NHRA Four-Wide Charlotte Qualifying Results, Sunday Elimination Pairings: John Force Does It Again

Justin Ashley picked up his first career No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel on Saturday, clinching his first top spot at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

John Force (Funny Car) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the sixth of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

On the strength of his pass of 3.669-seconds at 331.77 mph on Friday in his 11,000-horsepower Phillips Connect dragster powered by Vita C Shot, Ashley secured his first No. 1 position in his young career, doing so at the same track where he made his Top Fuel debut in 2019. Ashley will open eliminations in a first-round quad that also features Cameron Ferre, Austin Prock and Antron Brown, looking to power to his second win of 2022 and potentially take over the points lead in Top Fuel.

“We’ve accomplished a lot in a short period of time, but to be able to sit here and say we’ve qualified No. 1 at an event like this with the depth in this Top Fuel field, it really says a lot about our team,” Ashley said. “I’m along for the ride and I’m enjoying it, that much I can tell you. There’s pressure on raceday because it’s raceday. It’s just about going out there and putting our best foot forward.”

Leah Pruett qualified second with a 3.686 at 327.51, making a series of strong runs in qualifying, while four-time defending event winner Steve Torrence grabbed the third spot with a 3.694. Prock, who qualified eighth, broke the track speed record during the final session with a blast of 333.58.

In Funny Car, Force’s track-record run of 3.850 at 334.24 from Friday in his 11,000-horsepower PEAK/BlueDEF Platinum Chevrolet Camaro SS helped the 16-time world champ secure his first top qualifier of the year and 164th in his career. Force is the defending event winner at the four-wide event in Charlotte.

“It's a team effort and Robert Hight ran quicker, 3.87 to our 3.89 (in the final qualifying session), but feel I good about that because three out of four good runs for us and a little consistency," Force said. "If Robert wins, we win, but I want to win, too. He's got a couple on board (in 2022); I need to get going there. Consistency is what we're looking for. I'm trying to find myself on the Tree. So, good day for (our team) and let's see where tomorrow goes.”