KALITTA, TODD LEAD TOYOTA AT U.S. NATIONALS QUALIFYING

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Doug Kalitta placed fifth in Top Fuel, while teammate J.R. Todd was sixth in Funny Car as the top Toyota qualifiers for Monday’s Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at the Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Indianapolis.

Kalitta registered a 3.689-second pass on Friday to earn the fifth starting position as the Mac Tools Toyota driver placed in the top four in each of the first three qualifying sessions of the weekend.

Right behind Kalitta was Antron Brown with the sixth seed. The three-time world champion heads into tomorrow’s eliminations number one in the points race and can clinch the top spot in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs by advancing to his sixth consecutive final round. He will begin that quest with a first-round match-up with Scott Palmer.

Shawn Langdon placed ninth to secure his spot in the Countdown, while Richie Crampton qualified 12th in his debut in the SealMaster Toyota and will open with Kalitta in round one on Monday.

In Funny Car, Todd registered a career Funny Car best run of 3.865 seconds on Friday night to qualify a season-best sixth and clinch his berth in the Countdown.  His Kalitta Motorsports teammate Alexis DeJoria will start ninth on Monday. The Brainerd winner registered four passes of 3.940-seconds or better and was fourth in the final session on Sunday.  She currently holds down the final Funny Car playoff berth and will be looking to clinch that spot tomorrow.

Also looking to secure that spot in the playoffs are fellow Camry drivers Del Worsham, who was 13th, and Cruz Pedregon in the 14th starting position.  Pedregon is in 11th place in the championship, while Worsham is 14th and will need to go at least two rounds further than DeJoria.

Monday’s NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series eliminations will be televised live in their entirety on FS1 beginning at 11:00 a.m. before switching to FOX at 1:00 p.m. (all times EDT).