By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
By Greg Anderson's extremely lofty standards, the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season has been a bit of a disappointment.
But the five-time Pro Stock world champion appears to be rounding into form just in time to be a factor in the upcoming Chase for the Championship playoffs.
Five-time world Pro Stock champ Greg Anderson continued his recent surge Friday night after a slow start to the 2022 season, earning the provisional No. 1 qualifier. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Anderson put himself in position to earn a second straight No. 1 qualifier Friday night in the Menards NHRA Nationals at Heartland Motorsports Park, earning the top spot in the first of three qualifying runs with a pass of 6.623 seconds at 205.44 miles per hour in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro.
If Anderson's run holds up through Saturday's final two qualifying rounds it would be the defending world champ’s 120th career No. 1 qualifier.
Already the winningest driver in Pro Stock history, Anderson, who is still looking for his first win of 2022, is just one win away from his 100th career victory.
“I need (a win) bad,'' Anderson said. "It’s been a long year so far and we’ve not performed like we’ve needed to. But these last three races, we’ve gained each race and we’re coming along just in time for the playoffs.
"We’re coming and we’re definitely a threat to win again. That 100th win is still around the corner and I’m confident we’re going to get it. We’re just going to keep doing what we’ve been doing and we’re knocking on the door.”
Troy Coughlin Jr., who picked up his first career Pro Stock win at the most recent race in Seattle, sits second behind Anderson with his 6.632 run at 208.04, while teammate and points leader Erica Enders is third with an identical 6.632 at a slightly slower 207.62 m.p.h.
Mike Salinas earned the No. 1 spot in Top Fuel qualifying Friday night, while Bob Tasca III set the pace in Funny Car and Joey Gladstone earned the provisional No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Racing alongside Top Fuel points leader Brittany Force on the final run of the evening, Salinas recorded a pass of 3.754 seconds at 323.19 mph in his Pep Boys dragster.
If that runs holds up through Saturday, it would give Salinas, who has four wins this season, his third No. 1 qualifier in 2022 and the 11th of his career.
“The way we’re doing this, we’re taking it one round at a time and not getting too far ahead of ourselves,” Salinas said. “There’s a lot of racing ahead of us and a lot of great teams. You can just see the cars getting closer and closer.
"Tomorrow is going to be awesome. Our cars love the heat and we’re getting ready for Sunday. It’s going to be a dogfight and it's anybody’s race out there. All the Top Fuel cars are so close here.”
Justin Ashley, who has a pair of wins this season, sits No. 2 behind Salinas after a 3.765 run at 320.43 m.p.h. and Josh Hart is No. 3 after going 3.766 at 310.41. Force is currently in the No. 6 spot.
Tasca edged out John Force Racing teammates Robert Hight and John Force for the No. 1 spot in Funny Car with a run of 3.930 at 323.81 in his BG Products Ford Mustang.
After advancing to back-to-back final rounds on the Western Swing and winning in Sonoma, Tasca qualified No. 1 in Seattle and will now look for his second straight top spot and the ninth of his career.
“It’s nice to start off from the No. 1 position,” Tasca said. “This is big because it’s going to get hot out. Look how competitive the class is. It just shows you how tough it is out here.”
Hight, the current points leader and six-time winner in 2022, is right on Tasca’s heels with a 3.931 run at 323.81 while Force, the defending Topeka race winner, is third with his pass of 3.932 at 312.71.
A race after picking up his first career Pro Stock Motorcycle win, Gladstone is in position for the first No. 1 qualifier of his career after a run of 6.831 at 195.08 on his J&A Service Suzuki Hayabusa.
Joey Gladstone set the qualifying pace in Pro Stock Motorcycle Friday night in his first appearance at Heartland Motorsports Park. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
That run gave Gladstone a significant advantage over the rest of the field, including points leader Angelle Sampey, who went 6.882 at 195.14.
This is Gladstone's first race at Heartland Motorsports Park, with the Pro Stock Motorcycle racing in Topeka for the first time since 1997.
“The run felt really good, and this is a new track for most people in the class,” Gladstone said. “I didn’t really know what to expect, but it was good down low to put a (good) number down. We made a call as a team and it worked out, and that feels pretty good.
"(The win) proved to me that I could do it, but now it gives you some nerves being up high in the points. This whole facility is so cool and it’s awesome. It’s a unique place and I really like it so far.”
Sampey, who won the race in Topeka in 1997, currently sits in second, while her Vance & Hines teammate Eddie Krawiec is third after his run of 6.929 at 195.99.
Qualifying continues at 2 p.m. on Saturday, with eliminations getting under way at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
MENARDS NHRA NATIONALS
At Heartland Motorsports Park
FRIDAY QUALIFYING RESULTS
Top Fuel -- 1. Mike Salinas, 3.754 seconds, 323.19 mph; 2. Justin Ashley, 3.765, 320.43; 3. Josh Hart, 3.766, 310.41; 4. Steve Torrence, 3.772, 316.38; 5. Doug Kalitta, 3.795, 318.69; 6. Brittany Force, 3.800, 324.59; 7. Leah Pruett, 3.804, 316.97; 8. Shawn Langdon, 3.817, 313.22; 9. Doug Foley, 3.818, 299.13; 10. Antron Brown, 3.818, 281.89; 11. Clay Millican, 3.842, 279.96; 12. Tony Schumacher, 3.872, 287.72; 13. Buddy Hull, 3.959, 275.90; 14. Kyle Wurtzel, 3.999, 303.84; 15. Terry Totten, 4.026, 253.56; 16. Austin Prock, 7.556, 55.96.
Funny Car -- 1. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.930, 323.81; 2. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.931, 323.81; 3. John Force, Camaro, 3.932, 312.71; 4. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.943, 320.58; 5. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.949, 318.99; 6. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Supra, 3.983, 295.66; 7. J.R. Todd, Supra, 3.986, 323.50; 8. Ron Capps, Supra, 4.003, 313.66; 9. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.024, 315.42; 10. Chad Green, Mustang, 4.031, 311.99; 11. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.043, 284.62; 12. Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.064, 312.28; 13. Jack Wyatt, Charger, 4.392, 212.23; 14. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 7.016, 97.18.
Pro Stock -- 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.623, 205.44; 2. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.632, 208.04; 3. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.632, 207.62; 4. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.634, 207.66; 5. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.655, 205.91; 6. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.655, 205.04; 7. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.665, 206.92; 8. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.672, 206.32; 9. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.678, 206.35; 10. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Mustang, 6.679, 206.51; 11. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.684, 205.13; 12. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.687, 206.95; 13. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.691, 204.76; 14. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 7.118, 204.94.
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 6.831, 195.08; 2. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 6.882, 195.14; 3. Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.929, 195.99; 4. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.941, 195.42; 5. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.942, 193.71; 6. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.962, 194.44; 7. Angie Smith, EBR, 6.981, 196.47; 8. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 6.995, 196.59; 9. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 7.001, 191.35; 10. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.007, 193.57; 11. Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 7.081, 191.57; 12. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 7.221, 187.94; 13. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 7.672, 137.98; 14. David Barron, EBR, broke.
