Perhaps inspired by the late drag-racing legend Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen, to whom he has dedicated the paint scheme on his Scrappers Dragster this weekend, Mike Salinas cranked out a 3.756-second elapsed time at 321.04 mph to lead the Top Fuel field in Friday’s first day of qualifying for the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals.

The recycling-center owner from San Jose, Calif., said he felt “like a little kid a candy store” even racing on this storied track (known now as Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis) for the first time.

But he threw all of his skill and grit at the tough task of maintaining the 10th and final spot for the Countdown to the Championship.

With this final race before the fields are set for the six-event playoff, Salinas gained four qualifying bonus points and said he believes two things: his numbers won’t hold up through four more scheduled time-trial sessions and his Morgan Lucas Racing-built dragster has more performance potential in it.

“We actually thought it would run faster. We broke a blower belt probably at 800 feet. So it should have run a lot better,” he said. “We were expecting a [3.]72.

“[It’s] my first U.S. Nationals, my first time racing here. It’s awesome. I’m like the little kid in the candy store. This is like the real deal. Back in the Fremont days, when I was a kid hanging out there, coming out here, we only dreamt of this stuff. So I’m just lucky to come out here and do it and compete with these guys. These guys are the best,” Salinas said.

“This is the race to throw down,” the rookie sensation said. “From here on in, nobody is better than anyone else. There is not one car you take lightly.”

He said he and his Doug Kuch-tuned team “have been planning on this. We have a plan, and it’s actually coming together. And it’s kind of scary because it’s working.” Salinas said tuning consultant and parts supplier Alan Johnson – who has won Top Fuel championships with Gary Scelzi, Tony Schumacher, Larry Dixon, Del Worsham, and Shawn Langdon – “is teaching me how to win.”

Salinas and his team had a meeting, and the message was simple but clear: “Don’t make mistakes and make this thing make smooth, clean runs.”

They appeared to make few mistakes Friday. But Salinas said he isn’t coasting after Friday’s accomplishment. He said he thinks his 3.756-second pass won’t hold up. Provisional No. 2 qualifier Antron Brown and No. 3 Scott Palmer, the man he’s hoping to pass for ninth place this weekend, are dangerously close.

Salinas cut Palmer’s seven-point advantage to seven to five for now. Two more qualifying sessions are scheduled for Saturday and two more for Sunday before the fields are set for Monday eliminations.

Other first-session leaders Friday were JR Todd (Funny Car), Tanner Gray (Pro Stock), and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle).