Doug Kalitta raced to the No. 1 qualifying position in Top Fuel Saturday at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals.
 
Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also will lead their categories into Sunday’s 11 a.m. eliminations as the No. 1 qualifiers in their categories at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event just west of Cleveland.
 
Kalitta powered his Mac Tools dragster to a track record time of 3.731 seconds at 327.82 mph to earn his first No. 1 qualifying position of the season and the 43rd of his career. Kalitta will face Chris Karamesines in the opening round of eliminations.
 
“I knew the guys had my car loaded for bear out there and I was just hoping it was going to stick,” Kalitta said. “It was great conditions and right now it doesn’t get much better. The track was good. We held on and I can’t say enough about my guys, they’ve been working their tails off with these night sessions. We’re definitely happy to be on top here today.”
 
Defending world champ Tony Schumacher qualified second in the U.S. Army dragster and will meet old foe Cory McClenathan in the first round. Defending event winner and current points leader Antron Brown qualified third in the Matco Tools dragster and will face Terry McMillen. McMillen took a wild ride into a grassy field at the very end of the shutdown area following his final run when the brakes on his Amalie Oil Instigator dragster failed to slow his car down.

Defending world champ and current points leader Hagan lowered the Funny Car track elapsed time record with a career-best 3.973 at 321.96 in his Rocky Boots/Mopar Dodge Charger R/T to claim his third No. 1 of the season and 20th of his career. He will open eliminations against John BoJec.
 
“I really thought there would be more three second runs but I guess a lot of guys went over center because there was nothing to lose and they were pushing too hard,” Hagan said. “We thought we might be able to run a 3.94 but [crew chief] Dickie [Venables] pulled it back at the last minute. Still, I can’t be upset with a 3.97. Now, we have to throw that out the window and prepare for race mode tomorrow with the heat and sun on the track.”
 
Two-time world champ Cruz Pedregon was the only other Funny Car driver to clock a three-second run, and posted a 3.991 at 312.21 in his Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry. He will meet John Hale in the first round. Robert Hight qualified third and will race former Norwalk winner Tony Pedregon in the first round. Defending event winner John Force qualified sixth in his all-white Chevrolet Camaro SS and will line up beside the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge of Jack Beckman in the opener.
 
Defending Pro Stock world champ and event winner Enders claimed her fifth No. 1 of the season and the 17th of her career with a performance of 6.532 at 211.23 in her Elite Motorsports Chevy Camaro. Enders will race Alan Prusiensky in the first round.
 
“I know what my guys are capable of, and I know I have a really great race car underneath me, and Norwalk has been really good to us in the past,” Enders said. “We always enjoy coming here.”
 
Jonathan Gray qualified second and will meet Curt Steinbach in round one and No. 3 qualifier Chris McGaha will race John Gaydosh. Summit Racing’s Greg Anderson, who has been to six finals this season with three wins, qualified seventh and will race rival Allen Johnson in the marquee first round pairing.
 
Arana Jr. earned his second No. 1 qualifying position of the season in Pro Stock Motorcycle and 18th of career with his Friday run of 6.868 at 196.50 on his Lucas Oil Buell. He will meet Angie Smith in the opener.
 
“It’s awesome to be out here racing on this big holiday weekend and we had the perfect paint scheme for it with our red, white and blue Lucas Oil bike,” Arana Jr. said. “We have a lot of good history at this track. I had my first No. 1 here and my dad won this race. Hopefully we can carry that good mojo on to four win lights tomorrow.”
 
Chip Ellis qualified second and will race Joe DeSantis, while Jerry Savoie qualified third and will meet Angelle Sampey. Series points leader Eddie Krawiec will face Chaz Kennedy in the first round. Defending world champ Andrew Hines qualified sixth and will race Scotty Pollacheck.
 
Sunday's first-round pairings for eliminations for the Ninth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park, the 12th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.
 
Top Fuel -- 1. Doug Kalitta, 3.731 seconds, 327.82 mph  vs. 16. Chris Karamesines, 3.953, 307.86; 2. Tony Schumacher, 3.732, 326.87  vs. 15. Cory McClenathan, 3.862, 311.49; 3. Antron Brown, 3.739, 321.58  vs. 14. Terry McMillen, 3.851, 315.42; 4. Larry Dixon, 3.741, 329.50  vs. 13. Dave Connolly, 3.851, 316.60; 5. Spencer Massey, 3.741, 325.85  vs. 12. Clay Millican, 3.845, 313.07; 6. Brittany Force, 3.755, 325.92  vs. 11. Pat Dakin, 3.844, 312.86; 7. Shawn Langdon, 3.759, 322.73 vs. 10. Leah Pritchett, 3.801, 324.67; 8. Steve Torrence, 3.760, 325.61  vs. 9. J.R. Todd, 3.790, 324.83.  Did Not Qualify: 17. Ike Maier, 3.977, 293.92; 18. Richie Crampton, 6.246, 237.55; 19. Luigi Novelli, broke.
 
Funny Car -- 1. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.973, 322.96  vs. 16. John Bojec, Toyota Solara, 4.649, 186.18; 2. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 3.991, 316.75  vs. 15. John Hale, Charger, 4.555, 308.00; 3. Robert Hight, Chevrolet Camaro, 4.003, 322.04  vs. 14. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.249, 296.24; 4. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.005, 321.42  vs. 13. Jeff Diehl, Solara, 4.241, 296.37; 5. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.010, 314.75  vs. 12. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.097, 309.70; 6. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 4.012, 322.04  vs. 11. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.082, 312.78; 7. Chad Head, Camry, 4.019, 314.68 vs. 10. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.063, 319.52; 8. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.021, 321.35  vs. 9. Courtney Force, Camaro, 4.029, 319.75.  Did Not Qualify: 17. Paul Lee, 4.830, 263.26.
 
Pro Stock -- 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.532, 211.43  vs. 16. Alan Prusiensky, Dodge Avenger, 6.690, 206.80; 2. Jonathan Gray, Camaro, 6.542, 211.03  vs. 15. Curt Steinbach, Camaro, 6.639, 207.66; 3. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.543, 211.39  vs. 14. John Gaydosh Jr, Chevrolet Camaro, 6.626, 208.39; 4. Larry Morgan, Camaro, 6.549, 211.86  vs. 13. V. Gaines, Dodge Dart, 6.601, 210.08; 5. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.551, 211.49  vs. 12. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.575, 211.46; 6. Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.552, 211.63  vs. 11. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.570, 211.39; 7. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.555, 211.56  vs. 10. Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.566, 211.00; 8. Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.558, 211.20 vs. 9. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.565, 211.76.  Did Not Qualify: 17. Mark Hogan, 7.165, 203.03.
 
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.868, 196.50  vs. 16. Angie Smith, Victory, 7.112, 187.52; 2. Chip Ellis, Buell, 6.880, 196.30  vs. 15. Joe DeSantis, Suzuki, 7.052, 188.91; 3. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.917, 193.96  vs. 14. Angelle Sampey, Buell, 7.037, 190.62; 4. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.924, 193.68  vs. 13. Chaz Kennedy, Buell, 7.001, 190.08; 5. Matt Smith, Victory, 6.928, 192.41  vs. 12. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.984, 191.19; 6. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.930, 192.55  vs. 11. Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.976, 191.35; 7. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 6.934, 192.85  vs. 10. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.952, 193.77; 8. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.935, 191.97  vs. 9. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.937, 193.79.  Did Not Qualify: 17. Roy Olsen, 7.442, 178.14.