Texas’ Massey leads DSR Top Fuel dragsters in No. 2 spot, Beckman second in Infinite Hero Foundation Funny Car

BAYTOWN, TX – Spencer Massey came oh-so close to the provisional No. 1 qualifier position on Friday night at Royal Purple Raceway near Houston.

Massey’s 3.809-second pass at 320 mph tuned by crew chiefs Phil Shuler and Todd Okuhara was just a tick off of provisional No. 1 qualifier Richie Crampton’s 3.807-second lap.

“Man, that was close,” Spencer said. “I’ve never been No. 1 in a Top Fuel car in Texas so that would’ve been awesome. It’s going to be hot tomorrow so I don’t think we’ll be able to get after it and try to improve but that was a great lap by the Battery Extender team. We needed that.”

Tony Schumacher is positioned No. 7 with a 3.839-second pass in the U.S. Army dragster that came after a lengthy delay of more than 40 minutes for oil on the track. Antron Brown’s Matco Tools dragster posted a 3.880-second pass that was a tick slower than their first qualifying pass at 3.869-seconds.

Jack Beckman led the Don Schumacher Racing Funny Car quad with a 4.063-second pass at 314 mph in the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Funny Car during the second session of qualifying at Royal Purple Raceway near Houston.

“Nobody was getting down the track,” Jack said of the second qualifying session where many teams struggled to make full passes. “Rob Flynn came over and backed our car down and the NAPA car went out and went 4.07 in front of us. I thought ‘I hope he didn’t back it down too much’ and he didn’t. We’re doing some awesome stuff with this Infinite Hero Funny Car.”

DSR’s Tommy Johnson Jr. sits third with a 4.068-second lap in the Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T and NAPA AUTO PARTS’ Ron Capps is fourth after posting a 4.079-second pass. Matt Hagan’s Rocky Boots machine shook the tires off the starting line and settles in the No. 10 spot.

Two qualifying sessions on Saturday are scheduled for 1 and 3:30 p.m. at the Texas track before Sunday’s NHRA SpringNationals eliminations at 11 a.m.