‘COUNTDOWN’ DRIVERS EARN TOP QUALIFYING POINTS; FULLER EARNS FIRST TECHNICOAT TITLE IN LAS VEGAS
Tony
Schumacher, Robert Hight, and Chip Ellis held on to their No. 1
qualifying positions Saturday at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals,
each earning eight vital points in their quests for NHRA POWERade
Series world championship titles, while Countdown contender Dave
Connolly usurped Justin Humphreys to keep his historic momentum going
in Pro Stock.
Local favorite Rod Fuller also made headlines,
earning his first $100,000 winner’s share of the Technicoat Top Fuel
Shootout after a runner-up finish last season.
Schumacher
piloted his U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster to a 4.482 at 327.59 for his
11th No. 1 qualifier of the year, the 46th of his career and his third
at The Strip.
“We've run so well here the last few years but
that does not in any way, shape, or form mean we'll run good tomorrow,”
Schumacher said. “I do feel a lot better getting down the track today
because we'll see these same sort of conditions tomorrow. If we get
beat, we'll have gotten beat by a great car, no matter when it happens,
because there are a lot of great cars out there.