We will convert minutes to seconds for both times. To do that we will use the following conversion factor:

Converting the time for the seventh grade:

Therefore, the total number of seconds for the seventh grade is:

Now we convert the time for the eighth grade:

The total number of seconds for the eighth grade is:

Now we determine the difference between both times:

Therefore, the seventh-grade winner has 13 more seconds.
Another way of solving it is noticing that for 4 min and 55s there is a difference of 5 seconds to be 5 min and to that, we add the 8 seconds of the seventh grade we get:

And we get the same answer.