POMONA, Calif. (AP) Shawn Langdon took the No. 1 qualifying position in Top Fuel on Saturday with a run in the season-opening NHRA Winternationals.
Langdon set Auto Club Raceway at Pomona track records for time and speed with a 3.700-second pass at 328.30 mph. Langdon's time will become a national record if he can certify it by posting another run Sunday within 1 percent of 3.700 seconds - a time of 3.737 seconds.
''It was just a picture-perfect run,'' Langdon said. ''It left, had the front end up, it was accelerating hard and it just pulled all the way until I shut it off. I went through the finish line and I thought I got a glimpse of the 3.70 on the scoreboard, but wasn't really sure.
''On a 100-degree day on the track, I really wasn't even thinking about a 3.70. It wasn't really until I turned the corner and saw everyone hooting and hollering that I was like, `Ah, I guess I did see that.'''
The final round of qualifying was canceled because of rain.
Courtney Force topped the Funny Car field, and Erica Enders-Stevens was the fastest in Pro Stock.
Force set a career best time in the third round, posting a 3.995-second effort at 322.65 mph in a Chevy Camaro. Enders-Stevens, the defending Pro Stock season champion, had a 6.516 at 213.10 in a Camaro.
