Schumacher adds to Top Fuel championship points lead; DSR teammate Hagan holds Funny Car lead with No. 2 spot

LAS VEGAS – The drama of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship will continue Saturday during the second day of the NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Matt Hagan led a parade of Don Schumacher Racing Dodge Charger R/T Funny Cars that are qualified second through fifth after Friday’s two qualifying sessions.

Hagan, the 2011 Funny Car world champion, was able to maintain his 36-point lead over John Force, who earned the pole in the day’s last session with a time of 4.039 seconds at 318.54 mph to edge Hagan’s best of 4.044 (318.02) in the Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T.

Hagan was third quickest in the opening session and second best in the last session. Close on his bumper are teammates Jack Beckman (Infinite Hero Foundation) and new crew chief Jimmy Prock in third, Ron Capps (NAPA AUTO PARTS) in fourth and Tommy Johnson Jr. (Make-A-Wish Foundation) in fifth.

In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher was the quickest in the opening session with a time of 3.784 (326.63) in DSR’s U.S. Army dragster tuned by crew chief Mike Green. Schumacher was able to add two points to his Mello Yello Drag Racing Series championship points lead over Doug Kalitta, who was third quickest in the last session.

Schumacher carries a 136-point lead into Saturday’s two sessions before Sunday’s championship eliminations when he could clinch his eighth world championship.

The most points a driver can earn this weekend at Las Vegas is 150 points so if Schumacher can leave the track Sunday with a 151-point lead the will clinch the championship, which will be the second for him with crew chief Mike Green.