Pritchett Qualifies No. 1 with National Record in Mopar Top Fuel Dragster at NHRA Brainerd  

Brainerd, MN – Leah Pritchett made history during qualifying for the 36th annual NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, turning in the sport’s quickest elapsed time ever in her Mopar HEMI®-powered Top Fuel dragster. Pritchett’s best time of 3.640 seconds at 330.63 mph lowered her own national E.T. record of 3.658 from earlier this season and made her the No. 1 qualifier for the sixth time this year.

Pritchett’s record-shattering run in her Papa John’s Pizza/Mopar Pennzoil Top Fuel machine from Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) came during the second qualifying session on Friday evening, after a rain shower produced ideal conditions at the end of a day that had already seen favorable temperatures at the track in northern Minnesota.

With Pritchett’s No. 1 effort, Mopar Top Fuel dragsters have now set quick time in qualifying in nine events on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series calendar, while Mopar power has qualified No. 1 13 times across both Nitro categories overall. Pritchett also became quick qualifier in Top Fuel for the seventh time in her career.

The other Mopar-powered Top Fuel dragster from DSR, driven by eight-time champion Tony Schumacher, will start from the fourth spot on Sunday’s elimination ladder.

The Mopar Funny Cars from DSR also turned in strong qualifying efforts, led by Matt Hagan in the Mopar Pennzoil Dodge Charger R/T. Hagan qualified in the second spot with a best time of 3.807 at 336.57 during Q2 on Friday evening. He’ll look to improve on his runner-up finish in last year’s Brainerd event on Sunday.

Hagan’s DSR teammates, Tommy Johnson Jr., Jack Beckman and Ron Capps, qualified their Dodge Chargers in the fifth, sixth and eighth positions, respectively.

A total of six Mopar Dodge Funny Cars qualified for the 16-car field.