Mike Edwards admitted he came into this weekend’s NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis down on horsepower and equally down on confidence. Once again, the defending Pro Stock series champion pulled a rope-a-dope on the media and the Pro Stock contingent.

Edwards drove his Pontiac to the top of the qualifying list during Friday’s lone qualifying session with a 6.596 at 208.46.

“This was a great run, a great start for us,” said Edwards, whose run if it stands would be his 12th pole of 2010. “I was really concerned with the trouble some of the cars were having off of the line early in the session.”

Worried or not, Edwards admitted, “It made a fast run, it could have been a little bit better.”

Mike Edwards admitted he came into this weekend’s NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis down on horsepower and equally down on confidence. Once again, the defending Pro Stock series champion pulled a rope-a-dope on the media and the Pro Stock contingent.

Edwards drove his Pontiac to the top of the qualifying list during Friday’s lone qualifying session with a 6.596 at 208.46.

“This was a great run, a great start for us,” said Edwards, whose run if it stands would be his 12th pole of 2010. “I was really concerned with the trouble some of the cars were having off of the line early in the session.”

Worried or not, Edwards admitted, “It made a fast run, it could have been a little bit better.”

Edwards had every reason to run quick on Friday. The eight-time winner in 2010 made the most of his off-time between Brainerd and this weekend’s Countdown to 1 championship battle going over his Pontiac GXP with a fine-tooth comb.

For Edwards, Friday at Indy represented “game on”. Last year his game went on in Charlotte, the 2009 launch to the playoffs, and it never relented.

“We won the first season and now we have to see if we can get the second season,” Edwards said. “You can't win (the title) the first race, but you can sure get in the hole the first race. Just like Charlotte last year. We went in there and won that race. You get momentum and confidence. The first race is really, really big.”

Edwards entered the event on the heels of a stinging first-round loss to Rodger Brogdon at the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals.

“We've just been struggling,” Edwards admitted. “We've tried a couple things on the West Coast, but that was only for a run or two. We've been struggling ever since Norwalk. We come into this race a little down on power. We've had some stuff happen but we'll see what we can do.”

Edwards admits the biggest obstacle to even more wins has been the occupant of the cockpit at times.

“Our struggles? Most of the time, the only time that car loses, it's me,” Edwards pointed out. “It depends on what I do. If I drive good our chances are really good; if I don't then we probably won't win.”

And for Edwards, the rope-a-doping continues into the Countdown.

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