Sat, 7 Feb 2009, 09:16 PM Brown, Hight and Anderson Lead Qualifying

By Rick Green Photo copyright 2009 Auto Imagery, Inc.

POMONA, Calif. -- Antron Brown in Top Fuel, Robert Hight in Funny Car and Greg Anderson in Pro Stock qualified number one at the 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals. Due rain throughout the week qualifying was shorten to the one shot. Eliminations will start at 11 am Sunday at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

Antron Brown

Brown in his Matco Tools dragster for the second year in a row qualified number one in Top Fuel at the season opener. His career best pass of 3.708 seconds is also the quickest pass in the 1000-foot era. This is Brown's fourth number one qualifying position in 25 races in Top Fuel. This is the first race for Brown with team owner Mike Ashley and crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald. Joe Hartley with a career best pass of 3.748 seconds qualified number two for the first time in his career. Cory McClenathan, Brandon Bernstein and Tony Schuamacher round out the top five positions in qualifying. Larry Dixon making his debut in the Alan Johnson/Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel failed to make the show for the first time since Dallas of 2006, a total of 51 races.

Robert Hight

Robert Hight in his Auto Club Ford Mustang qualified number one for 29th time in career and the first time at the Winternationals. Hight's pass of 4.037 seconds was the third quickest pass in the history of the 1000-foot era. Del Worsham making his debut in the Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Racing Funny Car ran a career best pass of 4.038 seconds to qualify second, this was the fourth quickest pass of the 1000-foot era. Ashley Force Hood, John Force and Bob Tasca III round out the top five in qualifying. Tim Wilkerson coming off his career best finish in the points did not qualify for the first time since the second Las Vegas race of 2007, a total of 25 races.

Greg Anderson

Greg Anderson in his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP qualified number one for the fourth consecutive year at the Winternationals. His pass of 6.588 seconds at 209.59 mph set both ends of the track record. Anderson's teammate Jason Line qualified second with a 6.616 second pass at 209.43 mph. His pass was the track mph record for two pairs of cars. Allen Johnson, Mike Edwards and Warren Johnson round out the top five.

Shawn Cowie qualified number one Top Alcohol Dragster with a 5.356 seconds at 268.65 mph, and Frank Manzo qualified number one in Top Alcohol Funny Car with a 5.585 seconds at 259.56 mph.

Eliminations will start at 11 am.

First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the first of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Top Fuel -- 1. Antron Brown, 3.708 seconds, no speed vs. 16. Steve Faria, 4.854, 252.61; 2. Joe Hartley, 3.748, no speed vs. 15. Morgan Lucas, 4.548, 270.81; 3. Cory McClenathan, 3.851, 313.66 vs. 14. Shawn Langdon, 4.091, 307.79; 4. Brandon Bernstein, 3.866, 317.42 vs. 13. Andy Carter, 4.020, no speed; 5. Tony Schumacher, 3.897, 311.99 vs. 12. Del Cox Jr, 4.020, no speed; 6. Urs Erbacher, 3.915, 305.63 vs. 11. Doug Kalitta, 4.016, no speed; 7. David Baca, 3.920, no speed vs. 10. Steven Chrisman, 4.000, no speed; 8. Spencer Massey, 3.968, no speed vs. 9. Mike Strasburg, 3.980, 305.01. Did Not Qualify: 17. Clay Millican, 5.142, 144.84; 18. Larry Dixon, 6.326, 102.68.

Funny Car -- 1. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.037, no speed vs. 16. Jerry Toliver, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.061, 187.52; 2. Del Worsham, Toyota Solara, 4.038, no speed vs. 15. Bob Bode, Chevy Impala SS, 4.891, 244.65; 3. Ashley Force Hood, Mustang, 4.061, no speed vs. 14. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.345, 283.01; 4. John Force, Mustang, 4.092, 304.39 vs. 13. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.289, no speed; 5. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.143, 301.20 vs. 12. Mike Neff, Mustang, 4.286, 304.12; 6. Tony Pedregon, Impala, 4.164, 300.40 vs. 11. Jim Head, Solara, 4.286, no speed; 7. Gary Densham, Impala, 4.183, no speed vs. 10. Jeff Arend, Solara, 4.222, 22.07; 8. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.197, 289.14 vs. 9. Cruz Pedregon, Solara, 4.205, 305.91. Did Not Qualify: 17. Tim Wilkerson, 5.141, no speed; 18. Terry Haddock, 8.668, no speed.

Pro Stock -- 1. Greg Anderson, Pontiac GXP, 6.588, 209.59 vs. 16. Ron Krisher, Chevy Cobalt, 6.832, 172.17; 2. Jason Line, GXP, 6.616, 209.43 vs. 15. Rickie Jones, Dodge Stratus, 6.691, 206.26; 3. Allen Johnson, Stratus, 6.625, 207.82 vs. 14. Tom Hammonds, Cobalt, 6.682, 206.20; 4. Mike Edwards, GXP, 6.628, 208.59 vs. 13. Greg Stanfield, GXP, 6.677, 207.08; 5. Warren Johnson, GXP, 6.629, 208.62 vs. 12. Jim Yates, GXP, 6.665, 206.64; 6. Jeg Coughlin, Cobalt, 6.629, 208.23 vs. 11. Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.662, 207.69; 7. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.642, 207.91 vs. 10. Johnny Gray, Stratus, 6.661, 208.33; 8. David Beckley, Stratus, 6.650, 206.61 vs. 9. V. Gaines, Stratus, 6.654, 206.32. Did Not Qualify: 17. Jerry Haas, 6.854, 202.55; 18. Bob Panella, 7.202, 149.25; 19. Steve Spiess, 7.221, 148.79; 20. Erica Enders, 11.959, 73.12; 21. Frank Gugliotta, 23.129, 53.91; 22. Gordie Rivera, 25.448, 31.85.