Things are not supposed to happen this way, but reigning NHRA Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force was not complaining.

In just her second pass in her new Monster Energy-sponsored dragster, Force raced to the top of the qualifying ladder with a 3.701-second run at 313.80 mph.

“It’s been pretty much a whirlwind of a season,” Force said. “We pulled out a brand-new car in Pomona (at the season-opening Winternationals), and that was my team’s dream car. We loved it and unfortunately, we wrecked it and didn’t get too much time with it. We’ve been running our 2017 car the last few races while we built this new dragster. This was our testing and none of us knew how it was going to go. To come out second run and be able to go No. 1 is pretty amazing.”

During Force’s first pass in her new dragster, her team couldn’t find the right combination as it slowed to 8.642 seconds, but the Monster machine found its groove in Q2.

Force just edged Tony Schumacher, who is currently second in qualifying with his 3.711-second lap at 322.73 mph in his U.S. Army dragster. Billy Torrence is third on the ladder at 3.737 seconds.

Force has eight career No. 1 Top Fuel qualifying positions, but she has none this year. She was second at Pomona and third at Las Vegas. Force, a daughter of legendary John Force, has seven career national event wins in Top Fuel.

And, Brittany Force is upbeat what her team accomplished Friday.

“We got it together and I spent the last week in Indy getting fitted for it,” said Force. “Qualifying was testing for us. Alan Johnson, Brian Husen and this Monster Energy team are incredible to be able to come out and on the second run with this car go to No. 1. That is amazing.”

Qualifying at the Spring Nationals concludes Saturday with two sessions at 2 p.m. (CT) and 4:30 p.m.

“The plan is to go rounds all day on Sunday and bring home that first win of the season,” Force said. “I have a great group of guys on my Monster Energy team and I am proud to be out here with them. These are the same guys from last season when we won the championship. We’re looking for that first win of the season, and Houston would be a great place to pick that win up.”

Force is aiming to become the seventh different John Force Racing driver to win at Royal Purple. Previous John Force Racing winners at the SpringNationals consist of Ashley Force-Hood, Mike Neff, Courtney Force, Tony Pedregon, John Force and Robert Hight, all in the nitro Funny Car ranks.