Scotty Cannon raced to the No. 1 Knoll-Gas Torco Racing Fuels Pro Top Fuel spot with a 4.851, 299.00 pass during Friday qualifying at the Amalie Oil Texas Nationals presented by NAPA Auto Parts at San Antonio Raceway. Other No. 1 qualifiers include Gary Densham (Nitro Funny Car), Ray Commisso (Pro Modified), Mark Thomas (Alcohol Funny Car) and Robert Patrick (Pro Stock).

Scotty Cannon raced to the No. 1 Knoll-Gas Torco Racing Fuels Pro Top Fuel spot with a 4.851, 299.00 pass during Friday qualifying at the Amalie Oil Texas Nationals presented by NAPA Auto Parts at San Antonio Raceway. Other No. 1 qualifiers include Gary Densham (Nitro Funny Car), Ray Commisso (Pro Modified), Mark Thomas (Alcohol Funny Car) and Robert Patrick (Pro Stock).

“Once you get back in the car, once they start the motor, everything kind of comes back to you,” said Cannon. “I’ve been lucky. My crew’s done a good job; Torco has given us the support to do what we have to. And that’s how we can do this. It makes me feel good. My hat’s off to the guys.”

This year, IHRA has started an innovative program, the “Last Man Standing,” at all Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam events, rewarding the quickest car at the end of each night. To be eligible, that run must be a winning pass for the competitor. Therefore, the No. 1 qualifier is not necessarily always the “Last Man Standing.”

 Cannon, of Lyman, S.C., was making his Top Fuel debut. After a storied career winning six Pro Modified world championships and running NHRA Nitro Funny Car, Cannon has committed to chasing the IHRA Top Fuel championship racing an Evan Knoll Seelye-Wright Auto Group dragster. Cannon was the winner of the Top Fuel “Last Man Standing.”

Bobby Lagana Jr., Scarsdale, N.Y., sits in the second spot with a 5.020, followed by Bruce Litton and Scott Weis.

In Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car, Densham, of Bellflower, Calif., covered the quarter-mile in 4.863 seconds to take the top spot, as well as the “Last Man Standing.” Del Worsham, Chino Hills, Calif., 4.893, is second, followed by Bob Gilbertson, Charlotte, N.C., and Terry Haddock, Lynwood, Wash. Densham is the defending event winner. Defending world champion Dale Creasy Jr. is currently not in the field.

Toronto’s Commisso drove his ’67 Camaro to the No. 1 spot in the Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com Pro Modified class with a 6.102, 233.96, earning him the “Last Man Standing.” Ed Hoover sits in the second spot with a 6.154, followed by Danny Rowe, 6.184, and John Russo, 6.216. Quain Stott, IHRA’s 2006 Pro Mod world champion, is currently 5th.

Defending Alcohol Funny Car world champion Thomas took top honors when the Louisville, Ohio, resident covered the quarter-mile in 5.901 seconds at 243.24 mph. Beaver, Pa.’s Terry Munroe won the Friday “Last Man Standing” prize with a 5.947, putting him second. Tony Bogolo sits on the bump-spot.

In Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com Pro Stock, Patrick took the No. 1 qualifying spot with a 6.391, 216.72. Patrick, of Fredricksburg, Va., was also the winner of the Quarter-Max Pro Stock Challenge and the “Last Man Standing.” He’s followed by Rob Mansfield, Margate, Fla., and Steve Spiess. Pete Berner, IHRA’s defending Pro Stock world champion, sits outside of the field.

“This is exactly where I wanted to be,” Patrick said. “My engine builder Bob Ingles worked hard to get us here. He was out of commission with shoulder surgery for two weeks but he jumped right back in there and you see the results of his work.

“We were just a little off in the tune-up tonight, so we may have let a little on the table tonight. We’ll get back after it tomorrow and hopefully we will get even further than we did tonight. I am pleased with the start we are off to so far.”

Qualifying resumes at 9 a.m., with professional qualifying rounds three and four at 12 noon and 6:30 p.m.The Texas Nationals is the first of twelve events on the 2007 Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series.

Results Friday after qualifying for the Amalie Oil Texas Nationals presented by NAPA Auto Parts at San Antonio Raceway, first of 12 events in the $19.5 million 2007 Knoll - Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series.  Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.

 
Top Fuel -- 1. Scotty Cannon, 4.851 seconds, 299.00 mph; 2. Bobby Lagana Jr., 5.020, 258.42; 3. Bruce Litton, 5.501, 167.95; 4. Scott Weis, 5.644, 176.67; 5. Mitch King, 6.774, 123.51; 6. Chris Karamesines, 8.711, 98.29; 7. T.J. Zizzo, 9.892, 81.50; 8. Scott Palmer, 11.499, 85.16.
 
Nitro Funny Car -- 1. Gary Densham, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.863, 307.23; 2. Del Worsham, Monte Carlo, 4.893, 279.79; 3. Bob Gilbertson, Dodge Stratus, 4.932, 283.25; 4. Terry Haddock, Stratus, 4.952, 279.90; 5. Jon Capps, Monte Carlo, 5.037, 266.95; 6. Andy Kelley, Pontiac Firebird, 5.064, 282.24; 7. Jack Wyatt, Stratus, 5.180, 243.46; 8. Todd Simpson, Chevy Camaro, 5.321, 265.01.
 
Pro Modified -- 1. Raymond Commisso, Chevy Camaro, 6.102, 233.96; 2. Ed Hoover, Chevy Corvette, 6.154, 231.12; 3. Danny Rowe, Corvette, 6.184, 232.23; 4. John Russo, Camaro, 6.216, 230.80; 5. Scott Cannon, Pontiac GTO, 6.217, 220.40; 6. Jim Halsey, Camaro, 6.224, 227.69; 7. Quain Stott, Corvette, 6.232, 232.35; 8. Burton Auxier, Corvette, 6.240, 222.80; 9. Eddie Ware, Camaro, 6.243, 228.85; 10. Pat Stoken, Camaro, 6.255, 224.70; 11. Mike Janis, Chevy Cobalt, 6.266, 235.64; 12. Kenny Lang, Corvette, 6.281, 211.30; 13. Shannon Jenkins, GTO, 6.328, 222.77; 14. Kirk Kuhns, Willys, 6.394, 217.28; 15. Harold Martin, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.415, 195.14; 16. Chip King, Dodge Daytona, 9.330, 92.35.
 
Alcohol Funny Car -- 1. Mark Thomas, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.901, 243.20; 2. Terry Munroe, Monte Carlo, 5.947, 235.39; 3. Larry Dobbs, Chevy Corvette, 5.969, 236.42; 4. Tim Stevens, Dodge Stratus, 6.018, 223.65; 5. Terry McMillen, Dodge Avenger, 6.044, 235.31; 6. Laurie Cannister, Chevy Camaro, 6.078, 217.95; 7. Rob Atchison, Monte Carlo, 6.301, 237.59; 8. Tony Bogolo, Ford Mustang, 12.800, 63.30.

Pro Stock -- 1. Robert Patrick, Shelby Cobra, 6.391, 216.72; 2. Rob Mansfield, Chevy Cobalt, 6.410, 217.35; 3. Steve Spiess, Cobalt, 6.414, 217.25; 4. Brian Gahm, Ford Mustang, 6.429, 217.88; 5. Mike Corvo Jr, Cobalt, 6.445, 217.00; 6. Rickie Smith, Cobalt, 6.449, 216.38; 7. John Nobile, Mustang, 6.450, 215.93; 8. Cary Goforth, Cobalt, 6.471, 216.83; 9. Larry O'Brien, Dodge Stratus, 6.482, 214.25; 10. Michael Bruno, Pontiac GTO, 6.485, 216.86; 11. Frank Gugliotta, Mustang, 6.485, 215.20; 12. Jeff Dobbins, Ford Escort, 6.486, 214.35; 13. John Montecalvo, Cobalt, 6.488, 216.31; 14. Elijah Morton, Mustang, 6.490, 212.53; 15. Dean Goforth, GTO, 6.508, 217.21; 16. Dan Sweeney, GTO, 6.551, 212.96.