Top qualifier Doug Herbert benefited from a short nighttime session that ended with more than half the Top Fuel field unable to attempt passes due to a local noise ordinance. Herbert ran a 4.556 at 315.64 mph before the clock ran out, claiming the No. 1 qualifying position in the provisional field. Mike Ashley, Greg Anderson, and Andrew Hines are also No. 1 after the first day of the 20th annual Fram-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway.

Ten Top Fuel racers didn't get a second chance at Infineon Raceway after a lengthy oil clean up pushed the Friday's final session up against the 10 p.m. deadline. Before the plug was pulled in Top Fuel, Funny Car leader Ashley thrilled the largest Friday crowd in track history with the fastest flopper pass in track history, a 4.743 at 326.79 mph. Anderson and Hines picked up where they left off after last year's event, where they were both top qualifiers.

Doug Herbert

King for a day, Herbert was happy to claim the top slot for his Snap-on Tools mates. He'll try to hold the position through Saturday's action to see if he can claim his first pole in almost two years.

"We obviously got a lucky break but luck is like a bank and it seems like we've made a lot of deposits this year so we'll take it," Herbert said. "It was a good run and maybe it would have been good enough any way. Probably someone would have passed us but we'll never know now. 

"Tomorrow will be more like race day so we'll see how it goes. It's usually warm by the time we run so it might hold. I'm sure the teams that didn't get to run will take a shot but we can run quicker also if the conditions allow for it."

Second-place Melanie Troxel was also one of the lucky few to make a pass under the lights. She posted a 4.561 at 326.63 mph in her Vietnam Veterans/POW-MIA dragster.

First-round leader Tony Schumacher didn't get a second chance but his 4.575 at 324.90 mph still held down the No. 3 spot on the ladder.

Alan Bradshaw, who was responsible for the oildown that ended the day, is on the bump with a 4.764 at 302.48 mph in the BME racer.

POWERade points leader "Hot Rod" Fuller made both sessions but hasn't been down the track under power as of yet and is outside the field in 18th place.

Mike Ashley

Funny Car leader Ashley continues to impress, setting an Infineon Raceway track speed record with his top-qualifying 4.743 at 326.79 mph in his Torco Race Fuels Dodge Charger. The New Yorker has three previous No. 1 qualifying efforts this season.

"I need to thank Robert Hight for smoking his tires because every time I go to the No. 1 spot he usually comes right behind me and takes it away," Ashley said. "The reality is Infineon is a great facility in a beautiful place. I'm out here with my wife this week and it's like we're on a second honeymoon. The facility is just perfect and for us to post those numbers is a credit to the track operators.

"I've been No. 1 before and it's great but I'd rather win the race. We need the points for the Countdown deal. I have to tell ya, when you pull up to the line for Friday night qualifying your stomach is in knots. You either run a hero number or smoke the tires and end up staying up all night worrying if you can make the field Saturday. This Friday night session is as important as any single round of racing. There's a lot of pressure."

Looking for a sweep of the Western Swing, "Fast Jack" Beckman is second on the grid after a 4.759 at 324.67 mph in the Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T. Tommy Johnson Jr. has the quickest Chevy after a third-best 4.762 in his Skoal Impala.

Ashley Force rebounded well from her accident last Sunday with a 4.791 at 324.12 mph in her Castrol GTX Ford Mustang. Her father John is 11th with a 4.871.

Greg Anderson

Anderson and Allen Johnson both recorded 6.612s but Anderson's Summit Racing Pontiac GTO earned the top spot due to his faster top speed of 208.07 mph. Johnson topped out at 207.21 mph in his J&J Racing Dodge Stratus.

"It seems like four years, not four races," Anderson said of the time between his top qualifying efforts. "We've been struggling lately. That's no secret. I'm not going to lie. Since we got a bit of a lead in the points we thought we'd try some things. But we've gotten way off pace and I can't blame it all on experimental parts. Plus I haven't been driving very well.

"We went back to what we know. We only have two races before the [Countdown to the Championship] and we need to be peaking when that starts. I think I can improve on that run. We should have another chance in the morning if it stays cool so we'll see what we can do."

Seattle winner Dave Connolly was third after a 6.631 at 206.92 mph in his Torco/Seelye Wright Chevrolet Cobalt. Max Naylor was a surprise in fourth place with a 6.636 at 206.26 mph in his Jagermeister Stratus.

Erica Enders represents the bump in her Mach 1 Air Services hot rod with a best of 6.681 at 206.23 mph.

Andrew Hines

Three-time and reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Hines was the quickest of both Friday sessions on his Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson V-Rod, claiming the provisional pole with a 6.962 at 190.03 mph. He opened with a 7.001 at 189.50 mph.

"It's definitely good to get back to sea-level conditions," Hines said. "We've been No. 1 here the last two years so we're trying to make it three in a row. There's a great fan base here that really likes the motorcycles and that makes it so fun. Riding back to the pits on a road course is about the hardest thing about this whole place. Our bikes just aren't made for turns like that.

"My team gives me great information on what to do and how to ride. The headwind probably cost us three or four hundredths of a second but it affects all of us the same. Tomorrow morning could be good if the fog sticks around but it all depends how much humidity is in the air. You have to tune to that. We'll see how it is when we run."

Angelle Sampey was next on her U.S. Army Suzuki, posting a 6.968 at 191.08 mph. 

A total of five riders recorded six-second passes. Craig Treble recorded a 6.983 on Harry Lartigue's unsponsored Suzuki, Chip Ellis had a 6.986 on his Drag Specialties S&S Buell V-Twin, while Peggy Llewellyn ran a 6.997 on her Klement Racing Buell.

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