Hagan nails down another track record for provisional pole at Norwalk; DSR teammate Pritchett leads Top Fuelers at No. 4

NORWALK, OH – Valiant work by the NHRA Safety Safari to prepare a record-setting racing surface at Summit Motorsports Park in Northern Ohio after heavy rain to start Friday paid off for Don Schumacher Racing’s­­ Matt Hagan during opening day of the NHRA national event.

Hagan and the Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T Powered by Pennzoil team completed their first run in 3.881 seconds at a temporary track-record speed of 332.02 mph.

And it got even better for Hagan and crew chief Dickie Venables with assistant Michael Knudsen in the late night session when they went even quicker and faster to improve the time record to 3.865 and hold the provisional No. 1 spot heading to Saturday’s last two sessions. Although his speed was higher at 333.33 on his last pass, it wasn’t better than Robert Hight’s 334.65.

“These fans are awesome for staying out all day through the rain so it was even more special to give them runs like that,” said Hagan, the world record-holder for time (3.802) and speed (338.85) with a run this year Topeka.

“Dickie never surprises me,” said Hagan, a three-time winner this year and two-time world champion who is looking for his first Ohio win. “Dickie and our Mopar guys make it happen; I just hang on for the ride. I think Dickie was expecting even more on that first run.”

Tommy Johnson Jr. in Terry Chandler’s Make-A-Wish Dodge moved up to fifth with his last run of 3.925 (329.34). Points leader and reigning world champion Ron Capps and the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge, which won the event title on Sunday, is seeded 11th while Jack Beckman and Chandler’s Infinite Hero team, which won two weeks ago and was runner-up to Capps last week, is 15th. Capps also won at Norwalk a year ago.

Teammate Leah Pritchett and the Papa John’s Pizza Top Fuel dragster, which has won three times this year and is second in points, held the provisional pole with a 3.720 (322.27) on her first run.

Pritchett’s leading time after the opening session fell to No. 4 after a mechanical issue caused her parachutes to eject prematurely that aborted the run.

Three-time and reigning world champion Antron Brown and the Matco Tools dragster was best among his teammates in the night run with a time of 3.736 that places him fifth. The U.S. Army dragster with Tony Schumacher is eighth.

This weekend marks the end of the June Swing in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series that featured four races in four weekends.

DSR TOP FUEL DRAGSTERS

Provisional No. 1 qualifier: Doug Kalitta (Kalitta Motorsports) 3.709 sec., 327.43 mph

LEAH PRITCHETT, Papa John’s Pizza Top Fuel dragster
Crew chief: Todd Okuhara; Assistant: Joe Barlam
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 4
FRIDAY: 3.720 sec., 322.27 mph, (Session 1); 7.173, 85.95, (Session 2)
Best Time, Speed: 3.658 sec.-world record (2017, Phoenix); 330.23 mph (2017, Topeka)
NORWALK BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (June 18), Bristol, Tenn.: Qualified No. 3, lost in championship round to Clay Millican
A year ago at Norwalk: Qualified No. 13, lost in second round to J.R. Todd
Career at Norwalk: Wins 0; Runner-ups 0; Poles 0

ANTRON BROWN, Matco Tools/U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster
Crew chiefs: Brian Corradi, Mark Oswald; Assistant: Brad Mason
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 5
FRIDAY: 5.988 sec., 114.61 mph, (Session 1); 3.736, 332.26, (Session 2)
Best time, speed: 3.667 (2017, Phoenix); 333.16 mph (2017, Topeka)
NORWALK BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (June 18), Bristol, Tenn.: Qualified No. 7, lost in second round to Shawn Langdon
A year ago at Norwalk: Qualified No. 2, lost in second round to Shawn Langdon
Career at Norwalk: Wins 1 (2014); Runner-ups 2 (2010, 2015); Poles 0

TONY SCHUMACHER, U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster
Crew chief: Mike Green; Assistant: Phil Shuler
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 8
FRIDAY: 3.785 sec., 328.38 mph, (Session 1); 3.76, , (Session 2)
Best Time, Speed: 3.660 sec. (2017, Topeka); 332.51 mph (2016, Brainerd)
NORWALK BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (June 18), Bristol, Tenn.: Qualified No. 6, lost in first round to Scott Palmer
A year ago at Norwalk: Qualified No. 6, lost in second round to Brittany Force
Career at Norwalk: Wins 1 (2007); Runner-ups 0; Poles 0

DSR FUNNY CARS
Provisional No. 1 qualifier: Matt Hagan (Don Schumacher Racing) 3.865 sec.-track record, 333.33 mph

MATT HAGAN, Mopar Express Lane 2017 Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chief: Dickie Venables; Assistant: Michael Knudsen
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 1
FRIDAY: 3.881 sec., 332.02 mph, (Session 1); 3.865-track record, 333.33, (Session 2)
Best Time, Speed: 3.802 sec.-world record (2017,Topeka); 338.85 mph-world record (2017, Topeka)
NORWALK BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (June 18), Bristol, Tenn.: Qualified No. lost in semifinals to eventual event winner Ron Capps
A year ago at Norwalk: Qualified No. 6, lost in first round to John Force
Career at Norwalk: Wins 0; Runner-ups 0; Poles 1 (2015)

TOMMY JOHNSON JR., Terry Chandler’s Make-A-Wish 2017 Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chief: John Collins; Assistant: Rip Reynolds
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 5
FRIDAY: 8.568 sec., 82.47 mph, (Session 1); 3.925, 329.34, (Session 2)
Best Time, Speed: 3.837 sec. (Phoenix 2017); 330.80 mph (Seattle, 2016)
NORWALK BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (June 18), Bristol, Tenn.: Qualified No. 8, lost in semifinals to Jack Beckman
A year ago at Norwalk: Qualified No. 8, lost in semifinals to Courtney Force
Career at Norwalk: Wins 0; Runner-ups 0; Poles 0

RON CAPPS, NAPA AUTO PARTS 2017 Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chief: Rahn Tobler; Assistant: Eric Lane
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 11
FRIDAY: 4.420 sec., 196.64 mph, (Session 1); 4.144, 236.13, (Session 2)
Best Time, Speed: 3.839 sec. (2017, Phoenix); 333.58 mph (2017, Phoenix)
NORWALK BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (June 18), Bristol, Tenn.: Qualified No. 10, won in championship round over Jack Beckman
A year ago at Norwalk: Qualified No. 3, won in championship round over Courtney Force
Career at Norwalk: Wins 1 (2016); Runner-ups 3 (2011, 2013, 2014); Poles 0

JACK BECKMAN, Terry Chandler’s Infinite Hero Foundation 2017 Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chiefs: Dean Antonelli, John Medlen, Neal Strausbaugh
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Provisional qualifying position: No. 15
FRIDAY: 12.165 sec., 81.77 mph, (Session 1); 6.723, 103.40, (Session 2)
Best Time, Speed: 3.825 sec., (2016 Pomona 2); 334.15 mph (Seattle 2016)
NORWALK BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (June 18), Bristol, Tenn.: Qualified No. 5, lost in championship round to Ron Capps
A year ago at Norwalk: Qualified No. 5, lost in first round to Alexis DeJoria
Career at Norwalk: Wins 2 (2009, 2015); Runner-ups 0; Poles 0