WILKERSON, SALINAS, BUTNER AND HECTOR JR. EARN PROVISIONAL NO. 1 QUALIFYING POSITIONS AT DENSO SPARK PLUGS NHRA FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS

·    Tim Wilkerson looks for first No. 1 qualifier in Funny Car since Bristol 2017

·    Mike Salinas earns Top Fuel provisional No. 1 on Friday

·    Bo Butner looks for second Pro Stock No. 1 qualifying position of the season

·    Hector Arana Jr. searches for third career Pro Stock Motorcycle No. 1 qualifier at Las Vegas 

LAS VEGAS — The 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season continued Friday when Tim Wilkerson raced to the provisional No. 1 spot at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway at the 20th annual DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

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.

Wilkerson powered his Levri, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang to a 3.895-second at 323.50 mph to land at the top of the Funny Car class after the second qualifying session. Wilkerson is looking for his first No. 1 qualifier position since 2017. Wilkerson competed in the final round in Gainesville two weeks ago and is in search of his second career victory in Las Vegas.

“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.

Brittany Force, 3.733, 322.88; 4. Leah Pritchett, 3.743, 328.06; 5. Clay Millican, 3.750, 325.06; 6. Billy Torrence, 3.769, 324.75; 7. Doug Kalitta, 3.771, 323.74; 8. Terry McMillen, 3.785, 321.27; 9. Scott Palmer, 3.807, 312.57; 10. Antron Brown, 3.813, 323.66; 11. Austin Prock, 3.840, 316.97; 12. Cameron Ferre, 4.099, 265.27; 13. Richie Crampton, 4.675, 166.39.

Funny Car — 1. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 3.895, 323.50; 2. Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 3.897, 325.92; 3. J.R. Todd, Toyota Camry, 3.919, 323.04; 4. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.924, 327.03; 5. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.928, 318.77; 6. Shawn Langdon, Camry, 3.931, 324.67; 7. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.946, 320.74; 8. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.950, 322.11; 9. Jack Beckman, Charger, 3.956, 321.27; 10. Robert Hight, Camaro, 3.962, 323.97; 11. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 3.968, 316.15; 12.

Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.044, 313.00; 13. Phil Burkart, Charger, 4.084, 298.40; 14. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.264, 287.84; 15. Gary Densham, Mustang, 4.382, 300.66; 16. Jeff Diehl, Camry, 4.382, 228.85. Not Qualified: 17. Jonnie Lindberg, 4.872, 163.33.

Pro Stock — 1. Bo Butner, Chevy Camaro, 6.648, 206.67; 2. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.665, 206.48; 3.

Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.665, 206.39; 4. Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 6.670, 206.29; 5. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.675, 206.51; 6. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.676, 206.54; 7. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.677, 206.10; 8. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.681, 205.94; 9. Fernando Cuadra, Camaro, 6.683, 205.22; 10. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.688, 205.63; 11. Steve Graham, Camaro, 6.714, 206.29; 12. Shane Tucker, Camaro, 6.732, 203.80; 13. Joey Grose, Camaro, 6.751, 204.63; 14. Alan Prusiensky, Dodge Dart, 6.828, 201.94; 15. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 11.025, 81.61; 16. Jeff Isbell, Ford Mustang, 15.220, 54.48.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.884, 195.17; 2. Matt Smith, EBR, 6.911, 196.50; 3. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.919, 195.05; 4. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.947, 194.16; 5. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.949, 193.49; 6. Ryan Oehler, Buell, 6.980, 193.65; 7. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.983, 192.25; 8. Angie Smith, EBR, 6.991, 195.42; 9. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 6.997, 190.43; 10. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 7.017, 189.36; 11. Angelle Sampey, Harley-Davidson, 7.043, 192.00; 12.

Freddie Camarena, Suzuki, 7.046, 192.25; 13. Scotty Pollacheck, EBR, 7.053, 190.51; 14. Joey Gladstone, EBR, 7.063, 189.79; 15. Cory Reed, EBR, 7.083, 190.54; 16. Jianna Salinas, Suzuki, 7.097, 187.60. Not Qualified: 17. Katie Sullivan, 7.156, 188.81; 18. Hector Arana, 7.439, 146.21; 19. Kelly Clontz, 16.925, 38.60.