DSR strong, consistent heading to Sunday’s eliminations at Brainerd with Pritchett, Papa John’s leading the way with sixth pole of year

BRAINERD, MN – With a record-setting night in their rearview mirror at Brainerd International Raceway, NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series teams focused Saturday on preparing for Sunday’s championship eliminations and none were more consistent than Don Schumacher Racing’s Matt Hagan, Tommy Johnson Jr. and Jack Beckman.

Performances slowed when the track warmed Saturday by about 20 degrees to 115 degrees under sunny skies, which are conditions expected on Sunday.

Johnson with Doug and Terry Chandler’s Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T Powered by Pennzoil led by crew chief John Collins and assistant Rip Reynolds were quickest in Saturday’s opening session and second best on the fourth and final run to be seeded No. 5 for eliminations scheduled to start at 11 a.m. (CDT).

“We’ve had a great racecar all summer but just haven’t been able to close the deal on Sunday,” said Johnson, who has advanced to three of the last four championship rounds but hasn’t left with a trophy since the fourth race of the year in April at Las Vegas. “We have to go rounds on Sunday and four win lights would be OK with us.”

Hagan and the Pennzoil/Mopar Dodge with crew chief Dickie Venables with assistant Michael Knudsen were very quick and consistent over four qualifying attempts and among the quickest Saturday after earning the No. 2 position Friday night with a time of 3.807 seconds, which is the fourth quickest ever in a Funny Car.

“We’ve had four good runs so far and almost set a national record, but didn’t, so it doesn’t really matter,” said Hagan, who is second in the standings but only eight ahead of Robert Hight of John Force Racing who took his world record Friday. “At the end of the day, the national records, after we’ve set so many, it’s just an ‘atta boy,’ people remember championships and race wins and that’s what we need to focus on and get this car dialed in for the next couple of races.”

Beckman and the Chandlers’ Infinite Hero Dodge with crew chiefs Dean Antonelli, John Medlen and Neal Strausbaugh will start from the No. 6 spot after posting solid runs on their last three efforts.

Points leader Ron Capps and the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge with crew chief Rahn Tobler and assistant Eric Lane are qualified No. 8 in the 500th event of Capps’ career.

In Top Fuel, DSR’s Leah Pritchett and the Papa John’s Pizza dragster team led by crew chief Todd Okuhara and assistant Joe Barlam held on to earn their sixth No. 1 qualifying position in 17 events this year and third in the last four races with their world-record run Friday night of 3.640 seconds after her career-best speed of 331.53 to open qualifying.

“Brainerd is the epitome of ‘throw-down central’ so that’s what we did last night,” Pritchett said. “But today was really about getting ready for tomorrow. Obviously, our national record, delivered us, blessed us with a green hat and extra points. So it’s like we threw down last night and today was just about race day. Tomorrow is going to be as close to this as possible.”

DSR’s eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher, who will go for the 800th round win of his career in the first round of eliminations, debuted an all-new DSR U.S. Army dragster and produced an impressive No. 4 qualifying performance.

The Army team led by crew chief Mike Green and assistant Phil Shuler closed qualifying with a time of 3.779 (325.22 mph) that was second best in the session and Schumacher’s best pass since May.

“It was a great run to finish the day,” said Schumacher, who’s chasing his fourth career Brainerd event title this weekend. “That new car of ours just ran second-low and there’s all kinds of room in it. The new car is great.

“That run was in conditions we’ll be facing tomorrow. We weren’t low for the session, but we were awfully close. I’m not going to talk about what’s different and new about this car, but safe to say that new iron wins races and we certainly hope that’s going to be the case here tomorrow.”

DSR’s Top Fuel points leader Antron Brown and the Matco Tools team with crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald are seeded eighth.