Jeg Coughlin ended Mike Edwards’ streak of 12-consecutive No. 1 qualifying positions in Pro Stock competition Saturday at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

Cory McClenathan (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also will lead their categories into Sunday’s noon eliminations at the first NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event in NHRA history to feature racing in four lanes instead of the traditional two.

Ford and John Force Racing officials announced Saturday that they will partner to supply parts and pieces to all Ford teams in NHRA, with Tasca Racing and Bob Tasca III the first beneficiaries of the new program.

Force has a parts-building operation near Indianapolis that could expand to service other teams, including Tim Wilkerson’s.

“All the jointly developed parts between us and John Force, around the engine, chassis and the body are equally available to any Ford team, starting with Tasca,” said Ford North America Motorsport director Jamie Allison said.

First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the Inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, the fourth of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday.

Representatives of the ANDRA (Australian National Drag Racing Association) are attending the first ever NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway with one purpose in mind.

They are very interested in what it takes to run a four-wide event.

A facility similar in scope to zMax Dragway will be built in Melbourne Australia according to the representatives on site.

Four wide drag racing experienced its first multi-car explosion during the third Funny Car qualifying session during the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway in Concord, NC.

One by one the competitors at zMax Dragway learned of the SFI decision to decertify certain products manufactured by Impact Racing.

Bob Tasca driver of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang, took a call from the manufacturer concerning their products in his use.

“They called me and told me my suit is safe,” revealed Tasca. “They have an issue with SFI that they are working on with their attorneys and that's the extent of my knowledge. I trust the product. I have used them for years and I have no apprehension at this time that it isn't what they say it is.”

The first round of pro qualifying at zMax Dragway on Friday brought a lot of firsts in official NHRA competition. But it also brought drag racing’s first blue light special.

The first four-wide qualifying sessions brought along a set of blue lights atop the NHRA’s christmas tree, adding to the confusion of many drivers here. With normal two-lane runs, staging is fairly simple. A driver focuses on the tree and the next lane.

But for four-wide racing, there is essentially another two-lane drag strip. NHRA added a tree to the second two lanes of track, and the blue lights indicate the pre-stage and stage progress of the two opposite lanes.

Even thought the drag strip includes two more lanes, Cory McLenathan is still comfortable at zMax Dragway.

McClenathan, the winner at zMax last September, roared to the top of Top Fuel the  ladder with a 3.790-second, 315.93 mph pass in Friday’s second round of qualifying.

Asked if he wanted to race at the Concord, N.C. track every weekend, McClenathan just smiled.

John Force Racing’s Robert Hight ripped down the zMax Dragway during the second round of qualifying for the 4-Wide Nationals, setting a track record and posting the third-quickest 1,000-foot time in NHRA history.

But Hight wants more. And, he knows he might need more. Hight said Friday that his 4.024-second, 314.24 mph run may not hold up in Saturday’s qualifying sessions.

“Yeah, I believe the conditions will be good enough tomorrow that if I don’t run better than a 4.02, that may not stay No. 1,” Hight said. “I’ve been in this position quite a few times, running these killer runs, and never backed it up for a national record. I’ve never got a record. I’ve made the quickest runs at quarter-mile and quickest runs at 1,000 feet, but never backed it up. Tomorrow, our goal is to back this thing up.”