A Thursday morning of rain and cool temperatures played havoc with the Duck X Productions Lights Out 16 event schedule. Still, eventually, a few sun rays emerged, and the South Georgia Motorsports Park team got in one session of qualifying.

Paulo Guist (Radial vs The World) and Brad Edwards (PRO 275) established the best provisional runs on a challenging Thursday.

Guist recorded a 3.479 elapsed time at 214.42 miles per hour to drive to the top of the field. He and recent U.S. Street Nationals champion Ken Quartuccio accounted for the quickest-side-by-side small tire run, as Quartuccio ended up second with a 3.497, 211.33.

Aussie John Ricca was third-quickest with a 3.518, with an untouchable top speed of 217.46 miles per hour.

In his North Carolina-based Mustang, Edwards was the leader of the PRO 275 pack with a 3.669, finishing ahead of Lyle Barnett, who was the only other 3.6-second car in the class with a 3.675. Just like Radial Vs. The World, an Aussie, was third with Grantly Schloss, running a 3.726.

Other first-day leaders, including Alan Feltz (X275), Keith Siborwski (Ultra Street), Chad Henderson (Limited Drag Radial), and Chris Tino (Limited Street), are provisional leaders for their respective divisions.