NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The second and final day of qualifying for the at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. Fields will be set on what is sure to be another thrilling day of action at the third of six Countdown to the Championship events.

Top Fuel

No one swept up big in terms of bonus points on Friday, with those valuable baby points spreading over six well-tuned drivers. Incoming points leader Doug Kalitta and his Mac Tools dragster ended last night in the top spot for three, and it was “Big Speed” Brittany Force with a great elapsed time in the earlier session for three bonus points as well — she went 3.709 at an enormous 340.47, a World Wide Technology Raceway track record for speed and her 11th 340+ mph pass.

Antron Brown (with a massive 337 mph pass) and Clay Millican each got two as second-best, and hometown hero T.J. Zizzo dazzled with a career best 336 that was accompanied by a bonus point in the early round.

The conditions on Saturday won’t likely match what was seen last night, and it is quite possible that Kalitta will remain the No. 1 qualifier. At present, Kalitta leads with Brown not far behind in the No. 2 position, Tony Stewart third, Reading winner Shawn Reed fourth, and Brittany Force fifth.

Kyle Wurtzel had a spectactular showing and bumped up to No. 6 on a career-best 3.711. It will be interesting to see what he has in the can today as he sits surrounded by the best of the best. Clay Millican is just below in the No. 7 spot, with Zizzo rounding out the top eight.

Defending event champ Tony Schumacher is 10th, and championship contender Shawn Langdon, No. 3 entering the event, is on the bump and undoubtedly itching to get back up there and make amends with haste. Justin Ashley, No. 2 after his Charlotte win, is a surprising 12th. With 16 cars on site, there won’t be an odd man out.

Funny Car

Austin Prock scored the provisional pole and the Rawlings Top Hitter Bat on Friday night, along with five total bonus points. Racing not far from home, Daniel Wilkerson and his SCAG Ford was best of the lot in the first round of qualfiying and third-best in the second go-round to four points. Matt Hagan picked up a pair of points, and Jack Beckman scored one, too.

The gentlemen who sit No. 1 and No. 2 in the points, Prock and Hagan, are also paused at No. 1 and No. 2 in the qualifying order heading into Saturday. No. 3 Capps and No. 4 Beckman — also the defending event champion — are both, surprisingly, in the bottom half of the field entering day two at World Wide Technology Raceway.

The top eight in qualifying right now includes Wilkerson in the No. 3 position, Bob Tasca III fourth, Chad Green fifth, Alexis DeJoria sixth, and Cruz Pedregon — who went boom big last night — No. 7. Spencer Hyde closes out the quick eight, and Bobby Body is on the bump.

Pro Stock

For the first time in his Pro Stock career, Eric Latino looks to be in prime position to seal the deal on the pole and claim the GESi No. 1 qualifier bonus award. KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn, though, seized the opportunity to pad his points lead a bit with four extra marks as second-quickest in both of Friday’s sessions. He’s the defending the event champion as well.

Meanwhile, the man nipping at Glenn’s heels — reigning and six-time world champion Greg Anderson — struggled in the early session and then didn’t make the run he was hoping for in the later round. He’s No. 7 heading into Saturday.

Cory Reed was best in the earlier round for three extra marks, and last night he was third-best for one bonus mark. Although Matt Hartford didn’t get any extra points, he made a run strong enough to settle him into fourth in the line-up. He’s also fourth in the Pro Stock points.

Six-time champ and six-time St. Louis winner Erica Enders, along with Elite Motorsports teammate Aaron Stanfield, powered their JHG Chevrolets to the fifth and sixth positions, respectively. Rookie of the Year contender Cody Coughlin is eighth, with Matt Latino — the provisional low qualifier’s son — on the bump. If the order doesn’t change today, it will be father-and-son in the opening round of eliminations.

Kenny Delco, Stephen Bell, Chris McGaha, and Deric Kramer will all be looking to break into the field.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

Defending event champion and back-to-back world champion Gaige Herrera rode his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki to the top spot in the later session for a trio of bonus points to add to the two he picked up in the first round of qualifying. Those points are critical as incoming points leader Richard Gadson isn’t giving  much room and Herrera is currently No. 4 in the points (71 points back from the leader). Gadson scored three extra marks in the first round and one in the last run of the day.

Matt Smith and his DENSO V-Twin were just eight points behind the top man in the Pro Stock Motorcycle standings. He has so far gained a bonus point, and Brayden Davis has scored two.

Heading into the final day of qualifying for the NAPA Auto Parts Midwest Nationals, Herrera is at the top with Vance & Hines teammates Gadson and Davis just behind in the No. 2 and No. 3 positions, respectively. Matt Smith is No. 4 with teammates Angie Smith and John Hall just behind in the No. 5 and No. 6 positions. Hall came here No. 3 in the points, 66 marks back, while Angie Smith was fifth and 111 points out of the lead.

Kelly Clontz, racing with ArchKey Solutions on her Vance & Hines Gen 3 Suzuki, made a great pass to move into the No. 7 spot in the qualifying order, while Jianna Evaristo, No. 6 in the points, is No. 8 aboard her JHG V-Twin.

2024 EVENT WINNERS: Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel; Jack Beckman, Funny Car; Dallas Glenn, Pro Stock; Gaige Herrera, Pro Stock Motorcycle

MOST VICTORIES: Antron Brown, 5, TF; Ron Capps, 4, FC; Erica Enders, 6, PS; Matt Smith, 5, PSM.

TRACK RECORDS
Top Fuel - 3.631 sec. by Clay Millican, Sept. ’17; 338.43 mph by Brittany Force, Oct. ‘22
Funny Car – 3.814 sec. by Austin Prock, Sept. ’24; 338.60 mph by Robert Hight, Sept. ‘17
Pro Stock – 6.492 sec. by Greg Anderson Sept. ’15; 213.47 mph by Jason Line, Sept. ’12
Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.701 sec. by Gaige Herrera, Sept. ’23; 203.40 mph by Matt Smith, Sept.  ‘23

SCHEDULE (All times Central)

SATURDAY, Sept. 27
LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations 8 a.m.
NHRA MISSION FOODS SERIES qualifying 12:15 p.m. and 3 p.m.

SUNDAY, Sept. 28
LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations 9 a.m. Pre-race ceremonies and Seal Master track walk 9:45 a.m.
NHRA MISSION FOODS SERIES eliminations 11 a.m.

TELEVISION
Sunday, Sept. 28, FS1 will televise one and one-half hours of qualifying coverage beginning 1:30 p.m. (ET)
Sunday, Sept. 28, FS1 will televise three hours of finals coverage beginning 3 p.m. (ET)