Spencer Massey stayed atop the Top Fuel speed charts in Saturday qualifying for the Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. Photo by Rhonda McCole
Spencer Massey, Del Worsham and Mike Edwards topped the speed charts to claim no. 1 qualifier positions in record-setting qualifying sessions for Sunday’s NHRA Mellow Yellow Drag Racing Series Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, TN.
Sunny skies and cooler temperatures over the facility nestled high in the Blue Ridge Mountains during Friday led to very favorable tracks conditions as records fell across the board, with new speed and ET records being set in all three major divisions. By Saturday, the temperatures during the afternoon sessions were significantly higher, and much of the top five in all three divisions remained unchanged
Massey earned his first no. 1 qualifier of the season and seventh of his career after setting the fast time in the Top Fuel bracket with a record-breaking pass of 3.775 seconds at 326.79 mph in Friday’s session, easily eclipsing both track records – 3.796 set by Shawn Langdon, and 324.98 mph by Massey himself – set during this same event last year.
“I definitely like that feeling of having the No. 1 spot,” Massey said. “It’s always a plus. I’ve never actually won from the No. 1 spot. It’s something that seems like it’s really tough to do. Sometimes when you qualify No. 1, it’s like there’s a target on your back. If you win out of the No. 1 spot, it would make it that much more special. I’d love to do it here.”
Steve Torrence was second, going 3.779 at 324.51, followed by Clay Millican (3.787/326.48), David Grubnic (3.792/321.12) and Tony Schumacher (3.795/325.77)
Terry McMillen, Troy Buff and Pat Dakin failed to qualify for a spot in Sunday’s field. Doug Herbert qualified 16th and will going to the opening round against Massey.
Del Worsham topped the Funny Car division to collect his first top qualifier of the season and 13th of his career, turning in a run of 4.008 seconds at 314.83 mph on Friday that was enough to break the track ET record of 4.047 set by Robert Hight in June of 2011.
“That run last night was awful special and the entire team has been going above and beyond here lately,” Worsham said. “The track was just hot today and the chances of running that good were pretty slim. We tried some things out there today. We’ll be ready for tomorrow.”
Jack Beckman took the second spot with a run of 4.012 at 317.05 mph to break the track speed record of 316.45 mph set by Hight. Matt Hagan (4.049/317.05), Tim Wilkerson (4.061/315.56) and Ron Capps (4.066/310.84) rounded out the top five qualifiers.
After watching both his record fall, Hight was fortunate just to make the field, claiming the bump spot to face Worsham in the opening round of Sunday’s eliminations.
It was a familiar theme in Pro Stock, as Mike Edwards secured his ninth top qualifier in the past ten races, breaking his own track ET record as well as the track speed record in the process, going 6.632 at 208.23 mph for his fourth straight pole and 50th of his NHRA career.
Edwards, who has won the last four Bristol events, was the quickest qualifier in three of the four rounds of qualifying, but was unable to improve on his record-setting run from Friday, which bested the previous ET record of 6.633 and track speed record of 207.94 mph by Greg Anderson, both set in May of 2009.
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“I love coming to this track and racing here,” said Edwards, who will meet JR Carr in the opening round. “It has been good to us over the years. It’s great to be running good here again. If we could get five in a row at this place, that’s phenomenal for me. We are just going to take it like we have been doing all year long. You never know. We feel like we have as good a chance as anybody.”
Allen Johnson was second with a quick pass of 6.645 at 207.85 mph, followed by Erica Enders-Stevens (6.651/207.11), Shane Gray (6.654/207.62) and Jason Line (6.661/206.95)
Missing the field were John Gaydosh, Jr., Kurt Johnson and Warren Johnson
NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series
Bristol Dragway – Bristol, TN
Thunder Valley Nationals – June 15, 2013
Sunday’s first-round pairings
Top Fuel — 1. Spencer Massey, 3.775 seconds, 326.79 mph vs. 16. Doug Herbert, 5.145, 289.57; 2. Steve Torrence, 3.779, 324.51 vs. 15. Leah Pruett, 4.744, 161.48; 3. Clay Millican, 3.787, 326.48 vs. 14. Chris Karamesines, 4.033, 293.54; 4. David Grubnic, 3.792, 321.12 vs. 13. Morgan Lucas, 3.864, 317.57; 5. Tony Schumacher, 3.795, 325.77 vs. 12. Antron Brown, 3.838, 317.05; 6. Khalid alBalooshi, 3.824, 324.20 vs. 11. Doug Kalitta, 3.837, 317.72; 7. Shawn Langdon, 3.826, 303.71 vs. 10. Bob Vandergriff, 3.836, 321.04; 8. Brittany Force, 3.828, 319.98 vs. 9. J.R. Todd, 3.835, 318.47.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Terry McMillen, 5.794, 307.16; 18. Troy Buff, 6.800, 300.60; 19. Pat Dakin, 6.993, 302.21.
Funny Car — 1. Del Worsham, Toyota Camry, 4.008, 314.83 vs. 16. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 6.849, 294.37; 2. Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 4.012, 317.05 vs. 15. Blake Alexander, Charger, 6.150, 288.09; 3. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.049, 317.05 vs. 14. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.414, 293.79; 4. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.061, 315.56 vs. 13. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.177, 295.40; 5. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.066, 310.84 vs. 12. Chad Head, Camry, 4.136, 301.54; 6. John Force, Mustang, 4.071, 307.93 vs. 11. Courtney Force, Mustang, 4.129, 309.56; 7. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.082, 310.70 vs. 10. Johnny Gray, Charger, 4.127, 298.73; 8. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.096, 312.42 vs. 9. Jeff Arend, Charger, 4.109, 302.69.
Pro Stock — 1. Mike Edwards, Chevy Camaro, 6.632, 208.23 vs. 16. JR Carr, Ford Mustang, 6.798, 205.16; 2. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger, 6.645, 207.85 vs. 15. Lewis Worden, Mustang, 6.754, 204.32; 3. Erica Enders-Stevens, Camaro, 6.651, 207.43 vs. 14. Larry Morgan, Mustang, 6.739, 204.79; 4. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.654, 207.62 vs. 13. Steve Kent, Camaro, 6.736, 205.76; 5. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.661, 206.95 vs. 12. Vincent Nobile, Avenger, 6.700, 206.48; 6. Jeg Coughlin, Avenger, 6.661, 206.92 vs. 11. Rickie Jones, Camaro, 6.691, 206.99; 7. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.671, 206.57 vs. 10. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.689, 205.91; 8. Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.680, 207.05 vs. 9. V. Gaines, Avenger, 6.686, 206.51.
Did Not Qualify: 17. John Gaydosh Jr, 6.978, 198.23; 18. Kurt Johnson, 7.359, 200.77; 19. Warren Johnson, 10.531, 201.31.
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