DIXON JOINS DEFENDING CHAMPIONS HIGHT, EDWARDS ON PROVISIONAL POLE
POMONA, Calif. – Larry Dixon joined Robert Hight and Mike Edwards as the provisional pole-sitters after the second of three days of qualifying at the season-opening Kragen O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Valvoline on Friday.
Dixon assumed the provisional No. 1 qualifying position in Top Fuel from Thursday pace-setter Cory McClenathan with a 3.795-second pass at 317.79 mph. The run all but ensures that Dixon will be in the show a year after the eventual Series runner-up DNQ’d at last year’s rain-soaked Winternationals, his first race for Al-Anabi Racing.
“We’re going to race this year so I’m thrilled about that…” Dixon said. “Today’s probably more realistic of what we’ll see during the weekend. Alan (Johnson) and Jason (McCulloch) made the adjustments (after the car smoked the tires Thursday) and it stuck so that’s nice.”
In Funny Car, defending Full Throttle Series champion Hight set the pace on Thursday with a 4.059 at a track-record 312.86 mph in his Auto Club Ford Mustang and that time held up on Friday. It would be the 33rd No. 1 of his career and second-straight at the Winternationals.
But the run of the day in Funny Car on Friday belonged to John Force, whose category-best 4.066 at 310.41 in his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang vaulted the 14-time champion up to No. 3 on the ladder behind Hight and Del Worsham (4.062).
“It’s just exciting always to be back. We’ve worked real hard over the winter,” Force said. “I’m excited (Austin) Coil, (Mike Neff) and Bernie (Fedderly) are working together. Coil is loving it having a young kid with a lot of energy running around.”
In Pro Stock, defending Full Throttle Series champion Edwards’ 6.580 at 210.47 from Thursday in his Penhall/Interstate Batteries Pontiac GXP also remained on top. This would be Edwards’ 10th straight No. 1 dating back to 2009 when he finished with nine straight No. 1s.
“(Saturday) morning possibly could be a pretty good run,” Edwards said. “But the hotter it gets, it definitely affects the track. You just have to make an adjustment and race the track.”
Qualifying at the historic 50th running of the Winternationals concludes with the third and fourth sessions on Saturday when the fields will be set for Sunday’s final eliminations.
POMONA, Calif. -- Results Friday after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 50th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Valvoline at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, first of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.
Top Fuel -- 1. Larry Dixon, 3.795 seconds, 317.79 mph; 2. Cory McClenathan, 3.809, 320.05; 3. Morgan Lucas, 3.823, 316.90; 4. Tony Schumacher, 3.835, 317.57; 5. Shawn Langdon, 3.847, 309.98; 6. David Grubnic, 3.854, 319.60; 7. Antron Brown, 3.869, 313.73; 8. Doug Kalitta, 3.876, 313.44; 9. Thomas Nataas, 3.880, 306.33; 10. Brandon Bernstein, 3.899, 310.98; 11. Steve Torrence, 3.929, 305.42; 12. Troy Buff, 3.950, 286.01.
Not Qualified: 13. Chris Karamesines, 3.997, 308.00; 14. Steven Chrisman, 4.239, 267.43; 15. Andy Carter, 4.260, 218.34; 16. Mike Strasburg, 7.622, 91.96; 17. Terry McMillen, 8.674, 84.24.
Funny Car -- 1. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.059, 312.86; 2. Del Worsham, Toyota Solara, 4.062, 312.35; 3. John Force, Mustang, 4.066, 310.41; 4. Ashley Force Hood, Mustang, 4.093, 310.70; 5. Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 4.101, 310.91; 6. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.109, 305.01; 7. Jim Head, Solara, 4.166, 304.74; 8. Gary Densham, Chevy Impala, 4.167, 293.60; 9. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.167, 289.76; 10. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.182, 294.43; 11. Bob Bode, Chevy Impala SS, 4.184, 264.49; 12. Tony Pedregon, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.189, 305.01.
Not Qualified: 13. Bob Tasca III, 4.190, 299.26; 14. Cruz Pedregon, 4.231, 301.20; 15. Melanie Troxel, 4.296, 285.95; 16. Jeff Diehl, 4.299, 283.91; 17. Paul Lee, 4.327, 278.58; 18. Terry Haddock, 4.422, 257.09; 19. Jeff Arend, 4.712, 175.02.
Pro Stock -- 1. Mike Edwards, Pontiac GXP, 6.580, 210.47; 2. Jeg Coughlin, Chevy Cobalt, 6.591, 209.59; 3. Ron Krisher, Cobalt, 6.595, 209.75; 4. Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.603, 209.36; 5. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger, 6.611, 209.56; 6. Vinnie Deceglie, Avenger, 6.613, 209.23; 7. Greg Stanfield, GXP, 6.617, 209.30; 8. Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.623, 209.62; 9. Steve Spiess, Cobalt, 6.631, 208.26; 10. Jason Line, GXP, 6.640, 209.79; 11. Shane Gray, GXP, 6.642, 208.23; 12. Ronnie Humphrey, GXP, 6.644, 209.26.
Not Qualified: 13. V. Gaines, 6.647, 207.82; 14. Kurt Johnson, 6.654, 208.71; 15. John Nobile, 6.660, 207.82; 16. Warren Johnson, 6.662, 208.10; 17. Larry Morgan, 6.674, 207.72; 18. Bob Yonke, 6.675, 208.01; 19. Justin Humphreys, 6.678, 207.94; 20. Johnny Gray, 6.681, 208.14; 21. Danny Gruninger, 6.681, 207.18; 22. Gordie Rivera, 6.730, 204.54; 23. Rickie Jones, 8.395, 116.98.
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