Reigning Top Fuel world champ Doug Kalitta finished Friday’s qualifying with the best run of the day at Rockingham Dragway, rolling to the provisional No. 1 spot to open the NHRA Nationals at The Rock. Ron Capps (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Angie Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers.
Pro Stock Motorcycle put on a thrilling show during both sessions on Friday at Rockingham Dragway, but it was championship contender Angie Smith who had the last laugh on an ultra-quick day, going a career-best 6.674 at 201.61 on her Denso Auto Parts Buell to take over the No. 1 spot.
Four bikes went in the 6.60s to open the weekend, but Smith was a step quicker than her husband, Matt, as she looks to pick up her fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season. The playoff opener didn’t go as planned for Smith, falling in the second round, but she rebounded quickly on Friday in Rockingham. Currently fourth in points, Smith is after a big weekend to close in on points leader and reigning world champ Richard Gadson.
“Matt [Smith] went 6.68 in the first session, and I went 6.69, so I gave him some crap about it because us racers, we’re greedy,” Smith said. “We always want to go fast. I knew my bike had a little bit more left in it and he said, ‘Well, I’m going to tune you up, so you better be ready.’ Well, I was ready, and then after the run, he was like, ‘I guess I tuned you up too much.’
“I love it here. We’ve probably made 60 runs here this year on this racetrack. We test here all the time, and the track personnel that runs this track when there’s not a national event here, they do an amazing job prepping the track so all the data that we get when we’re here testing, it always translates, and that’s a really good thing. So, hats off to everybody that runs this facility. I’m really glad to be here because it’s kind of home. It’s an hour and a half from our house, and there’s been a lot of fans stop by the pit to see us, and everybody likes it.”
M. Smith is second after going 6.681 at a booming 204.17 and Ryan Oehler, who was the top qualifier in Martin, is third after going 6.681 at 202.25. Gadson is right behind in fourth after a run of 6.683 at 202.41.
Qualifying continues at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday at the NHRA Nationals at The Rock at Rockingham Dragway.
