Tony Schumacher Leads No. 1 Qualifiers At NHRA Southern Nationals

Story By: SCOTT SMITH / NHRA – COMMERCE, GA – Tony Schumacher raced his U.S. Army dragster to the Top Fuel No. 1 qualifying position at the 37th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.

Courtney Force (Funny Car), Bo Butner (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the seventh event of 24 on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

Schumacher earned his 82nd career No. 1 qualifier and second of the season when he piloted his dragster to a 3.736-second pass at 325.45 mph. This is the only race on the schedule that he has not secured a Wally trophy at.

“Couldn’t be happier going into racing as No. 1,” Schumacher stated. “This is the only race the trophy doesn’t sit on my shelf. I want to win this one. You go in No. 1 and we’ve got every chance in the world to win.”

Schumacher will open up the first round of eliminations against Monster Energy driver, Brittany Force. Steve Torrence took the second qualifying position after racing his Capco Contractors dragster to a 3.738 pass at 322.04. Three-time and defending world champion Antron Brown qualified third in his Matco Tools dragster.

C. Force locked in her fourth consecutive No. 1 qualifying effort and track elapsed time record of the season with a pass of 3.893 at 322.65 in her Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro. It was the 14th No. 1 of her career.

“To have four No. 1 qualifiers in a row is pretty insane,” Force said. “Obviously our ultimate goal is to turn this green hat into a yellow one tomorrow. I think my team deserves a win after all of the No. 1 qualifiers they’ve been putting out there. Really hope we can get it done.”

Force will face Jeff Diehl in his Jeff Diehl Racing Toyota Solara in the first round of eliminations. Two-time Funny Car world champion, Matt Hagan, made a run of 3.930 at 325.45 in his Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T to take the second spot while teammate Tommy Johnson Jr. is third.

In Pro Stock, Butner clenched his first No.1 qualifying position of the season with a run of 6.572 at 210.70 in his Jim Butner’s Auto Chevy Camaro.  He made his Pro Stock debut here in 2015.

“It’s great qualifying No. 1,” Butner said. “I’ve been fortunate to have a good career since I started because I joined the right team which helps a lot. All I have to do is do my job and win rounds.”

Butner will line up against Wally Stroupe in the first round of eliminations. Drew Skillman drove his Ray Skillman Chevrolet Camaro to a 6.583 pass at 209.82 for the second qualifying position. Defending world champion Jason Line qualified third in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro after a 6.585 pass at 210.24.

Krawiec raced his Screamin’ Eagle / Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to a 6.849 pass at 194.21 to secure his first No. 1 qualifier of the season and 34th of his career.

“This is a big race for us, the motorcycles and all of the NHRA,” Kraweic stated. “It’s definitely a tough field out there. I think for Pro Stock Motorcycle it’s going to be a nice tight battle.  I’m confident in myself and my abilities. We just need to string it all together.”

Kraweic will face Steve Johnson in the first round of eliminations. LE Tonglet qualified second in his Nitro Fish Racing Suzuki with a 6.858 run at 194.24 and will go to the starting line against 2016 Road to the Future Award winner Cory Reed.

Eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday at the 37th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. Catch the action on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) beginning at 6 p.m. EST.

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COMMERCE, Ga. – Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 37th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, the seventh of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.  Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Top Fuel – 1. Tony Schumacher, 3.736 seconds, 325.45 mph  vs. 16. Brittany Force, 9.391, 70.88; 2.Steve Torrence, 3.738, 322.04  vs. 15. Smax Smith, 8.526, 62.13; 3. Antron Brown, 3.741, 326.08 vs. 14. Troy Coughlin Jr., 4.083, 199.58; 4. Clay Millican, 3.763, 318.77  vs. 13. Terry Haddock, 4.075, 251.53; 5. Doug Kalitta, 3.764, 324.67  vs. 12. Chris Karamesines, 4.048, 286.50; 6. Terry McMillen, 3.781, 323.43  vs. 11. Leah Pritchett, 3.862, 304.05; 7. Shawn Langdon, 3.784, 321.19 vs. 10. Pat Dakin, 3.839, 318.24; 8. Bob Vandergriff, 3.822, 313.66  vs. 9. Scott Palmer, 3.829, 315.49.

Funny Car – 1. Courtney Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.893, 322.65  vs. 16. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Solara, 11.290, 67.99; 2. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.930, 325.45  vs. 15. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 5.709, 120.22; 3. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 3.937, 319.29  vs. 14. Jack Beckman, Charger, 5.584, 124.27; 4. Ron Capps, Charger, 3.955, 323.97  vs. 13. J.R. Todd, Camry, 5.052, 149.22; 5. John Force, Camaro, 3.969, 307.65  vs. 12. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.599, 225.52; 6. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 3.974, 314.39  vs. 11. Jonnie Lindberg, Camry, 4.332, 207.27; 7. Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.024, 318.77  vs. 10. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.082, 307.02; 8. Chad Head, Camry, 4.024, 312.57 vs. 9. Robert Hight, Camaro, 4.026, 274.89.

Pro Stock – 1. Bo Butner, Chevy Camaro, 6.572, 210.70  vs. 16. Wally Stroupe, Camaro, 7.204, 193.07; 2. Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.583, 210.37  vs. 15. Mark Hogan, Pontiac GXP, 6.868, 201.43; 3.Jason Line, Camaro, 6.585, 210.24  vs. 14. John Gaydosh Jr, Chevrolet Camaro, 6.773, 205.72; 4. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.590, 210.41  vs. 13. Shane Tucker, Camaro, 6.752, 204.26; 5. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.592, 210.31  vs. 12. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.671, 210.11; 6. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.603, 210.21  vs. 11. Alan Prusiensky, Dodge Dart, 6.647, 207.98; 7. Tanner Gray, Camaro, 6.605, 210.11  vs. 10. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.628, 209.62; 8. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.613, 209.95  vs. 9.Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.623, 208.78.

Pro Stock Motorcycle – 1. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.849, 194.21  vs. 16. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.005, 190.59; 2. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.858, 194.24  vs. 15. Cory Reed, Victory, 7.004, 190.06; 3. Chip Ellis, Buell, 6.864, 192.69  vs. 14. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.968, 191.57; 4.

Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.866, 194.88  vs. 13. Mike Berry, Buell, 6.951, 191.16; 5. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.867, 194.58  vs. 12. Matt Smith, Victory, 6.928, 192.93; 6. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.867,195.34  vs. 11. Scotty Pollacheck, Suzuki, 6.927, 187.57; 7. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.871,193.02  vs. 10. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.906, 193.43; 8. Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 6.893, 193.90  vs. 9. Angelle Sampey, Victory, 6.904, 193.16.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Melissa Surber, 7.017, 188.49; 18. John Hall, 7.079, 189.07; 19. Joe DeSantis, 7.119, 189.10; 20. Gunner Courtney, 7.176, 184.83; 21. James Surber, 7.377, 181.57; 22. Andie Rawlings, 7.870, 160.79; 23. David Hope, 9.509, 87.62.