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U.S. Army NHRA Racing 27th Annual NHRA Kansas Nationals Friday Qualifying Report

The U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster duo of Tony “The Sarge” Schumacher and Antron Brown picked up right where us armythey left off a week ago with two of the top runs in Friday’s opening qualifying sessions for this weekend’s 27th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka.

Schumacher’s best effort of the day in his U.S. Army Dragster for Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) came in today’s opening session, a run of 3.748 seconds at a reported speed of 304.32 mph. Team data calculated the actual speed at 326 mph as track timing equipment experienced problems reporting accurate speeds throughout the opening two sessions. “The Sarge” followed up his opening effort with a nighttime run of 3.815 seconds at 317.49 mph. The opening lap was second-best in the session and ended up third-best for the day.

“We got off to a strong start, which shows this U.S. Army team showed up ready this Memorial Day weekend,” said Schumacher, a two-time event winner at Heartland Park. “That opening run was just what the doctor ordered and, to be totally honest, with the conditions being as good as they turned out to be heading into the night session, it’s natural to get really, really excited about the prospects of making history in the second round. I was hoping for a 69 (3.69-second run) or tire smoke. It turned out to be neither. Like I said, when you have a great, solid run in the first round, you get excited about going for it the second round. We’ll take a look at what part didn’t quite do it’s job in the engine, or what went on with the combination we put out there, but it was what it was. Obviously, we know what we can do after that really solid first-round run. Hopefully, Mother Nature cooperates the rest of the weekend and we’ll see some really fast laps before it’s all over. It’s Memorial Day weekend and this U.S. Army team wants to really put on a show here.”

Brown and the Matco Tools/U.S. Army Dragster for DSR, who opened with a run of 3.767 seconds at 314.68 mph that was fourth-fastest in the session, came back with a track-record run of 3.727 seconds at 313.37 mph to leapfrog to the top spot for the day. It was the fifth time in the last six qualifying sessions Brown clocked the fastest lap, dating back to four consecutive fastest qualifying laps last weekend at Atlanta Dragway. Brown rolled Sunday to the Atlanta event title to become only the second multiple event winner in Top Fuel this season.

“The track is buttery smooth and the traction was there, so we could go out there and run some incredible (elapsed times),” said Brown, who has won the pole three times at Topeka but has never advanced to a championship round in seven previous Top Fuel events at the track. “The weather held up for us, so we could put on a really good show for the fans. This is the racing we like to do when we run at nighttime and run side-by-side. It feels really good and an honor to be on this Matco Tools/U.S. Army team. I can’t thank the Lord enough for everyone who is involved with this team who made this happen.”

Top Fuel qualifying continues Saturday with third- and fourth-round sessions set for 3 and 5:30 p.m. EDT. ESPN2’s qualifying coverage is set for a live broadcast beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday. Elimination rounds begin at noon Sunday with ESPN2’s three hours of delayed coverage set for 10 p.m.

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