PEDREGON LEADS TOYOTA IN ATLANTA NHRA QUALIFYING
COMMERCE, GA – Cruz Pedregon qualified fourth in his Snap-on Toyota Camry Funny Car to lead Toyota in 
preparation for Sunday’s Southern Nationals at the Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia.
Pedregon, who won last weekend in Charlotte, earned bonus points for finishing in the top three in all four qualifying runs on the weekend. He was the only driver to place in the top three in all four sessions. His fourth starting position will be his highest of the season and marks the sixth time he’s qualified in the top half of the field in seven races this year. He will begin tomorrow’s eliminations against John Smith.
“Our Snap-on Camry has been both fast and consistent this weekend,” said Pedregon. “I’m not sure if I’ve ever earned bonus points on every qualifying run in a weekend before. Now we need to do it when it counts on race day and see if we can make it two in a row and get another Wally tomorrow.”
J.R. Todd registered three solid runs on the weekend on his way to qualifying seventh. Todd also earned bonus points in Friday’s first session for placing second. His opening round opponent will be Funny Car point leader Jack Beckman.
Todd’s Kalitta Motorsports teammate Shawn Langdon ran his best pass of the weekend in today’s final session with a 4.032 – good for fourth in the session and ninth overall. He will match-up with Tim Wilkerson on Sunday.
In Top Fuel, Doug Kalitta was the top qualifying Toyota in sixth with a 3.800-second pass on Friday night, while his teammate Richie Crampton placed 11th, setting up an all-Kalitta Motorsports first-round duel for the sixth time in seven races this season.
After struggling early in the weekend, Antron Brown bounced back today to run his best pass of the weekend in Saturday’s second session to place seventh overall. He will square off with Blake Alexander on Sunday morning.
Today’s final qualifying will be televised on FS1 at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, withtomorrow’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series eliminations is scheduled to begin on FS1 at 6:00 p.m. (all times ET).
