Qualifying Run Puts Schumacher in Position to Win Top-Fuel Title

Tony Schumacher qualified only ninth in the opening round for top-fuel drivers Thursday in the Auto Club NHRA Finals at the Pomona Fairplex, but it was a long step toward clinching his first Winston Drag Racing series championship.

All Schumacher needs to win the $200,000 champion’s bonus is to qualify for the 16-car field, and his run of 4.712 seconds at 300.13 mph all but assures him of a spot in Sunday’s eliminations. Defending champion Gary Scelzi clung to his thin hopes of repeating by qualifying second at 4.613 seconds, only .003 behind provisional qualifying leader Joe Amato.

Three more rounds of qualifying remain, one at 1:45 p.m. today and two on Saturday.

Pro stock champion Warren Johnson, who already has clinched his fifth NHRA championship, set a track record of 201.07 mph in his GM Goodwrench Pontiac, and defending pro bike champion Matt Hines ran a track-record 7.225 seconds on his ’95 Suzuki.

Hines trails Angelle Seeling by 14 points, a competition so close that the Winston champion will be determined by which rider advances furthest in Sunday’s eliminations. Each round is worth 20 points. Seeling qualified third quickest at 7.259 seconds.

Ron Capps, making his first start with former champion Ed “Ace” McCulloch as his crew chief, topped the funny car field with a 4.868-second run in his Camaro. Tony Pedregon set a finals record at 314.31 mph in one of John Force’s Mustangs, but his elapsed time of 4.957 seconds was only second best.

Force, who clinched his ninth funny car crown earlier, was not among the 16 qualifying leaders.