KALITTA, TODD, ANDERSON & HALL ROLL TO PROVISIONAL NO. 1 SPOTS AT MUCKLESHOOT CASINO RESORT NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS
SEATTLE (July 18, 2025) – Top Fuel’s Doug Kalitta just missed out on the track record on Friday at Pacific Raceways, taking the provisional No. 1 spot under the lights at the Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals.
J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 11th of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, with each also claiming the Deecell Power Systems “After Dark Low Qualifier” award.
Kalitta went 3.671-seconds at 335.90 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster, just missing the track record of 3.670 he set a year ago. But it was plenty good enough to take the No. 1 spot, giving him the $4,000 Deecell “After Dark Low Qualifier” award. Should that hold, Kalitta would earn his sixth No. 1 qualifier this year and continue his torrid qualifying pace.
What the veteran would enjoy even more is his first victory of the season, something he hopes can come together in ideal weather conditions this weekend in Seattle.
“The conditions were good, and I was really hopeful that my car would go out there and run a good number,” Kalitta said. “We were making a lot of changes back in the staging lanes because people were smoking the tires. I wasn’t sure if they backed the thing down or what but when the thing left, I could tell it was really running. I wasn’t sure what it ran, but I was pretty definitely pleased to hear what we ended up with.
“I’m sure they’ll be gunning for that tomorrow because it’s definitely within reach with what the conditions probably will be for tomorrow. I’m just real fortunate Alan [Johnson, crew chief] and Mac [Savage] and my whole team because they can throw down with the best of them.”
Teammate Shawn Langdon is second with a 3.689 at 332.92 and Brittany Force is third with a 3.703 at a track-record 340.47.
In Funny Car, J.R. Todd made the most of the one nitro session on Friday at Pacific Raceways, taking the top position with a run of 3.901 at 329.26 in his 12,000-horsepower DHL Toyota GR Supra. Todd was one of only two drivers in the category to make a three-second run, as teams struggled under the lights.
But Todd wasn’t one of them, making a clean pass and claiming the $4,000 Deecell “After Dark Low Qualifier” award. Should that hold, Todd would pick up his first No. 1 qualifier of the year and the 15th in his career. On Saturday, the nitro teams will get three qualifying conditions in more great conditions as Todd and his Kalitta Motorsports team look to keep improving.
“From the time I hit the gas, a whole sequence of events happened. It picked the front end up pretty good. I must have had it pointed right, so I snatch it back left, and then goes out there and quivers the tires a little bit,” Todd said. “Once that happens, it kind of like it puts you behind, then there’s a pretty good bump out there, so I’m just steering the thing all over the place. I definitely did not expect it to make it, but it did.
“There’s no reason we shouldn’t be running mid- to high-80s tomorrow during the day, which that usually doesn’t happen on Saturday at most places. It’s got me excited.”
Chad Green is currently second with 3.928 at 329.75 and Austin Prock is third after a run of 5.580 at 160.46.
With ideal conditions on Friday, Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson and Dallas Glenn put on a thrilling show, trading track records during each qualifying session. Glenn set it to start the day and Anderson finished it off with a massive 6.472 at 211.13 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to take the No. 1 spot and win the $2,500 Deecell “After Dark Low Qualifier” award.
In a terrific side-by-side pairing, Glenn went 6.479, just missing on slipping past Anderson at his home track. It was another stellar duel between the two drivers who have dominated the class in 2025. For Anderson, who has four wins this season, it’s now a chance to qualifying No. 1 for the first time this season and the 137th time in his incredible career.
“Two great runs for both of us. We’re certainly not disappointed either way. It worked out because guys are just doing a fantastic job with the race cars,” Anderson said. “They spent a lot of time over the last couple weeks testing Dallas’ car, and obviously they’re better. They got happier in the first 60 feet, which is where it was kind of behind mine before.
“Getting the track record is definitely cool, but sometimes that low E.T. doesn’t win a race. I’ve shown that before, but I’d certainly rather have the fastest race car. It appears that either Dallas or I have that right now, so that’s a good feeling but it doesn’t guarantee anything. There’s a lot of guys that can win on that starting line on Sunday.”
Following Glenn in third is Greg Stanfield, as he dipped into the 6.40s as well with a run of 6.493 at 210.31.
Fresh off his victory in Norwalk, John Hall is on the verge of a massive moment in his Pro Stock Motorcycle career after going a career-best 6.717 at 201.76 on his American Rebel Beer Buell on Friday at Pacific Raceways. Should that hold, the veteran would earn his first career No. 1 qualifier, just weeks after getting his first victory in 12 years with his triumph in Norwalk.
On Friday, the run was good enough to win the $1,500 and the Deecell “After Low Qualifier” award, which was certainly good enough for the first day of racing for Hall. He posted a pair of strong runs as he looks to keep rolling after his huge victory last month.
“I could have probably gone close to that in the first round, but I screwed up, so we knew it had power, we knew it was fast, and I just went out there and did it,” Hall said. “I knew the air was good. I knew the tune-up was going to be good. I think I got every bit of it on that run.
“Matt and Angie [Smith] have done a lot of work and a lot of research. This bike just wasn’t running in the beginning of the season. They couldn’t figure out why. They spent a lot of time and money and effort to get this bike to where it is, and now it’s fast, obviously.”
Gaige Herrera is currently second after going 6.721 at 201.76 and Matt Smith’s 6.733 at 201.88 has him third.
Qualifying continues at 12:30 p.m. PT on Saturday at the Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.
***
KENT, Wash. — Friday’s results after the first of four rounds of Top Fuel and Funny Car qualifying and the first two of four rounds of for the 36th annual Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, 11th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.
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