Justin Ashley is proving a quick study in the Top Alcohol Dragster. 

The second-generation drag racer in his first two events ever driving the Randy Meyer dragster has qualified No. 1, initially last weekend at the NHRA LODRS event in Gainesville, Fla., and provisionally during the first day of qualifying at the NHRA Gatornationals. 

Ashley, the son of past Indy Funny Car champion Mike Ashley, had no idea as he turned off of the Gainesville Raceway drag strip Friday morning he'd just recorded the seventh quickest run in the class' history with a 5.150 elapsed time at 280.49 miles per hour.

"I’ve got to be honest, I had no idea the car went a 5.15 at all," Ashley said. "You know, as I pulled through the traps, I thought to myself, ‘Alright, you know that’s a good run to start off the weekend. First National event. Feels good, it was pretty straight down the track. I’m pretty sure you know I probably ran a mid to high .20, which is awesome. I was perfectly content with that."

In a repeat of the previous week, teammate Megan Meyer was second with a 5.153, 283.73.

Ashley understands such success at a rapid rate is not the norm, and isn't concerned he could be achieving too much too soon. 

"The bottom line is we come to the races to win the races. Period," Ashley said. "It doesn’t matter if it’s my first race, it doesn’t matter if I’m a ten-year veteran. We come to win, so we expect to do this well. It doesn’t concern me because it’s not me that's making this team successful. It’s Randy Meyer, it’s Megan Meyer, it’s Mary Meyer, it’s the entire Randy Meyer racing team. That’s the reason behind this success." 

John Lombardo Jr., leads the Top Alcohol Funny Car division with a 5.409, 274.61 which edged Phil Burkart's 5.424, 269.89. 

Doug Engels drove his D/Econo Dragster to the top of the Comp Eliminator qualifying order with a 7.192, -0.828 performance. AA/AM racer Rodney Rosenstiel slipped into second with a 6.215, -0.825. Thursday's top runner Anthony Bertozzi remained third.