Kalitta, DeJoria Lead Toyota In Qualifying for NHRA Finals

LAS VEGAS, NV – Doug Kalitta placed third in Top Fuel, while Alexis DeJoria did the same in Funny Car to lead Toyota in qualifying for Sunday’s NHRA Finals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Kalitta kept his championship hopes alive with a 3.746-second pass in the final qualifying session to place third and earned two bonus points in the process. He takes on Justin Ashley in Sunday’s eliminations. Kalitta enters tomorrow’s event likely needing a win to have a shot to take home his first Top Fuel title.

Right behind Kalitta was Antron Brown in fourth and Shawn Langdon in fifth as Toyota drivers captured three of the top five qualifying positions in Top Fuel.

Brown placed in the top four in each of the day’s two qualifiers. He was third in the opening session and fourth in the later run with a 3.762. He squares off with Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tony Schumacher in an all-Toyota opening round. Schumacher, who qualified 11th, won the most recent NHRA event in Houston last weekend.

Langdon, this year’s U.S. Nationals winner, ran a 3.775-second pass to place fifth.  His first-round opponent on Sunday will be Clay Millican.

In Funny Car, DeJoria ran the second-quickest pass of Saturday’s second session with a 3.915 at 322.42 mph to earn three bonus points on the way placing third overall. The ROKiT Toyota Camry driver closed out the season by qualifying in the top five in five consecutive races, the longest current streak by any Funny Car driver. She will face Chris Morel in the first round of eliminations.

After struggling in round one, J.R. Todd bounced back with a strong 3.975 in qualifying ninth overall. He will race Tim Wilkerson on Sunday.

Today’s NHRA qualifying can be seen Sunday on FS1 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m., with Camping World Drag Racing Series eliminations to be televised immediately afterward on FS1 beginning at 4:00 p.m. (ET).

Toyota NHRA Finals Qualifying

Top Fuel- Qualified/1st Round Opponent – Quick Time/MPH (Bonus Points)

Doug Kalitta – 3rd/Ashley – 3.746/327.74 (2)

Antron Brown – 4th/Schumacher – 3.762 /322.81 (3)

Shawn Langdon – 5th/Millican – 3.775/319.90

Tony Schumacher – 11th/Brown – 5.249/112.24

Funny Car – Qualified/1st Round Opponent – Quick Time/MPH (Bonus Points)

Alexis DeJoria – 3rd/Morel – 3.915/322.42 (3)

J.R. Todd – 9th/Wilkerson – 3.975/326.24

Alex Miladinovich – DNQ – 5.440/140.08