JOLIET, Ill. – Antron Brown is in position to earn his second straight No. 1 qualifying position after his Matco Tools Top Fuel Dragster tuned by crew chiefs Mark Oswald and Brian Corradi tied the Route 66 Raceway elapsed time record Friday night in the NHRA Route 66 Nationals.
Brown, who has won two of the last three poles, recorded an elapsed time of 3.773 seconds at 322.50 mph. Right on his heels is Don Schumacher Racing teammate Spencer Massey whose elapsed time was 3.788 at 326.79 mph that set a track speed record.
If Brown can hold the No. 1 spot after Saturday night’s last two qualifying sessions it will be the 32nd pole of his NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series career. Eighteen of his top qualifying positions have been in Top Fuel since he moved up to the class in 2008 after competing in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
NHRA points leader Tony Schumacher rests in the No. 12 position.
In Funny Car, John Force holds the provisional pole with a run of 4.050 (310.77) that edged DSR’s Jack Beckman, whose Schumacher Electric/Valvoline Dodge Charger R/T had a best run of 4.054 (311.56).
Johnny Gray was next quickest for DSR after his NTB/Service Central Dodge produced the fourth best time of 4.074. Ron Capps is eighth (4.121, 303.98) and reigning NHRA Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan is 11th (4.193, 294.43).
After the first qualifying session, the quickest at Route 66 were Capps in Funny Car and Massey in Top Fuel.
The last two NHRA nitro Funny Car sessions are 5 and 8 p.m. Saturday to set the 16-car fields for Sunday’s championship eliminations.
The following are qualifying results from Friday’s sessions and other notes:
TOP FUEL
Provisional No. 1 qualifier: Antron Brown, 3.773 sec. (ties track record), 322.50 mph
Antron Brown, Matco Tools dragster
Provisional qualifying position: No. 1
FRIDAY
Session 1: 3.867 sec., 318.77 mph
Session 2: 3.773 (ties track record), 322.50
Spencer Massey, Prestone/FRAM dragster
Provisional qualifying position: No. 3
FRIDAY
Session 1: 3.818 sec., 320.74 mph
Session 2: 3.788, 326.79 (track record)
Tony Schumacher, U.S. Army dragster
Provisional qualifying position: No. 12
FRIDAY
Session 1: 4.741 sec., 153.26 mph
Session 2: 3.884, 300.80
FUNNY CAR
Provisional No. 1 qualifier: John Force, 4.050 sec., 310.77 mph
Jack Beckman, Schumacher Electric/Valvoline NextGen Dodge Charger R/T
Provisional qualifying position: No. 2
FRIDAY
Session 1: 4.158 sec., 3301.40 mph
Session 2: 4.054, 311.56
Johnny Gray, NTB/Service Central Dodge Charger R/T
FRIDAY
Session 1: 5.133 sec., 146.32 mph
Session 2: 4.074, 312.57
Ron Capps, NAPA Batteries/Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund Dodge Charger R/T
Provisional qualifying position: No. 8
FRIDAY
Session 1: 4.121 sec., 303.98 mph
Session 2: 4.319, 216.31
Matt Hagan, DieHard Advanced Gold/Aaron’s Dream Machine Dodge Charger R/T
Provisional qualifying position: No. 11
FRIDAY
Session 1: 4.193 sec., 294.43 mph
Session 2: 5.742, 123.07
FULL THROTTLE NITRO SCHEDULE
Saturday: 5, 8 p.m., qualifying
Sunday: 11 a.m., eliminations
ON ESPN2 (ET)
Saturday: 5 p.m., qualifying
Sunday: 7 p.m., eliminations
WEATHER.COM FORECAST
Saturday: High of 93; 40 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms
Sunday: High of 95; 30 percent of isolated thunderstorms