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Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals Saturday Notebook

03 Sep 2016
NHRA National Dragster staff
News

Day two is complete at the 62nd annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals and was filled with action, including the second and third of five Mello Yello qualifying sessions in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle, Pro Mod and Top Alcohol qualifying, and the first rounds of eliminations in the other Sportsman classes.

Here are the day's top five highlights:

1. Schumacher wins Traxxas Shootout
Tony Schumacher, who has built his legacy as the winningest Top Fuel driver in NHRA history on the strength of a class-record nine Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals Top Fuel victories, used some more Indy magic to collect his second victory in the Traxxas Nitro Shootout Saturday at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. [Story]

2. Strong wins rain-delayed Seattle final
Former Comp driver Aaron Strong became the 62nd different winner in Pro Stock following one of the biggest upsets in the history of the class. Strong won the rain-delayed final of the Protect the Harvest NHRA Northwest Nationals presented by Lucas Oil from Seattle when heavily favored Vincent Nobile red-lighted by one-thousandth of a second. [Story]

3. Millican grabs Top Fuel pole
Clay Millican, who has just three No. 1 qualifying spots in his long Top Fuel career, took over the lead with his first 3.6-second pass, a track record 3.692.

4. Hight rides out huge explosion
Robert Hight's Auto Club of Southern California Chevy Camaro SS Funny Car exploded in a ball of fire during his qualifying pass Saturday night at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals. [Video]

5. Record Pro Mod field
Racers in the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series combined to establish a record field, with the top 16 drivers all qualified at 6.895 or quicker with one session still to go Sunday.