Rain proved to be the big winner at Sunday's final day of qualifying at the 58th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway.
Persistent rain from the lingering pieces of Hurricane Isaac blanketed the Indianapolis area all day long and washed out the final two qualifying sessions on Sunday, making Courtney Force (Funny Car), Spencer Massey (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines the No. 1 qualifiers for this year's Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
The rain also postponed the Funny Car portion of the Traxxas Nitro Shootout, but delaying her chance at the $100,000 prize didn't dampen Force's enthusiasm for being No. 1 in the Traxxas Ford Mustang.
"I can't think of a better place to run a career best and earn my first number one qualifier than here at Indy," Force said. "We've got a great car and I think we're capable of earning another Wally and to win here at Indy would just be awesome."
Force's qualifying time was 4.049 seconds at 317.27 mph and she faces the Chevy driven No. 16 qualifier Blake Alexander, who ran a 4.224 at 280.25 mph.
Notables not making the Funny Car field include, Robert Hight and Cruz Pedregon.
Massey got an extra day to celebrate his Traxxas Shootout victory. He piloted the Prestone dragster to a lap of 3.762 seconds at 324.51 mph.
"Now the situation is going to be race day, get out there with the sun shining and have a great Mac Tools U. S. Nationals race day and it is always a spectacular race, it always is," Massey said. "It is always a spectacular race, prestigious, and now that I'm the first guy to hold up that Traxxas Shootout trophy I want to be the guy to hold up the trophy on Monday."
Massey faces Pat Dakin in the first round on Monday. Dakin qualified with a lap of 3.916 seconds at 309.13 mph.
Enders won her second consecutive No. 1 qualifier with a best past of 6.624 seconds at 208.84 mph in the KLR Group Chevy Cobalt. She's also working on three straight wins.
"Momentum is something we're kind of new to with the three wins just recently," Enders said. "We'll carry that through. If we could do three in a row – I'm blown away. Not because I didn't expect it, but because I worked at t for so long and dreamt about it my entire life, and it's actually happening. It's actually happening, and it's a little surreal. I almost have to pinch myself."
Enders starts her day against Ronnie Humphrey who ran a 6.693 at 206.83 mph to squeak into the field in the Genuine Hot Rod Hardware Pontiac GXP.
Larry Morgan may have seen his Countdown aspirations washed away as he didn't qualify in Pro Stock.
Hines and his Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davison ran a 6.928 second lap at 194.21 mph.
"To be No. 1 qualifier at the U.S. Nationals two years in the row is awesome," Hines said. "It's not the way we wanted it to happen because we'd have loved to have all five qualifiers but we expect our team to come out strong each weekend and we'd like to turn my fortune around here and do great tomorrow and earn my first win at Indy and the first for the Harley Davidson."
Hines starts his day against the Buell of John Hall, whose best lap was a 7.118 at 187.63 mph. Two-time U.S. Nationals winner Steve Johnson and Michael Phillips failed to qualify.
Eliminations – weather permitting – will begin at 11 a.m. EDT on Monday.
SUNDAY'S PAIRINGS
Top Fuel -- 1. Spencer Massey, 3.762 seconds, 324.51 mph vs. 16. Pat Dakin, 3.916, 312.35; 2. Tony Schumacher, 3.772, 326.79 vs. 15. T.J. Zizzo, 3.908, 307.30; 3. Shawn Langdon, 3.773, 326.48 vs. 14. Clay Millican, 3.872, 316.30; 4. Morgan Lucas, 3.792, 311.63 vs. 13. Bruce Litton, 3.871, 312.57; 5. Antron Brown, 3.807, 322.34 vs. 12. David Grubnic, 3.844, 317.79; 6. Khalid alBalooshi, 3.817, 320.97 vs. 11. J.R. Todd, 3.836, 320.05; 7. Doug Kalitta, 3.823, 322.58 vs. 10. Brandon Bernstein, 3.835, 321.19; 8. Bob Vandergriff, 3.830, 322.73 vs. 9. Steve Torrence, 3.834, 295.34. Did Not Qualify: 17. Tommy Johnson, 3.939, 302.21; 18. Cory McClenathan, 3.956, 295.08; 19. Luigi Novelli, 3.959, 260.21; 20. Terry McMillen, 3.964, 311.49; 21. Troy Buff, 3.975, 301.74; 22. Chris Karamesines, 3.986, 289.32; 23. Scott Palmer, 4.050, 278.52; 24. Hillary Will, 4.052, 284.81; 25. Brady Kalivoda, 4.088, 238.68; 26. Ike Maier, 4.094, 264.75; 27. Keith Murt, 4.348, 193.43.
Funny Car -- 1. Courtney Force, Ford Mustang, 4.049, 317.27 vs. 16. Blake Alexander, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.224, 280.25; 2. Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 4.051, 310.70 vs. 15. Todd Lesenko, Chevy Impala, 4.209, 296.05; 3. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.060, 306.60 vs. 14. Jon Capps, Charger, 4.170, 290.94; 4. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Camry, 4.064, 314.39 vs. 13. Jim Head, Toyota Solara, 4.151, 292.33; 5. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.064, 312.13 vs. 12. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.119, 307.65; 6. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.076, 308.78 vs. 11. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.107, 308.21; 7. John Force, Mustang, 4.077, 314.83 vs. 10. Mike Neff, Mustang, 4.089, 306.53; 8. Johnny Gray, Charger, 4.079, 310.98 vs. 9. Jeff Arend, Camry, 4.088, 311.20. Did Not Qualify: 17. Bob Bode, 4.232, 292.58; 18. Robert Hight, 4.325, 284.81; 19. Cruz Pedregon, 4.731, 172.23; 20. Terry Haddock, 6.510, 104.54.
Pro Stock -- 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Cobalt, 6.624, 208.84 vs. 16. Ronnie Humphrey, Pontiac GXP, 6.693, 206.83; 2. Vincent Nobile, Dodge Avenger, 6.631, 208.78 vs. 15. Rodger Brogdon, Chevy Camaro, 6.692, 206.13; 3. Allen Johnson, Avenger, 6.634, 208.42 vs. 14. Warren Johnson, GXP, 6.689, 207.11; 4. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.646, 208.52 vs. 13. Dave Connolly, Cobalt, 6.684, 206.61; 5. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.655, 208.17 vs. 12. Jeg Coughlin, Avenger, 6.678, 207.27; 6. Mark Martino, GXP, 6.659, 207.69 vs. 11. V. Gaines, Avenger, 6.678, 207.66; 7. Richie Stevens, Avenger, 6.666, 207.46 vs. 10. Ron Krisher, GXP, 6.677, 206.64; 8. Mike Edwards, GXP, 6.673, 207.30 vs. 9. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.674, 206.70. Did Not Qualify: 17. Larry Morgan, 6.696, 206.80; 18. Kurt Johnson, 6.703, 205.98; 19. Chris McGaha, 6.716, 206.16; 20. Jerry Eckman, 6.727, 205.29; 21. Greg Stanfield, 6.735, 205.16; 22. Richard Freeman, 6.745, 205.79; 23. Kevin Lawrence, 6.745, 204.17; 24. Steve Spiess, 6.767, 203.86; 25. Steve Schmidt, 6.769, 203.49; 26. Lewis Worden, 6.769, 203.43; 27. Dave River, 6.879, 201.13; 28. John Gaydosh Jr, 6.919, 199.82; 29. Mark Hogan, 26.083, 28.60.
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.928, 194.21 vs. 16. John Hall, Buell, 7.118, 187.63; 2. Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.932, 193.05 vs. 15. Michael Ray, Buell, 7.084, 189.50; 3. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.950, 192.11 vs. 14. Dawn Minturn, Suzuki, 7.063, 187.47; 4. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.953, 192.93 vs. 13. Kieth Burley, Buell, 7.059, 189.73; 5. Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.978, 188.67 vs. 12. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 7.054, 185.31; 6. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.993, 191.38 vs. 11. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 7.042, 192.06; 7. Chip Ellis, Buell, 7.010, 190.43 vs. 10. Mike Berry, Buell, 7.024, 189.52; 8. Matt Smith, Buell, 7.019, 190.22 vs. 9. Shawn Gann, Buell, 7.023, 192.28. Did Not Qualify: 17. Redell Harris, 7.127, 189.87; 18. Steve Johnson, 7.135, 175.50; 19. Michael Phillips, 7.213, 186.07; 20. Katie Sullivan, 7.247, 183.00; 21. James Surber, 7.364, 185.51.
