Friday News & Notes from the Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals
PRO STOCK Q1

The temperature is a comfortable 79 degrees under cloudless skies as Pro qualifying kicks off with Pro Stock, and with local hero Dallas Glenn, who grew up just miles away from Pacific Raceways, grabbing the No. 1 spot with the RAD Torque Systems Camaro, gapping the field with a 6.541, more than two-hundredths better than Sonoma winner Greg Stanfield's 6.562. Glenn set the track record under last year's great conditions with a 6.446 that remains the second quickest run in class history.
Matt Latino, hot off a good showing last weekend in Seattle, sits third with a 6.565 while his father, Eric, rounds out the top eight with a 6.585. Between them are Cody Anderson (6.574), Aaron Stanfield (6.576), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (6.578), and Matt Hartford (6.585).
Greg Anderson, a three-time winner here but without a Northwest win since 2010, is a disappointing 11th with a 6.631.
Erica Enders, who has won this event just once, way back in 2012 — it was actually just the second of her 49 career Pro Stock wins — was shut off on the starting line with a water leak. There are 17 cars here this weekend, meaning one will sit out, and right now that's Enders.
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FUNNY CAR Q1

Four Funny Cars busted into the three-second zone on a track that seemed a little tricky for them, but none were quicker than Cruz Pedregon, whose 3.926 was more than a half-tenth quicker than "Fast Jack" Beckman's second-ranked 3.982. Pedregon, whose 44 career wins do not include a Wally in Seattle (twice a runner-up to John Force, with the latest a long 22 years ago), has 65 career No. 1 spots, his most recent coming about a year ago in Norwalk.
Two-time and reigning world champ Austin Prock and Co. definitely seem to have their mojo back with a 3.988 for third, with Blake Alexander fourth at 3.997.
Sonoma runner-up Daniel Wilkerson (4.001), Chad Green (4.016, rocking the colors of local business Rottler), Matt Hagan (4.026), and Paul Lee (4.074) hold down the remainder of the top half of the field.
Meanwhile, the heartbreak continues for Dave Richards, who had to be shut off on the starting line in round one last weekend in Sonoma with shifter issues and now cannot get the Bluebird Turf entry back into forward after backing up from his burnout. Fortunately for him, there are just 16 Funny Cars on the grounds, so he'll make the field.
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TOP FUEL Q1

Points leader Shawn Langdon ended the opening session in the No. 1 spot with a 3.823, but it was another Shawn -- Shawn Reed -- who highlighted the session, making his first run down the Pacific Raceways dragstrip since his terrifying accident last year. Reed and crew chief Rob Wendland didn't hold back, running a 3.837 that currently has them second.
"I haven't really thought about this place until like a week ago," said Reed, his voice breaking with emotion. "It's my home track, my friends are here, some employees are here. You know, it's just it's pretty dang weird, tell you the truth. It's been pretty emotional for me, but we're here."
The wife and husband duo of Leah Pruett and Tony Stewart hold down the No. 3 and 4 spots at 3.841 and 3.847, respectively, with Antron Brown sitting fifth at 3.871, and Justin Ashley (3.882), Will Smith (3.893), and Clay Millican (4.069) holding down the remainder of the top half of the field.
Two-time world champ Doug Kalitta didn't make it down the track under power and sits 13th, while neither Jasmine Salinas, the runner-up last weekend in Sonoma, and Krista Baldwin, who will be wheeling local racer Ron Smith's entry, made a pass in Q1.
