Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Bo Butner (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. are also provisional qualifying leaders in their respective categories at the fourth of 24 events on the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.
“We do spend a lot of time looking at our parts,” Wilkerson said. “I think that makes our car as good as it is, everywhere we take it. It’s easy to be good at sea-level but when you can go from Gainesville to here, that’s proof that my guys do a good job making all my parts close to the same and I can turn a knob and put a head gasket on it and it actually acts the same. I think it’s just a good job that all my guys are doing. They make it easy for me to do what I do.”
Ron Capps is currently in second and reigning world champion J.R. Todd in third.
Salinas sits atop the Top Fuel division with his lap of 3.705 at 328.46. He drove his Scrappers Racing dragster to the provisional No. 1 spot during Friday’s second qualifying session. Salinas is in search of second career No. 1 qualifier and his first career NHRA event title.
In Pro Stock, Butner ran a 6.648 at 206.67 in his Jim Butner’s Auto Chevy Camaro during the second session to take the top spot. Butner was the event winner in Pomona and Gainesville. He has been to five final rounds at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway facility.
Arana Jr. on the Lucas Oil EBR Pro Stock Motorcycle raced to the No. 1 position with his run of 6.884 at 195.17 during his second qualifying pass. He is in search of his first No. 1 qualifier position of the 2019 season. He owns two No. 1 qualifier positions from The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Qualifying continues at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.
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LAS VEGAS — Results Friday after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 20th annual DENSO Spark Plug NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, fourth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.
Top Fuel — 1. Mike Salinas, 3.705 seconds, 328.46 mph; 2. Steve Torrence, 3.721, 326.95; 3.