” Massey said. “I consider that run like the World Finals going for a championship for myself and obviously I’m still trying for a championship, but it will be really tough for us to do it because the Army car is extremely strong. It is almost going to have to be (a situation) for him to DNQ and for us to win the race and set national records. It is possible in the mathematical equation, but at the same time my goal right now is to win Pomona, and if I can win Pomona we will let the points fall where they fall.”

The Auto Club NHRA Finals are Nov. 13-16 in Pomona.

Massey acknowledged his effort Sunday was especially gratifying.

“I love sitting in these pressure situations where I know I have to cut a light, and I know I have to do the best job I can,” Massey said. “I do that every round, every time I drive this race car, but I seem to get pushed to that extra level whenever I know this is happening right now, and I have to take care of it. I get up there and try and cut that tree down and I don’t like being left on and I especially don’t like being left on by Shawn (Langdon), so whenever I get up there I really mow it down. I especially did that in the final round. We were looking at the points and we were like man if J.R. (Todd) wins this thing then he’s going to be 92 points away from Tony, and I couldn’t let that happen. I really had to do something for Don Schumacher Racing. I got up there in the final and I had a .035 light and Phil Shuler and Todd Okuhara were ready because they ran a 3.75 at 330 mph. It feels like it has been forever since I’ve been standing here talking to you guys. It has only been since Topeka (May 25), but that feels like forever ago. It has been a down slump summer that we had and now we are starting to find our groove back again and I’m excited.”

If history is any indication, Massey likes his chances at Pomona.

“Every year I have raced with Don Schumacher Racing we have won four races in a season,” said Massey, who began driving for DSR in 2011. “Up until this point we had only won two races and now we are on three and we have one more race to go. If it all works its way out like it has the last few years we should win Pomona.”

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