Don’t kid yourself into thinking Friday’s single Funny Car session at the NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals didn’t play a huge role in shaping Saturday’s final field, because it did.

That’s how two-time NHRA Funny Car champion and No. 1 qualifier Tony Pedregon sees it. He’s the man to beat on Sunday with a 4.100 elapsed time during the final day of qualifications.

Don’t kid yourself into thinking Friday’s single Funny Car session at the NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals didn’t play a huge role in shaping Saturday’s final field, because it did.

That’s how two-time NHRA Funny Car champion and No. 1 qualifier Tony Pedregon sees it. He’s the man to beat on Sunday with a 4.100 elapsed time during the final day of qualifications.

“Even for the guys who didn’t get down the track, they gained data,” Pedregon said. “The Top Fuel guys, I didn’t envy them in making the best of two runs.”

Pedregon was able to run the fifth quickest time on Friday with a 4.178 and that data was enough to allow crew chief Dickie Venables to zero in on the No. 1 combination.

“The conditions were a bit different on Saturday and we didn’t have the big disruption of the wind,” Pedregon said. “It pushed my car around quite a bit and in watching the cars before me; I know they were affected a bit more by the cross-winds. That’s when you get just past the grandstands.”

On Friday, Pedregon ran 297 through the traps. A calmer Saturday provided a 302.62 mph charge.  

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