News, notes, quotes, and photos from the opening day of Pro qualifying at the Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway. Updated throughout the day.

Schedule update: As a result of yesterday’s high winds, the second round of Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying was not contested. There will be three qualifying runs today and they are scheduled for noon, 3:45 p.m. and the final run scheduled at the completion of the day’s activities.

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After two rounds of qualifying in the Congruity Pro Mod Series, there is already a five-second bump spot and Dwayne Wolfe is the low qualifier with a 5.758 in his supercharged Camaro. Ken Quartuccio is on the bump at 5.942 seconds while Justin Bond, reigning champ Jordan Lazic, and Mike Janis are not currently in the field.

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The FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown is also in action this week with a schedule that also includes the final eliminaitons from the rain delayed Gainesville event. Lee Hartman was Friday's leader with a 7.754 in his Dodge. The Factory Stock class was limited to just on run on Friday due to the high winds. On Saturday morning, Taylor Dietsch took advantage of the improved conditions to take over the pole position with a 7.682 from his Cobra Jet Mustang but Hartman came right back with a 7.642 to retake the lead. The current bump is a much more competitive 7.917 by Dave Davies in his Drag Pak Challenger.

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TOP FUEL Q3

As expected, performances improved dramatically as temperatures turned cooler on Saturday. It didn’t take long for the lead to change in Top Fuel as Shawn Reed and Dan Mercier kicked off the session with runs of 3.720 and 3.778, respectively.

From there, the floodgates opened with a string of very competitive runs. Spencer Massey, in Krista Baldwin’s car, and TJ Zizzo, followed with runs of 3.776 and 3.784.

Clay Millican, whose average elapsed time for the year is in the three-second zone, improved his average with a very strong 3.743.

The lead changed hands again when Steve Torrence powered to a 3.715 while Josh Hart also moved into the top half of the field with a 3.735. Torrence was one of several drivers who took part in a mid-week test session in Indianapolis last Tuesday.

Late in the session, Doug Kalitta lowered the boom with a track record 3.661 at 335.23 mph to retake the top spot. Kalitta ran over 298-mph to half track.

MISSION #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE

Las Vegas winner Tony Stewart made the quickest run of his career with a 3.679 and he needed nearly all of it as opponent Antron Brown posted a 3.691 in the other lane. Stewart’s Rinnai dragster crossed the finish line ahead of Brown by just .005-second.

Stewart will race against Shawn Langdon in the final round and have lane choice after Langdon topped Justin Ashley in a fantastic 3.687 to 3.697 battle. The margin of victory was just .003-second and Ashley re-set the track speed record at 337.50.

FUNNY CAR Q3

Fittingly, the Funny Car class followed suit with dramatically improved performances thanks to cool and slightly overcast weather conditions, although some teams still struggled to make full runs.

Spencer Hyde was the first Funny Car driver out and rolled to a 3.945 at just 302 mph. Hyde, who has to be among the frontrunners for the Rookie of the Year award, shut off early when his Head Contractors entry made a move towards the retaining wall.

A short time later, Paul Lee took over the top spot at 3.901 in his McLeod clutches Dodge.

The most dramatic moment of the session came when Cruz Pedregon had an explosion that damaged his Snap on Movers and Fixers body. Pedregon was side-by-side with Chad Green, who drove to a 3.934.

The top spot changed hands again when Jack Beckman put up a 3.859, the first 3.8-second run of the weekend. Beckman was paired with Bob Tasca III, who solidified his spot in the field with a 3.909.

MISSION #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE

The Funny Car final round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge will feature Ron Capps and Matt  Hagan.

Capps made a great run with a 3.895  to take out Austin Prock, who lit the tires at half track. Prock will go into the final session as the No. 15 qualifier.

“We expect to win, but that’s a Sunday afternoon final round match-up right there,” said Capps.

Hagan will have lane choice thanks to a his 3.886 run that was enough to beat Alexis DeJoria, who shut off early.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE Q2

The crosswind that cost the Pro Stock Motorcycle teams their second run yesterday turned into a tailwind that actually helped the two-wheel teams better their performances.

Ryan Oehler gave the first indication of things to come when he rode his El Bandito Yankee Tequila Buell to a 6.837 that is among the best runs of his career.

Kelly Clontz quickly bested Oehler with a 6.794 on her Suzuki while Marc Ingwersen also made a quick run with a 6.821on his Buell V-twin.
 
Angie Smith, Friday’s leader, was not able to improve with a 6.821, but she did make the first 200-mph run of the weekend at 201.04 while Chase Van Sant cruised to a competitive 6.870.

MISSION FOODS #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE

Gaige Herrera had little trouble taking out Steve Johnson in the first pair, but he also clocked the best run of the event with a 6.717, 202.33 on his RevZilla/Vance & Hines Suzuki.

“We have a stout tailwind here but this is all Andrew [Hines, crew chief] and Vance & Hines power,” said Herrera.

Herrera will be paired against his rival Matt Smith in the final. Smith is far from an underdog after a 6.727 in his win over Richard Gadson’s 6.746. Smith not only cut a .009 light to help assure the win, but he also re-set the track speed record at 204.26 mph.

TOP FUEL Q4

Facing a soft 5.22-second bump spot, Lex Joon opened the final Top Fuel session with a 4.09 to work his way into the field. Joon’s dragster appeared to torch a head-gasket downtrack, but he managed to make the show, for now.

Will Smith smoked the tires in Luigi Novelli’s car and he could only watch as Terry Totten ran a 4.003 to bump him from the show. That seals the field with Joon on the bump at 4.09.

Dan Mercier continued his string of solid performances with a 3.755. Mercier also ran a career-best speed of 334.24 mph. Ironically, that was the first run that Mercier has made without the no optional air deflectors.

The track speed record fell again when Antron Brown posted a 338.09 mph run in his Matco Tools dragster. Brown also ran 3.697.

Doug Kalitta was not able to improve upon his earlier 3.66, but he didn’t need to.  Kalitta remains the low qualifier and his 3.716, 335.40 in the final session provides a solid baseline for Sunday’s final eliminations.

MISSION FOODS #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE

The final of the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge was competitive until half track when Tony Stewart smoked the tires and slowed, sending Shawn Langdon on to the victory with a 3.704. Langdon, the incoming points leader, also won the most recent NHRA event in Charlotte. The Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel team is undefeated in Mission bonus events this season.

FUNNY CAR Q4

Several drivers made significant improvements in Q4 including Bobby Bode, who powered to a 3.95 in his ArBee entry to set the tone for a solid showing on Sunday.

J.R. Todd made what was perhaps the most impressive run of the session when he ran 3.884 at 336.40 mph, providing a sure indication that new crew chief Dickie Venables has made significant progress.

Paul Lee and Bob Tasca III also ventured into the 3.8s with runs of 3.86 and 3.88 respectively.

Jack Beckman was unable to make a run, but his earlier 3.859 held on for the top spot in qualifying.

MISSION FOODS #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE

Matt Hagan scored a close wire-to-wire win over Ron Capps in the final of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in a competitive 3.880 to 3.889 battle.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE Q4

There were several stout runs in the third Pro Stock Motorcycle session including a very impressive 6.796 by home state favorite Ryan Oehler.

Richard Gadson also made sizable improvement with a 6.734 on the RevZilla/Vance & Hines Suzuki while Marc Ingewersen continued his string of solid runs with a 6.813.

MISSION FOODS #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE

Gaige Herrera notched another win in the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge when he took out Matt Smith in the final round. The battle was over early as Smith shut off and could only watch at Herrera made the quickest run of the event thus far with a 6.722.

PEAK STREET CAR SHOOTOUT

The third annual PEAK Street Car Shootout was once again a popular addition to the Route 66 event and on Saturday afternoon, Tom Bailey stole the show when he wheeled his street legal "Sick 2.0" Camaro to a 5.793 second run at 263.51 mph. The run was the second quickest of Bailey's career and his fastest speed by a considerable margin. The 263 mph top speed is also the fastest speed for any full-bodied car at any NHRA national event.