While supercharged, nitromethane-fueled teams in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series were subpar throughout two days of qualifying in the 49th annual Amalie NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, Pro Stock crew chiefs were not as miffed by warm temperatures and a tricky track in northern Florida.

Six-time Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson and the Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro was able to maintain a hold on the No. 1 qualifying position for his first pole of the year. He earned the last one of his 94 pole-winning efforts at last year’s season-finale.

No one was able to top the quickest run by Anderson from Friday of 6.522 seconds at 212.29 mph, or any of the other best times in Mello Yello Top Fuel and Funny Car on opening day.

Clay Millican (Stringer Performance) earned his second Top Fuel No.1 in three races and Jack Beckman (Don Schumacher Racing) was best in Funny Car. Eddie Krawiec topped the field as the Pro Stock Motorcycle class met to compete for the first time in 2018.

“It was a little bit tougher today; a little bit warmer, a little more humidity,” said Anderson, who was the quickest in three of the four sessions. Reigning world champion Bo Butner, one of Anderson’s teammates at KB Racing, was best in the last session with a time of 6.558.

“We were a couple hundredths behind (Butner), but we have a great tune-up for Sunday,” said Anderson, whose runs were 6.522, 6.526, 6.540 and 6.572 on his last pass.

“We think (conditions) will be exactly the same on race day. The starting line is getting a little tricky, and I like that. My guys did a great job. We’ve made four really, really nice runs with our Summit Chevy. Probably the happiest it’s been all year.”

Anderson qualified third in the opener at Pomona, California, and fourth at the last event near Phoenix but lost in the second round at both races.

“I can’t put my finger on one thing but the class this year is unbelievable. Anyone who qualifies can win. We were just a little tick off at the first two races,” he said of losing to KB Racing teammates each time (reigning world champion Butner at Pomona and Jason Line near Phoenix).

"There's a lot of fast cars out there this year," Anderson said. "We've gone home early the last two (races), and I need to make amends for that. I need to make up some lost ground and can't think of a better place to do it than here."

Anderson was as impressed with Saturday’s announced sold-out crowd at Gainesville as he was with his team’s performance.

“You roll out, do the burnout and look out there and don’t ever want to put it in reverse,” said the four-time Gainesville winner whose last title at the track came in 2016.

“You just want get out of the car and jump on the roof. These are big grandstands and they were jammed full.”

Championship eliminations are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. (EDT) Sunday.