Bristol: Friday qualifying summary

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Kenny Bernstein led a parade of track record performances to open Friday's qualifying at the inaugural Mac Tools NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. Gary Densham and Bruce Allen also were qualifying leaders at the $1.9 million race, the sixth of 24 events in the $50 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series during NHRA's 50th anniversary season. Bernstein covered the Bristol Dragway quarter-mile in 4.574 seconds at 319.07 mph his Budweiser King dragster to lead the 16-car Top Fuel field. Bernstein just edged rival Gary Scelzi for the top spot. Scelzi posted an impressive 4.584 at 315.27 in his Team Winston dragster which held as the quickest run until Bernstein's category-topping run to close the session. "There's so much that you can do to these cars now just before you run that it can be an advantage to being last in the order," Bernstein said. "It's going to be a shootout (for the No. 1 position) tomorrow because there's a lot of quality cars out there. We've been running well lately and it's a great credit to Tim (Richards, crew chief). They call him the 'General' and that's the way he runs things for the team." Densham, who is looking to claim the first No. 1 qualifying award in his 38-year driving career, recorded a track-record 4.870 at 303.71 in his John Force-owned Ford Mustang to pace the Funny Car lineup. "It was the perfect run," said Densham, a former shop teacher from Bellflower, Calif. "I've left the track twice on Friday as the No. 1 guy but it didn't hold either time. Those runs weren't near as fast as this run. It's hard to say if it'll hold. There are so many good cars that you just know can run better." Allen led the Pro Stock order, clocking a track-record 6.934 at 198.47 in a Pontiac Grand Am. Qualifying continues Saturday at 12:45 p.m.

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Friday's qualifying results for the inaugural Mac Tools NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway, sixth of 24 events in the $50 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series. Qualifying continues Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.

Top Fuel -- 1. Kenny Bernstein, 4.574 seconds, 319.07 mph; 2. Gary Scelzi, 4.584, 315.27; 3. Larry Dixon, 4.615, 315.56; 4. Mike Dunn, 4.622, 317.05; 5. Doug Herbert, 4.639, 310.98; 6. Doug Kalitta, 4.676, 302.48; 7. Darrell Russell, 4.685, 312.42; 8. David Grubnic, 4.691, 304.94; 9. Bruce Litton, 4.745, 304.60; 10. Rhonda Hartman-Smith, 4.765, 293.54; 11. Andrew Cowin, 4.768, 306.40; 12. Tony Schumacher, 4.852, 236.71; 13. Glenn Mikres, 5.165, 286.01; 14. Steve Smith, 5.438, 197.16; 15. Bobby Lagana, 6.264, 188.33; 16. Chris Karamesines, 12.073, 87.16.

Funny Car -- 1. Gary Densham, Ford Mustang, 4.870, 303.71; 2. Frank Pedregon, Pontiac Firebird, 4.885, 310.20; 3. Tim Wilkerson, Firebird, 4.903, 307.72; 4. John Force, Mustang, 4.904, 308.28; 5. Tony Bartone, Firebird, 4.904, 304.74; 6. Ron Capps, Chevy Camaro, 4.911, 303.78; 7. Bruce Sarver, Firebird, 4.923, 305.01; 8. Whit Bazemore, Firebird, 4.926, 304.46; 9. Del Worsham, Firebird, 4.931, 304.12; 10. Bob Gilbertson, Camaro, 4.943, 294.37; 11. Jerry Toliver, Firebird, 4.955, 306.74; 12. Scotty Cannon, Firebird, 4.955, 298.07; 13. Jim Epler, Camaro, 4.971, 282.01; 14. Al Hofmann, Firebird, 5.008, 294.75; 15. Johnny Gray, Firebird, 5.062, 290.26; 16. Tony Pedregon, Mustang, 5.076, 292.58.

Pro Stock -- 1. Bruce Allen, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.934, 198.47; 2. Warren Johnson, Grand Am, 6.950, 198.12; 3. Mike Edwards, Chevy Cavalier, 6.954, 197.83; 4. Ron Krisher, Cavalier, 6.956, 198.12; 5. Brad Jeter, Grand Am, 6.956, 197.62; 6. Jim Yates, Grand Am, 6.956, 197.42; 7. Kurt Johnson, Cavalier, 6.959, 198.23; 8. Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger, 6.964, 197.10; 9. Greg Anderson, Pontiac Firebird, 6.968, 197.54; 10. Richie Stevens, Grand Am, 6.972, 196.64; 11. Jeg Coughlin, Cavalier, 6.984, 197.25; 12. Mark Pawuk, Grand Am, 6.985, 197.22; 13. Mark Osborne, Dodge R/T, 6.987, 197.71; 14. Larry Morgan, R/T, 6.987, 196.76; 15. Rickie Smith, Camaro, 6.991, 197.19; 16. V. Gaines, Cavalier, 6.992, 197.62.

-NHRA-