Gateway Motorsports Park & NHRA announced Saturday’s NHRA final day of qualifications was a sell out. This was the fourth event of 2017 to feature a sellout crowd. Those in attendance were treated to near perfect weather conditions.
Robert Hight, Clay Millican, Greg Anderson and Andrew Hines captured the top qualifications. This is round three of the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship and Eliminations will be held at Gateway Motorsports Park Sunday starting at 11 am. Tickets are still available for Sunday’s Eliminations.
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Click here for race action photos from Friday Night
Funny Car
Robert Hight continued to hold on to the top spot.
Friday night, Robert Hight broke the Gateway Motorsports Park track record for Funny Car top speed during the first round of qualifying. The new mark is 338.60 miles per hour. He then set a new Funny Car track ET record with a blistering pass of 3.830 seconds during the second qualifying session. Needless to say, he is on the provisional pole for Sunday’s eliminations.
| POSITION | DRIVER | ET | MPH |
| 1 | Robert Hight | 3.830 | 333.91 |
| 2 | John Force | 3.832 | 334.65 |
| 3 | Ron Capps | 3.849 | 332.51 |
| 4 | Alexis Dejoria | 3.863 | 333.16 |
| 5 | Jonnie Lindberg | 3.871 | 330.96 |
| 6 | Jack Beckman | 3.873 | 331.77 |
| 7 | Courtney Force | 3.877 | 329.50 |
| 8 | Matt Hagan | 3.894 | 330.96 |
| 9 | Tommy Johnson Jr | 3.897 | 325.30 |
| 10 | J.R. Todd | 3.904 | 332.02 |
| 11 | Del Worsham | 3.910 | 327.27 |
| 12 | Tim Wilkerson | 3.923 | 325.37 |
| 13 | Cruz Pedregon | 3.978 | 323.27 |
| 14 | Jim Campbell | 4.003 | 314.46 |
| 15 | Brian Stewart | 4.014 | 285.11 |
| 16 | Dale Creasy | 4.037 | 303.64 |
| 17 | Cory Lee | 4.135 | 309.91 |
| 18 | Jeff Diehl | 4.153 | 306.26 |
| 19 | Bob Bode | 4.397 | 227.92 |
Top Fuel
Clay Millican who set a national record last night at Gateway with the fastest ever recorded ET of 3.631, was the top qualifier and the #1 spot for Sunday’s eliminations.
“We got an awesome race car,” said Millican. “It is going to be great tomorrow and we are looking for points.”
Tony Schmacher held on to the second spot.
Millican, 51, of Drummonds, Tennessee set the new national elapsed time (ET) record of 3.631 seconds during the second round of Friday night’s Top Fuel Dragster qualifying. The old record of 3.640 seconds was set by Leah Pritchett in Brainerd, Minnesota, in August.
“That’s the shortest amount of time I’ve ever worked,” Millican said. “That is 100 percent David Grubnic doing his thing.” Grubnic, a former Top Fuel Dragster driver, is Millican’s crew chief. “He does it his way, there is no shared information because this is a one-car team.”
Friday night, a new Gateway track record for Top Fuel Dragster top speed was set by Doug Kalitta — 331.85 miles per hour – eclipsing Dave Connolly’s record of 329.99 miles per hour, set in 2015.
| POSITION | DRIVER | ET | MPH |
| 1 | Clay Millican | 3.631 | 330.39 |
| 2 | Tony Schumacher | 3.680 | 327.66 |
| 3 | Doug Kalitta | 3.681 | 331.85 |
| 4 | Steve Torrence | 3.696 | 329.58 |
| 5 | Leah Pritchett | 3.697 | 329.83 |
| 6 | Brittany Force | 3.714 | 329.58 |
| 7 | Richie Crampton | 3.714 | 326.87 |
| 8 | Dom Lagana | 3.729 | 323.35 |
| 9 | Antron Brown | 3.736 | 329.34 |
| 10 | Shawn Langdon | 3.743 | 320.13 |
| 11 | Terry McMillen | 3.749 | 321.27 |
| 12 | Pat Dakin | 3.768 | 321.96 |
| 13 | Scott Palmer | 3.785 | 320.97 |
| 14 | Troy Buff | 3.839 | 314.02 |
| 15 | Ashley Sanford | 3.842 | 299.86 |
| 16 | Kyle Wurtzel | 3.867 | 303.91 |
| 17 | Luigi Novelli | 3.941 | 295.27 |
| 18 | Terry Haddock | 3.993 | 248.43 |
| 19 | Chris Karamesines | 5.211 | 135.92 |
| 20 | Rob Passey | 23.573 | 29.31 |
Pro Stock
Greg Anderson held on to the spot. Bo Butner made a charge from 6th to 2nd in the last run on Saturday with his run of 6.510 ET / 212.03 MPH. For Anderson, it was his 4th pole of the year and his 91st of his career.
“Cool feeling,” is how Anderson described the thought of winning 91 poles in his career.
| POSITION | DRIVER | ET | MPH |
| 1 | Greg Anderson | 6.507 | 212.33 |
| 2 | Bo Butner | 6.510 | 212.03 |
| 3 | Jason Line | 6.512 | 213.30 |
| 4 | Drew Skillman | 6.517 | 212.19 |
| 5 | Chris McGaha | 6.523 | 211.16 |
| 6 | Tanner Gray | 6.525 | 211.23 |
| 7 | Erica Enders | 6.550 | 210.83 |
| 8 | Alex Laughlin | 6.551 | 210.83 |
| 9 | Larry Morgan | 6.556 | 211.10 |
| 10 | Allen Johnson | 6.560 | 209.65 |
| 11 | Deric Kramer | 6.577 | 210.18 |
| 12 | Jeg Coughlin | 6.579 | 209.98 |
| 13 | Brian Self | 6.594 | 209.92 |
| 14 | Alan Prusiensky | 6.623 | 208.68 |
| 15 | Mark Hogan | 6.738 | 203.92 |
| 16 | David River | 6.906 | 191.51 |
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Eddie Krawiec made a run for the top qualifier with a great run. He had a 6.781 ET / 196.19. This was his second top qualifier in 2017 and 40th in his career.
“I don’t think it will hold,” said Krawiec the season parts leader. “I’m happy were going in the round of eliminations with a hot Harley Davidson.”
Krawiec was correct, because Andrew Hines who held the top spot for the past three rounds, recaptured the top qualifier going into Sunday’s eliminations.
Last night Hines crew chief told Andrew he had 0% standing on his Friday’s run.
“The guys have the bikes dialed in,” said Hines. “I like getting these green hats [top qualifier]”
| POSITION | DRIVER | ET | MPH |
| 1 | Andrew Hines | 6.781 | 196.19 |
| 2 | Eddie Krawiec | 6.783 | 195.59 |
| 3 | Matt Smith | 6.792 | 197.22 |
| 4 | Scott Pollacheck | 6.809 | 196.42 |
| 5 | Jerry Savoie | 6.817 | 197.28 |
| 6 | Angie Smith | 6.820 | 195.56 |
| 7 | LE Tonglet | 6.831 | 195.62 |
| 8 | Hector Arana Jr | 6.833 | 195.87 |
| 9 | Karen Stoffer | 6.850 | 195.22 |
| 10 | Joey Gladstone | 6.880 | 194.18 |
| 11 | Mike Berry | 6.921 | 191.32 |
| 12 | Marc Ingwersen | 6.982 | 189.31 |
| 13 | Ryan Oehler | 6.998 | 191.05 |
| 14 | Steve Johnson | 7.026 | 191.51 |
| 15 | David Hope | 7.084 | 186.25 |
| 16 | Andie Rawlings | 7.657 | 174.14 |
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1
6:30 a.m. — Parking lots open.
7:30 a.m. — Spectator gates open.
9 a.m. — Midway opens.
10 a.m. — Pre-race ceremonies.
11 a.m. — First round of Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster eliminations.
Noon — First round of Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock eliminations.
12:20 p.m. — Second round of Pro Mod eliminations.
12:45 p.m. — Second round of Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster eliminations.
1:15 p.m. — Second round of Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock eliminations.
1:30 p.m. — Semi-final round of Pro Mod eliminations.
2 p.m. — Second round of Factory Stock Showdown.
2:15 p.m. — Semi-final round of Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster eliminations.
2:33 p.m. — Semi-final round of Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock eliminations.
2:40 p.m. — Final round of Pro Mod eliminations.
3 p.m. — Final round of Factory Stock Showdown eliminations.
3:30 p.m. — Final round of Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock eliminations.
3:37 p.m. — Final round of Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster eliminations.
3:45 p.m. — Track closed.
For more information on Gateway Motorsports Park, please call (618) 215-8888 or visitwww.GatewayMSP.com. Follow GMP on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram.