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Tony Schumacher raced to the No. 1 qualifying position in Top Fuel Friday at the Circle K NHRA Winternationals at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Bo Butner (Pro Stock) also were qualifying leaders in their classes at the season-opening NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event.

Eight-time world champion Schumacher was quickest in Top Fuel with a 3.722-second run at 323.66 mph in his U.S. Army dragster.

“The second run was a good run,” said Schumacher, a two-time winner of the tradition-rich Winternationals. “We got the No. 1 spot and earned a few points, and I am proud of the guys. It’s a good start. I am excited, and my crew chief [Mike Green] is excited. Everything is looking great. I’ve been blessed to drive a race car for a living. I think we’ll go faster.”

Schumacher edged Clay Millican for the top spot late in the second round of qualifying. Millican was second with a 3.746 at 324.36, and Richie Crampton sits third in his Lucas Oil dragster with a 3.748 at 322.65. Brittany Force led after the first session with a 3.753 at 319.98 in her Monster Energy dragster.

Schumacher, who posted a 3.68-second run during last weekend’s NHRA Nitro Spring Training at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park near Phoenix, had one of the quickest and most consistent cars during the four-day preseason test session. That gives him and his entire U.S. Army team a lot of good vibes going into the 2016 campaign.

“We tested last week in Phoenix and ran in the .60s,” Schumacher said. “We had different conditions there, and it’s warmer here, so we have to make adjustments. Our guys worked hard in the two-month offseason. We had to make a change. We had to change substantial stuff in our clutch. We’ve got really smart guys. We have a core group of crew chiefs that do a great job. Now we have to see if it will carry over in all three [DSR Top Fuel] teams.”

Hight powered his Auto Club Chevy Camaro to a performance of 3.942 at 322.19 to take the qualifying lead in Funny Car. Hight, a three-time Winternationals winner, was pleased with the effort right off the trailer.

“If you don’t get down the track on the first run, you are usually behind the eight ball the whole weekend,” Hight said. “The whole Funny Car ball game has changed in the last year. If you looked at Funny Car last year, this .94 I ran would’ve been a national record. As drivers, tuners, and teams, you have to adapt to that. You see all these teams running .80s last year. We weren’t competitive with the Beckmans and Worshams. At the end of the season last year, we didn’t even have a chance to win the championship, and that’s uncharted waters for us.”

Hight and the entire John Force Racing team are riding a lot of momentum entering this weekend after a strong showing during last weekend’s testing.

“In testing last weekend in Phoenix, we showed that we are back in the game,” Hight said. “I am excited with testing, and coming in here, you know now that it’s not a fluke. We went in there and started knocking off 60-foot times. We put it all together and started running .80s. To come out here and run .94 the first run, I am really impressed by [crew chief] Mike Neff and these guys. Not a better place to do it than right here in front of my sponsor.”

Hight’s teammate Courtney Force was second in her Traxxas Camaro with a 3.945 at 322.88, and defending world champion Del Worsham was third in his DHL Toyota Camry with a 3.950 at 323.04. Jack Beckman, who won seven times and set the national record four times in a runner-up points finish last season, was fourth overall in his Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger, posting a Friday best of 3.959 at 308.07.

Butner was quickest in the new-look Pro Stock category, powering his Jim Butner Auto Chevy Camaro to a 6.606 at 209.43. This season, NHRA mandated new rules for the category, which include electronic fuel injection, 10,500-rpm rev limiters, no hood scoops, and shortened wheelie bars.

“We kinda joked in the staging lanes earlier that the guy that will win this race is someone who can start the car and stage every round,” Butner said with a smile. “Everybody will slowly get better. The guys at the shop make the best power. I’ve driven a lot of EFI cars, and just when you think you have a handle on it, it will shut off. You have to calm down and not get frustrated. These guys are the smartest guys out here, and they will figure it out.”

Butner, who is teaming with the KB Racing program, was followed in the qualifying order by his teammate Jason Line, a four-time Winternationals winner, who drove his Summit Racing Camaro to a 6.618 at 209.43. His other teammate, Greg Anderson, posted a 6.647 at 209.43 in his Summit Camaro.

“It will get a lot better and be a lot closer in the next three races,” Butner said. “I will assume we will run a high .58 or a .57. None of us have made a perfect run so far.”

Other top qualifiers in the factory hot rod category include third-place Chris McGaha, who clocked a 6.641 at 208.62 in his Harley Sammons of Odessa Camaro, and five-time world champ Jeg Coughlin Jr., who sits fourth in his Magneti Marelli/Elite/JEGS.com Dodge Dart with a 6.645 at 208.55.

Defending world champ Erica Enders is ninth in her Mopar Performance/Elite Motorsports Dart with a 6.660 at 208.68.

Qualifying continues Saturday with sessions at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Sunday’s eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m.