NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

PRO STOCK Q1

The temperature is a comfortable 79 degrees under cloudless skies as Pro qualifying kicks off with Pro Stock, and with local hero Dallas Glenn, who grew up just miles away from Pacific Raceways, grabbing the No. 1 spot with the RAD Torque Systems Camaro, gapping the field with a 6.541, more than two-hundredths better than Sonoma winner Greg Stanfield's 6.562. Glenn set the track record under last year's great conditions with a 6.446 that remains the second quickest run in class history.

Matt Latino, hot off a good showing last weekend in Seattle, sits third with a 6.565 while his father, Eric, rounds out the top eight with a 6.585. Between them are Cody Anderson (6.574), Aaron Stanfield (6.576), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (6.578), and Matt Hartford (6.585).

Greg Anderson, a three-time winner here but without a Northwest win since 2010, is a disappointing 11th with a 6.631. 

Erica Enders, who has won this event just once, way back in 2012 — it was actually just the second of her 49 career Pro Stock wins — was shut off on the starting line with a water leak. There are 17 cars here this weekend, meaning one will sit out, and right now that's Enders.

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FUNNY CAR Q1

Four Funny Cars busted into the three-second zone on a track that seemed a little tricky for them, but none were quicker than Cruz Pedregon, whose 3.926 was more than a half-tenth quicker than "Fast Jack" Beckman's second-ranked 3.982. Pedregon, whose 44 career wins do not include a Wally in Seattle (twice a runner-up to John Force, with the latest a long 22 years ago), has 65 career No. 1 spots, his most recent coming about a year ago in Norwalk.

Two-time and reigning world champ Austin Prock and Co. definitely seem to have their mojo back with a 3.988 for third, with Blake Alexander fourth at 3.997.

Sonoma runner-up Daniel Wilkerson (4.001), Chad Green (4.016, rocking the colors of local business Rottler), Matt Hagan (4.026), and Paul Lee (4.074) hold down the remainder of the top half of the field.

Meanwhile, the heartbreak continues for Dave Richards, who had to be shut off on the starting line in round one last weekend in Sonoma with shifter issues and now cannot get the Bluebird Turf entry back into forward after backing up from his burnout. Fortunately for him, there are just 16 Funny Cars on the grounds, so he'll make the field.

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TOP FUEL Q1

Points leader Shawn Langdon ended the opening session in the No. 1 spot with a 3.823, but it was another Shawn -- Shawn Reed -- who highlighted the session, making his first run down the Pacific Raceways dragstrip since his terrifying accident last year. Reed and crew chief Rob Wendland didn't hold back, running a 3.837 that currently has them second.

 "I haven't really thought about this place until like a week ago," said Reed, his voice breaking with emotion. "It's my home track, my friends are here, some employees are here. You know, it's just it's pretty dang weird, tell you the truth. It's been pretty emotional for me, but we're here."

The wife and husband duo of Leah Pruett and Tony Stewart hold down the No. 3 and 4 spots at 3.841 and 3.847, respectively, with Antron Brown sitting fifth at 3.871, and Justin Ashley (3.882), Will Smith (3.893), and Clay Millican (4.069) holding down the remainder of the top half of the field.

Two-time world champ Doug Kalitta didn't make it down the track under power and sits 13th, while neither Jasmine Salinas, the runner-up last weekend in Sonoma, and Krista Baldwin, who will be wheeling local racer Ron Smith's entry, made a pass in Q1.

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PRO STOCK Q2

The air temp crept up to the mid-80s and the track temp is very toasty because there's still not a cloud in the sky, but the second swings were way better than the first as almost the entire field picked up performance, anywhere from one- to three-hundredths.

Cody Anderson picked up almost four-hun, from 6.574 to 6.536, to temporarily jump to the No. 1 spot, while his dad, six-time world champ Greg, picked up eight from a troubled 6.631 to a 6.551, but it only moved him to No. 4. Q1 leader Dallas Glenn, of course, also improved and jumped back around Cody and back into the No. 1 spot with a 6.527.

Sonoma champ Greg Stanfield continued his hot streak, grabbing the final session bonus point with a third-best 6.539 after picking up more than two-hundredths from Q1.

Erica Enders, who was shut off on the starting line with a small water leak in Q1, made an off-pace 8.14 pass in Q2 and remained in the No. 17 spot.

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FUNNY CAR Q2

Local jeweler Ben Bridge again has put up some high-quality Oris timepieces for today's nitro sessions. The drivers with the best runs in Top Fuel and Funny Car (for this session, not the day's overall low qualifier, though they could be one and the same) and a lucky fan attached to each will get a big reward at the end of the night.

Alexis DeJoria, who won the 2011 NHRA Northwest Nationals while competing in Top Alcohol Funny Car, had the best run with a 3.955 that she ran early in the session, then had to hang on while everyone else took shots at her target. Austin Prock got closest with  3.960, but Jack Beckman (3.975), Chad Green (3.977), Matt Hagan (3.988), and Paul Lee (3.996) all also ran in the threes.

"We know we're the last car on the JFR crew that hasn't won a race yet this year," she said, "but we've been to a couple finals, and man, we dig hard. The watch is gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous.  These kind of Friday programs give everybody an extra incentive, and it's exciting for those fans as well. We want the Wallys and it's incredible, but anytime that you get something new and different, how would you like it?"

Cruz Pedregon could manage just a 4.04, but he remained the day's low qualifier with his Q1 3.926.

Sonoma winner Jordan Vandergriff had hoped for a better start to this weekend, as his best after two passes is just 4.495. Ditto for Norwalk winner and points leader Ron Capps, whose best pass is just 4.20 for the No. 14 spot, one place ahead of Vandergriff.