Fri, 21 Aug 2026, 20:50 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Reporter

BRAINERD, Minn. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, 44th annual NHRA Brainerd Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Josh Hart Runs 3.909/261.12, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.541/171.75, Was #15
Right Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 3.994/249.49, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.673/155.24, Was #16

Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 59 percent, barometer 29.95 inches, adjusted altitude 3,035 feet, track temperature 104 degrees.

Hart with a good pass early and then started to haze the tires and clicked it off. He still goes to the number 10 spot.

Palmer with a good pass early and starts to lose traction and clicks it off. He gets off the bump spot to the number 11 spot.

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Left Lane: Keith Murt Runs 3.935/305.77, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.116/237.30, Was #14
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 3.818/326.00, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.336/190.65, Was #16

Murt kept it hooked up to move up the ladder a couple spots.

Millican launched hard and was on a great pass. He got real lose right in the lights. He gets off the bump spot to the number five spot. Clay Millican's incremental times: 60ft-0.859 sec., 330ft-2.174, 660ft-3.073/283.55 mph.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 3.892/258.22, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.077/234.70, Was #15

Schumacher launched hard and then his chut came out by 330 feet. Schumacher with the chute in tow still makes his quickest pass to go to the number 11 spot.

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Left Lane: Justin Ashley Runs 3.743/333.99, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.001/252.61, Was #15
Right Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.763/330.55, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.864/318.47, Was #10

Ashley launched hard and kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. Justin Ashley's incremental times: 60ft-0.846 sec., 330ft-2.157, 660ft-3.021/295.08 mph.

Brown is straight down the groove to go to the number two spot. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.855 sec., 330ft-2.159, 660ft-3.036/291.82 mph.

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Left Lane: Will Smith Runs 3.780/326.00, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.837/324.12, Was #10
Right Lane: Shawn Reed Runs 6.772/95.50, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.849/324.67, Was #11

Smith is straight down the groove to move into the top half of the show.

Reed is up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.731/334.57, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.828/321.65, Was #10
Right Lane: Maddi Gordon Runs 3.725/336.15, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.805/327.98, Was #7

Langdon launched hard and was straight down the groove to the number two spot. Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.140, 660ft-3.010/294.82 mph.

Gordon kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number one spot. Maddi Gordon's incremental times: 60ft-0.847 sec., 330ft-2.130, 660ft-3.005/293.28 mph.

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Left Lane: Tony Stewart Runs 3.765/332.34, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.823/323.43, Was #10
Right Lane: Billy Torrence Runs 3.754/330.96, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.776/327.51, Was #7

Stewart is straight down the groove to move into the top half of the show.

Torrence kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight to go to the number four spot. Billy Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-2.141, 660ft-3.024/289.94 mph.

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Left Lane: Leah Pruett Runs 3.889/292.20, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.769/331.04, Was #8
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.705/340.30, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.764/326.40, Was #6

Pruett started to lose traction on the top end and clicked it off early.

Kalitta launched hard and kept the candles lit and goes to the number one spot. He runs a big top end speed. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.844 sec., 330ft-2.134, 660ft-2.993/297.48 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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