Robert Hight isn’t chasing an elusive NHRA nitro Funny Car world championship.

Hight, who competes out of the John Force Racing stable, has three world titles on his resume in 2009, 2017 and 2019.

Hight, who pilots the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS, arrived for the first race of the six-race Countdown to the Championship – the Pep Boys Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa., first in the points standings and he showed why Friday.

In Q1, he cruised to a 3.867-second elapsed time at 331.20 mph to got to the top of the provisional qualifying ladder and collect three bonus points in the day’s only session.

“We have to be aggressive because we are going to need all the points we can get,” Hight said in a press release. “It was a pretty humbling experience going to the website and seeing our almost 300-point lead turn into 20 after the points reset. Anything can happen with a small lead. We need to pick up every point we can. It’s one run at a time, get points every qualifying run and then get lane choice and go rounds on Sunday. 

“I’ve lost a championship by 19 points, and it sucks to say that if we only had one more run, we could have gotten it done. We know we need to focus 100 percent on our car. We've got to put everything that really doesn’t matter to the side and focus on this car. But we don’t really have to tell this team that. It’s exciting to be part of this, to come back and see the smiles on their faces. (Saturday), we have to come out and get another three points and the second run (Saturday), with Funny Car running last, someone may come up and get us, so we’ll have to try to pick it up.”

Hight’s boss/teammate, 16-time world champion John Force, is second on the qualifying ladder with a 3.890-second lap at 329.99 mph. 

Hight has a class-best six wins this season and he has been No. 1 qualifier three times in Gainesville, Fla., Bristol, Tenn., and Sonoma, Calif. If Hight’s ET holds for the No. 1 spot after Saturday’s two qualifying sessions it would be the 75th of his decorated career.

Competition at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway continues with qualifying Saturday at 1:15 and 4:45 p.m. (ET).

Last year, Hight had an up-and-down season, finishing eighth in the points standings. This year, however, with crew chief Jimmy Prock leading the way, Hight has been as good as ever. He entered the Countdown with an incredible 43-10 elimination-round record.

In addition to Hight’s six wins, he also has three runner-up finishes in 2022.