Kalitta, Todd Lead Toyota in E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals Qualifying

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Doug Kalittta qualified second in Top Fuel, while J.R Todd drove his Camry to fourth in Funny Car to lead Toyota into Sunday’s E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway.

Kalitta placed third in Saturday’s opening session and then jumped to second on what would turn out to be the final Top Fuel pass of the day as heavy rain began to fall just after he completed his pass. Overall, he would earn three bonus points on the day.

“It was raining up until we started the car,” said Kalitta, the current Top Fuel point leader and winner of the most recent event at Lucas Oil Raceway. “Then we staged and I thought ‘we have got this’ because there was no rain on the windshield. It was a great run. The car stayed hooked up. I knew it was a good run and then no sooner than we got around the corner it started raining. Hats off to the Mac Tools Toyota guys because they made it happen. With the first round at 9 a.m., It will definitely be cooler and I’m sure my boys will have something for them.”

Todd, a two-time Funny Car winner in Indianapolis, ran the third quickest in round one before slipping one spot in the final session to place fourth.  Just one position behind Todd was fellow Toyota Camry Funny Car pilot Alexis DeJoria, who registered third quick time in round two.

Tony Schumacher, returned to the seat of a Top Fuel car for the first time since November 2018 and responded by registering the second-quickest time of the opening session. He was then set to run in the final pair in Q2, only to see his final run washed out due to the rain. He qualified seventh.  Shawn Langdon placed eighth and Antron Brown qualified 14th.

Rounding out the Toyota Funny Car contingent was Alex Miladinovich in 13th and Mike McIntire in 14th.

Sunday’s race will mark the NHRA’s return to the race track after having been shut down since February’s Arizona Nationals.

Sunday’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series eliminations will be televised on FOX, with coverage scheduled to begin at noon (ET).

Toyota Indy Qualifying

Funny Car – Qualified/Opponent – Quick Time

J.R. Todd – 4th/Miladinovich –  4.056/282.95 (1)

Alexis DeJoria – 5th/Creasy – 4.083/310.48 (1)

Alex Miladinovich – 13th/Todd – 4.382/246.53

Mike McIntire – 14th/Beckman – 4.425/199.11

Top Fuel

Doug Kalitta – 2nd/Joon – 3.804/316.30

Tony Schumacher – 7th/Pruett – 3.877/292.90

Shawn Langdon – 8th/Ashley – 3.919/314.02

Antron Brown – 14th/McMillen – 4.397/185.82