Hillary Will (Ron Lewis photo)
Team Kalitta’s David Grubnic and Hillary Will grabbed third and fourth with a 4.530 and 4.534 respectively. A short field of only seventeen nitro dragsters hit the track on Thursday.
Scott Kalitta warms it up in the pits. (James Drew photo)
Scott Kalitta was quickest in a nitro Funny Car with his 4.818 at 322.65 mph, driving the throbbing yellow, family-owned DHL Toyota Solara. However, both chutes failed to open while crossing the finish line with the charging flopper finally stopping in the top end Pomona sand trap. The body was beaten up, but Kalitta was not, the body is fixable and there’s another matching Toyota body in the trailer.
Bob Bode is a close second in qualifying with his 4.841. Two-time Funny Car champion Tony Pedregon sits third with a 4.845 at 325.45 mph in his Q-Horsepower-sponsored Impala.