Tommy Johnson Jr. tops NHRA Funny Car qualifying

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:01 p.m. ET

CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP) Tommy Johnson Jr. broke the Funny Car track time record with a 3.837-second pass at 329.10 mph Saturday in the final qualifying session for the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.

Johnson earned the 15th No. 1 qualifier of his career. The Dodge Charger R/T driver will face Phil Burkhart Jr. in the opening round of eliminations Sunday.

''We did some things on that run that we wouldn't normally do,'' Johnson said. ''It definitely worked. We knew the conditions were good. I could tell during the run that the car was a bunch better. You could feel it in there that it pulled really well early in the run so I knew it was a good one. We went up with no expectations but I felt pretty confident going in there. (Crew chief John Collins) saw something in there that he wanted to try.''

Courtney Force qualified second with a 3.838 at 332.67 in her Chevy Camaro.

Leah Pritchett led the Top Fuel qualifiers, and Jason Line topped the Pro Stock field.

Coming off a victory in the season-opening event in Pomona, California, Pritchett held onto the top spot in Top Fuel with her national record run Friday of 3.658 at 329.34.

Line earned his 51st No. 1 qualifier with a 6.509 pass at 212.19 in his Chevy Camaro.