Four-time Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson recorded his 100th No. 1 qualifying position this weekend at Bristol, Tenn., but he certainly would trade it for his first NHRA Wally Trophy of the season.

Anderson joins legends John Force (155) in Funny Car, and Warren Johnson (138) and Bob Glidden (102) in Pro Stock as the only NHRA Mello Yello drivers to earn 100 poles. While that is a stellar milestone, Anderson has not won a title in the past 12 races, one of the longer non-winning streaks of his career.

“I’ve always looked up to the other three. They’re icons of the sport,” said Anderson, who will be the No. 1 seed Sunday for the seventh time in 11 races this year and for the third straight time in Ken Black’s Summit Racing Camaro.

“No. 1 qualifier is certainly not a driver award,” said Anderson, who opens the first round against Wally Stroupe intending to win his 91st title in 439 events. “It’s a team award; it’s for the guys in the engine shop and the guys who turn the bolts on the car.”

His time of 6.674 seconds at 205.35 mph from Friday night’s session held up through Saturday when the track temperature reached 137 degrees. Similar conditions are expected Sunday when championship eliminations begin at noon (EDT) in the 18th annual Fitzgerald USA Thunder Valley NHRA Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

Anderson was confident the time would hold through Saturday and his team focused on getting ready to win Sunday for the first time in 11 races this year.

“That gave us the advantage (Saturday) of not having to worry about the order changing,” he said, adding his team tested at the track recently and was able to concentrate on adjusting suspensions to compensate for the rough, bumpy surface.

“We got about all we could get out of (Friday night’s) run.

“(Friday) was pole day and today was more of a tune-up day for Sunday. We had the luxury of trying some things today and we learned some things.”

While he has dominated qualifying this year, it has not transferred to eliminations. He lost in his only final round of the year earlier this month near Chicago.

“My problem hasn’t been qualifying this year; it’s been on Sundays.

“You have to go out and run as fast as you can and one of these Sunday’s it will pay off.”