Rain abbreviated the opening day of qualifying at the 29th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals after just one session each the Full Throttle classes. Brandon Bernstein, Ashley Force Hood, Allen Johnson, and Andrew Hines grabbed the No. 1 spots.
Rain that delayed the start of the day's action returned after the Pro Stock cars and motorcycles ran. Leading to a two-hour delay before the resumption of qualifying at the event, which in the final race in the 17-event NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series' regular season. There are playoff berths still available in all four Full Throttle classes, and qualifying is expected to play a big role in the outcomes. Former world champ Eddie Krawiec became the sixth motorcycle rider to clinch his spot by making his first qualifying pass.
Brandon Bernstein
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Bernstein is halfway to his first No. 1 qualifying berth of the season with the Copart/Lucas Oil dragster after charting a 3.846 midway through the day's lone session. Bernstein's last No. 1 qualifying effort was in Memphis in 2008; coincidentally, Force Hood and Johnson also were the low qualifiers at that event.
"We figured we could run a good number but we sure didn't think a 3.84," said Bernstein. "It was a great run; the car left really hard but at halftrack the car it started moving toward the centerline. I tried to get it back but it didn't have enough front wing to keep it on the ground. I just barely made it to the finish line because it was going to the cones.
"This is a great race for us to come on strong. We've been right there the last four to six races and to be peaking right now is perfect, right before Indy and the countdown and then charge right on. We hope this is an indication that we're going to be up there at the top and run for the championship."
Cory McClenathan, who won this event in 1997, is the no. 2 qualifier after posting a 3.888 with his Fram dragster and defending event champ Morgan Lucas had the day's final three-second pass, a 3.927, that holds down the No. 3 position. Teammate Shawn Langdon is No. 4 at 4.058 in the Lucas Oil dragster.
The top eight is rounded out by David Grubnic (4.105), Steve Chrisman (4.151), Chris Karamesines (5.46), and Larry Dixon (4.63).
Steve Torrence holds the No. 12 spot with a 6.06.
Ashley Force Hood
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Force Hood is on the hunt for her fourth No. 1 qualifying berth of the season and after a track-record-breaking 4.102 she's well on her way with her Castrol GTX Mustang. Force Hood broke her own 4.110 record, established last year, to lead qualifying with two passes to go.
"With all of the delays, and not knowing we were going to run, there was no time for me to talk to my crew chiefs about what we were going to run," said Force Hood. "Suddenly we are going to run, and I didn't want to bother the crew chiefs to ask them. I don’t need to know what's in the tune-up; I just need to react to what the car is doing and get it A to B.
"It's always good to have a good run right away because it sets your weekend. You're not worrying about getting down the track or catching up. Now tomorrow we can push the car and do things we wouldn’t be able to do if we didn't get down the track. The team is real pumped and excited."
Force Hood's teammate, reigning world champ Robert Hight, is qualified No. 2 and picked up two bonus points on team boss and points leader John Force. Hight's 4.131 earned him the no. 2 spot and moved him to within 26 points of Force's lead as they battle for the top seed heading into the playoffs. Cruz Pedregon, celebrating sponsor Snap-on Tools' 90th anniversary with a special paint scheme, hammered out a 4.139 to take the No. 3 spot. Jeff Arend, who is fighting for his playoff life, is No. 4 with a 4.165 from the DHL Toyota.
Tim Wilkerson sits in the No. 5 spot at 4.167 and he's pursued by Del Worsham (4.171), Bob Bode (4.184), and Jack Beckman's special-edition Freightliner Dodge (4.189).
Defending event champ Tony Pedregon's Charter Communications Impala is in the No. 12 position with a 4.247.
Allen Johnson
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Johnson has his eyes set on his fifth No. 1 spot of the season with his Mopar Dodge Avenger after charting 6.702. Johnson has been the No. 2 qualifier at the last two races and is coming into the event hot off a win three weeks ago in Denver at the schedule's most recent stop.
"We made a really, really good run," said Johnson. "We took our Denver momentum and our engine combination and improving on it a little bit. We'll take that run and build on it for the next run and hopefully improve even more."
"It hurt a little bit to not be able to run the weekend after Denver but we've worked really hard the last couple of weeks to improve everything, and I think we did that. It's hard to run here [with a lot of moisture in the air] because it's a little like trying to burn water, but we have a lot of notes from running all over in these same types of conditions, so we go back to our notes to set the fuel and timing."
Reigning world champ Mike Edwards is in the No. 2 spot with the Penhall/Interstate Pontiac with a 6.705 and Johnny Gray, who is on the verge of clinching his spot in the playoffs, sits No. 3 with a 6.723. Ron Krisher fills out the top four with a 6.730.
V. Gaines has the No. 5 spot with a 67.32 and he's followed by Kurt Johnson, who is at the wheel of one of his father's Pontiacs instead of his traditional Cobalt as he chases a spot in the Countdown playoffs. Jeg Coughlin is seventh at 6.745 and Shane Gray No. 8 at 6.746.
Defending event champ Greg Anderson is in the No. 12 spot at 6.763.
Andrew Hines
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New father Hines grabbed the No. 1 spot in Pro Stock Motorcycle aboard his Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley Davidson with a 6.977, the only six-second pass in the class. If it holds, it will be the former world champ's first No. 1 spot of the year and the 27th of his career. Hines won this race in 2007 and his brother and crew chief, Matt, is a two-time winner in Brainerd.
"It was a nice, clean, straight run; that was a great start to the weekend," said Hines, whose last No. 1 qualifying effort was more than a year ago, in Norwalk. "We've done a lot of work over the last couple of weeks and completely tore apart every engine we have, so we have a couple of different combinations we can try this weekend.
"We've got a couple of things up our sleeves and think we can go faster. We're not really trying to optimize our deal for this weather because we've seen Sunday's [predicted] weather so we're messing with the setup that we think will work on Sunday. The gearing wasn't optimal on that run, but it will be for Sunday. We're going to let the weather come to us."
Behind Hines is 2008 event winner Matt Smith aboard the Al-Anabi Buell with a 7.002. Behind him is the defending event and world champ, Lucas Oil-sponsored Hector Arana, who charted a 7.005. Krawiec is the No. 4 qualifier at 7.032.
LE Tonglet (7.046), Michael Phillips (7.070), Angie Smith (7.072), and two-time Brainerd champ Craig Treble (7.104) round out the top eight.
James Surber holds down the No. 12 spot with a 7.194, the final time that was will transfer to Saturday's action.