When you're named the champion before the final race of the season, the choices are simple, you can cruise through the event or you can turn up the wick even more as a reminder of why you're the champion.

Give the choice, newly crowned NHRA Nostalgia Top Fuel champion Mendy Fry chose the latter during first day qualifying at the NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield, Ca.

Fry drove her way to the top of the eight-car field with a 5.600-second elapsed time at 231.44 miles per hour. Jim Young was second quickest with a 5.668 elapsed time.

"We didn't come here to lose," Fry said. "There's not a lot of love lost for us here from the competitors. People have all stepped up out here. It's not going to be an easy race to win."

Defending Heritage Series Top Fuel champion Jim Murphy anchors the field with an off-pace 6.294 elapsed time. There are 12 entries this weekend.

"On that run, we were trying a few new things. They worked out really well. We are going to build on that, and every run we are going to go up there to try and win the race. We do want to try out some new parts and pieces for next year, but not at the expense of losing the race."

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Steve Densham dominated the AA/FC division scoring the quickest run in the Q1 session when he drove his first-gen Camaro to an impressive 5.679 elapsed time at 252.90. Past NHRA Big Show racer Jeff Arend was second quickest with a 5.714, 252.90 and Jason Rupert was third with a 5.733, 251.77.

"Give it up to my dad," Densham said of his crew chief and father Gary Densham. "We were lost earlier in the year, and he kinda figured it out. We were able to pick up the pace with better 60-foot times. We had also gotten lost in the clutch. Now we are back."

Marc Meadors sits on the bump with one more session to go after running a 5.890, 244.96.

Densham said he was surprised the run held through the second session.

"I was surprised because I figured Bucky [Austin] would run a mid-to-low 5.60, if not a .50. I thought Jason would run a low 5.60. I hope I can keep it through tomorrow, it's supposed to be hotter."

Saturday's nitro qualifying continues Saturday at Noon, PST.