If NHRA Heritage Series Funny Car racer Tim Boychuck didn't know it when he started qualifying at the 65th Good Vibrations March Meet, he did when he completed his second qualifying run.

Boychuck finished the day with a 5.692 elapsed time at 248.61 miles per hour performance to grab the provisional No. 1 qualifying position in the AA/Funny Car division. Cory Lee was second with 5.699. Friday's performance was just part of a big-picture performance. 

"We made a commitment last year; I told [crew chief] Twig [Ziegler] that I was going to race for a few more years, so let's get some new parts and get some stuff happening; I told him to turn it up. Obviously, I did that today."

If only the day had started as smoothly as it ended. Boychuck launched, and his Happy Hour Funny Car immediately spun the tires before going into a speed wobble that eventually broke the car's steering. 

"I had no steering; good thing I shut the car off," Boychuck said. 

Rian Konno sits on the bubble with one session left, running a 6.554.

Joining Boychuck atop the professional categories were Pete Wittenberg (Top Fuel) and Dylan Winefsky (Fuel Altered).

Wittenberg was the top runner in the lone Nostalgia Top Fuel session, driving the Circuit Breaker dragster to a 5.820 elapsed time at 227.46 to edge out Shane Bowen's 5.838, 205.54 performance. The Top Fuel cars are racing in an eight-car field this weekend amid speculation there would be a 16-car field. 

"Anything can happen, but we are going to see what happens tomorrow, sneak up on it a little bit," Wittenberg said. "If the track will hold
it, maybe we will do a little better. Still stay No. 1."

Fuel racing veteran Jim Murphy sits on the bump with a 6.160.

Notables on the outside looking in include Bret Williamson, Adam Sorokin, and defending NHRA Heritage Series champion Tyler Hilton.

Winefsky set the pace with a 6.192, edging out Johnny West's 6.217.

Qualifying concludes on Saturday with one session for the floppers, while the dragsters have two.