Low temps equal high speeds as track records fall at NHRA U.S. Nationals

Top fuel driver Leah Pritchett set the Lucas Oil Raceway track record with a pass of 3.667 seconds (329.50 mph). The pass was just two one-hundredths of a second off her world record time of 3.640 seconds (330.63 mph) that she set two weeks ago at Brainerd International Raceway. Doug Kalitta followed behind Pritchett with a time of 3.682 (329.42 mph).

“The track record at Indianapolis, that’s big,” Pritchett said. “I would say it has more merit than other tracks because it’s been ran for so many years and it’s the U.S. Nationals. We probably could’ve had a little bit more. Could we have broken the national record, eh, I don’t know.”

Funny car driver Matt Hagan also set a new track record for the Clermont, Indiana track. His pass of 3.799 seconds (338.77 mph) was also the second fastest pass for a funny car in NHRA history, just six-thousandths of a second off Robert Hight’s funny car record time of 3.793 seconds (338 mph), set two weeks ago at Brainerd. Hight was right behind Hagan in second with a time of 3.827 seconds (330.96 mph).

“It’s an awesome feeling to strap into that car know that you look in (crew chief Dickie Venables’) eyes, and he says, ‘Hang on, bro,’” Hagan said. “I’m just blessed to have him in my corner, a guy that can (run good times) on any given day and any given condition. We got a great race car that when it gets cool, we can throw down, it’s fast and hauls (butt).”

In pro stock, 18-year-old Tanner Gray led the class after the first night with a pass of 6.566 seconds (209.88 mph). He was just two-thousandths of a second ahead of second place Greg Anderson, who ran a 6.568 (210.31 mph).

In pro stock motorcycle, Brownsburg native Andrew Hines topped fellow Brownsburg native Eddie Krawiec in the first qualifying pass of the weekend. Hines ran a pass of 6.825 seconds (194.74). Hines ran an identical ET time of 6.825 seconds, but had a slower speed of 193.57 mph.

U.S. Nationals

Where: Lucas Oil Raceway, 10267 US-136, Indianapolis

Tickets: $58-$71, go to www.NHRA.com and click on TICKETS

Schedule:Events run from 9:45 a.m. to 7 p.m. Go to www.NHRA.com and click on SCHEDULE.