Johnson leads DSR Funny Cars in Make-A-Wish Dodge, Schumacher fourth in U.S. Army dragster in Summernationals

ENGLISHTOWN, NJ – Ron Capps knew if the conditions were right on Friday night during qualifying for the 45th annual NHRA Summernationals at Englishtown, N.J., that a Funny Car would top his 3.964-second run of two years ago that had remained the quickest ever, and he believed his NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T could be the one to do it.

He was right about what near ideal conditions with temperatures in the mid-60s would produce under the lights at Old Township Raceway Park but, unfortunately, his Dodge Charger R/T was not the one to top his memorable run.

Cruz Pedregon, however, became the quickest ever with a time of 3.959 that dropped Capps to the second quickest of all time heading to Saturday’s final two qualifying sessions leading to Sunday’s championship eliminations in the ninth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

The quickest Don Schumacher Racing Funny Car in the day’s two sessions was Tommy Johnson Jr. in the Make-A-Wish Dodge led by crew chief John Collins. Johnson’s best run of 4.048 (303.71) holds the No. 7 provisional qualifying position followed by teammate Jack Beckman in the Infinite Hero Foundation/Valvoline Dodge led by crew chief Rob Flynn in eighth.

Capps is in the provisional No. 11 spot with DSR’s Matt Hagan and the Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots Dodge right behind in 12th.

In Top Fuel, seven-time world champion Tony Schumacher and the U.S. Army team led the DSR contingent with a best run of 3.784 (316.75) and is fourth followed by Antron Brown and the Matco Tools team, which is ranked fifth. The Battery Extender Powered by Schumacher dragster driven by Spencer Massey, who has won the past two Mello Yello events, is in the No. 12 position.

The Summernationals is the last of three Mello Yello Series events in three weeks. The series is off next weekend before beginning a four-week stretch of four races.