Tony Schumacher raced to the Top Fuel qualifying lead Friday in the NHRA's season-opening Winternationals with a 3.758-second run at a top speed of 328.14 mph.
Schumacher's parachutes failed to deploy after the run and his car came to a stop in the sand trap at the end of the track. He wasn't injured.
''It was a great run,'' Schumacher said. ''From half-track to the finish line it was extremely fast. It was just a dynamite run. The parachute came out and it dropped for whatever reason. It could be a million different things that was the problem. Every time I would start to bounce I'm on and off the brakes because you got to settle it down. I flipped the second parachute out and I don't think it opened quick enough.''
Jack Beckman topped the Funny Car field, and Mike Edwards had the Pro Stock lead. Beckman had a pass of 4.045 at 316.67, and Edwards finished in 6.528 at 212.39.
The final two rounds of qualifying are set for Saturday.
