Top Fuel points leader Schumacher leads qualifying

By foxsports
Published

MOHNTON, Pa. (AP) Top Fuel points leader Tony Schumacher took the No. 1 qualifying position Saturday in the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.

Schumacher had a career-best 3.733-second pass at 327.51 mph for his 76th No. 1 qualifier, fourth of the season and seventh at Maple Grove. The seven-time series champion also has a Top Fuel-best 76 career victories.

''We had a great race car,'' said Schumacher, a four-time winner at Maple Grove. ''That was a fantastic run. There was more left out there. I was stuck in the track.''

Cruz Pedregon topped the Funny Car field, Erica Enders-Stevens was the fastest in Pro Stock, and Hector Arana Jr. paced the Pro Stock Motorcycle lineup in the fourth of six playoff events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship.

Pedregon took the top spot with his Friday run of 3.991 at 319.52 in his Toyota Camry.

Enders-Stevens earned her second top qualifying position in a row, fifth of the season, 11th in her career and first at Reading with a track-record 6.465 at 213.16 in a Chevy Camaro.

Arana had a 6.796-second run on a Buell.