201810.27
0

Millican, Johnson Jr. lead qualifying heading into Sunday’s eliminations at Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals

by in News

  • The funny car team of Matt Hagan remove his chrome wrapped 10,000hp hot rod out of it’s hauler Saturday morning October 27, 2018 at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Funny Car driver Tommy Johnson Jr. celebrates with a crew member after taking the top qualifying position following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Millican will start Sunday’s eliminations as the top qualifier. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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  • Top Fuel driver Clay Millican (near lane) pulls away from points leader Steve Torrence during the final round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Millican, who is second in point, is the top qualifier for Sunday’s eliminations. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Funny Car driver Tommy Johnson Jr. (left) pulls away from J.R. Todd (right) during the final round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Johnson Jr. is the top Funny Car qualifier going into Sunday’s eliminations with Todd second. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Angie Smith bring her bike to a stop following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Pro Stock driver Deric Kramer, dressed in a Batman costume, drives his race car back to the pits following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Pro Stock points leader Tanner Gray drives his race car back to the pits following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Top Fuel driver Leah Pritchett exits her dragster following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Funny Car driver J.R. Todd puts his safety gear in a support vehicle following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Millican will start Sunday’s eliminations as the top qualifier. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Top Fuel driver Leah Pritchett (near lane) pulls away from Terry McMillen during the final round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Funny Car driver John Force (top) pulls away from Matt Hagan during the final round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Funny Car drivers Tommy Johnson Jr. (left) prepares to qualify against J.R. Todd (right) during the final round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Johnson Jr. is the top Funny Car qualifier going into Sunday’s eliminations. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Smith brings his bike to a stop following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Pro Stock Motorcycle rider LE Tonglet brings his bike to a stop following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Hector Arana relaxes with a deep breath following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Top Fuel points leader Steve Torrence removes his helmet following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Top Fuel driver Clay Millican (left), and second in points, speaks with points leader Steve Torrence (right) following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Millican will start Sunday’s eliminations as the top qualifier. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Funny Car points leader Robert Hight walks away from his hot rod following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Millican will start Sunday’s eliminations as the top qualifier. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Funny Car driver Ron Capps walks towards his support vehicle following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Millican will start Sunday’s eliminations as the top qualifier. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Top Fuel driver Leah Pritchett (near lane) pulls away from Terry McMillen during the final round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Smith removes his helmet following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Pro Stock Motorcycle rider LE Tonglet rides his bike back to the pits following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Pro Stock driver Deric Kramer, dressed in a Batman costume, drives his race car back to the pits following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Funny Car driver J.R. Todd puts his safety gear in a support vehicle following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Millican will start Sunday’s eliminations as the top qualifier. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Top Fuel driver Clay Millican (near lane) pulls away from points leader Steve Torrence during the final round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Millican, who is second in point, is the top qualifier for Sunday’s eliminations. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Smith removes his helmet following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Top Fuel driver Leah Pritchett (near lane) pulls away from Terry McMillen during the final round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Funny Car driver Tommy Johnson Jr. (left) pulls away from J.R. Todd (right) during the final round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Johnson Jr. is the top Funny Car qualifier going into Sunday’s eliminations with Todd second. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

  • Top Fuel driver Clay Millican (left), and second in points, shares a laugh with points leader Steve Torrence (right) following the third round of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Millican will start Sunday’s eliminations as the top qualifier. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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LAS VEGAS – Clay Millican remained a contender for the Top Fuel world championship securing his 10th No. 1 qualifying position on the season Saturday afternoon at the NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Millican was able to carry his 3.699-second pass at 327.82 mph from Friday night for his second No. 1 position at this event. He will face Greg Carrillo when eliminations begin on Sunday.

“This team is incredible,” said Millican “This is something I would have never dreamed of.  So proud of what this team has done all season long. It is amazing.”

Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are the No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the fifth of six playoff events during the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship.

Johnson Jr. in Funny Car raced to the No. 1 position in the final pass of the session with a 3.879 at 327.82.

In Pro Stock Coughlin powered to his fifth No. 1 position of the season during the first session on Saturday with his pass of 6.628 at 206.95.

Arana Jr. moved to the No. 1 position in Pro Stock Motorcycle during the first qualifying position of the day on Saturday with his run of 6.845 at 196.44 on his Buell.

Eliminations for the NHRA Toyota Nationals begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday.