The evening kicked off with opening ceremonies including a parade of all the racers and a performance by the Charger Marching Band from the local Edison High School under the direction of Denise Reilly. All track personnel wore their traditional black formal tuxedos, including the starting line workers, lending an air of formality to the event.

Following the opening ceremony, fans got to see an eight-car Funny Car field featuring the biggest stars in NHRA drag racing. As an official NHRA test session, the nitro teams made several unexpected passes for fans during the afternoon, but got serious for the first round of Night Under Fire qualifying in the evening.

Ashley Force Hood led the way with a blast of 4.115, 291.01, followed by her dad and defending 2009 NAPA Night Under Fire champ John Force, who went through the traps at 4.163, 275.84. The elder Force kicked out the rods, but joked with fans that he had “a hundred more motors,” and promised them he’d be back.

The other Funny Car drivers for the first round: Jeff Arend, 8.469/84.86; the 2008 Night Under Fire champ Dan Wilkerson, 10.293/79.42; Cruz Pedregon, 4.594/187.86; Jim Head, no time; Tim Wilkerson, 4.229/292.27; and Tony Pedregon, 4.683/134.50.

The first round of qualifying of the NAPA Night Under Fire sets the field and it would be Ashley vs. Dad for to determine the winner. At the end of the track the elder Force repeated as the 2010 Funny Car champ. Ashley’s .110 reaction time couldn’t make up for Dad’s experience, who came out on top with a 4.585-second E.T. despite his slower .255 reaction time. Ashley posted a 4.836-second E.T.

It wouldn’t be a NAPA Night Under Fire without jet dragsters, and as usual it was the men against the women. One of these years the men will need to “man-up” as this race was claimed yet again by the so-called fairer sex. In qualifying, the “Queen of Diamonds” Jill Canuso led the way with her 5.289, 297.09 pass. Canuso was closely followed by Ernie Bogue Jr., 5.445, 297.42; Lou Pereira, 5.669, 279.90; and Elaine Larson, 5.777, 280.89. As in the Funny Car class the first round set the field and in the final it was Number One qualifier Canuso taking the victory over Bogue with a 5.218-second E.T. vs. Bogue’s 5.391.