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CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP) — Top Fuel season champion Tony Schumacher raced to the No. 1 qualifying position Saturday in the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.
Schumacher claimed a category-best 77th No. 1 qualifying position, powering his dragster to a track record time of 3.722 seconds at 325.61 mph during Friday's second session. He also had one of the quickest dragsters during Saturday's two sessions, posting a pair of low 3.7-second runs.
"It is great that we went down the track on all four runs and got every (qualifying bonus) point except one," Schumacher said. "It is even more impressive that the run was my career best. The car is making good quality runs down the track and it is being consistent. If we can continue to do that we've got a good chance of going out and winning some races."
Matt Hagan topped the Funny Car field, and Erica Enders-Stevens was the fastest in Pro Stock.
Hagan, the defending season champion, powered his Dodge Charger to a track-record time of 3.978 at 320.28 mph. He's coming off a victory in the season-opening event in Pomona, California.
In Pro Stock, Enders-Stevens earned her 14th career No. 1 and second of the season with her Friday best of 6.545 at 211.20 in a Chevy Camaro.
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