LVMS track speed record falls in NHRA qualifying — PHOTOS

With two races left in the NHRA season, the importance of securing the No. 1 spot in qualifying has risen for teams entering this weekend’s Nevada Nationals.

In Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock, the top spot for Sunday’s elimination rounds went down to the final round on the second day of qualifying Saturday.

Funny Car’s Bob Tasca III took the top spot on the day’s last run — in record-setting fashion.

Tasca set the Funny Car speed record at Las Vegas Motor Speedway at 336.74 mph with an estimated time of 3.842 in the fourth qualifying session of the weekend. Jack Beckman set the previous speed record at LVMS in 2019 at 335.90 mph.

“The guys were disappointed,” Tasca said with a chuckle. “I got back into the pits, and they go, ‘Man, I thought it would go quicker.’ And I say, ‘Be happy, we’re the No. 1 qualifier.’ But that’s the mentality of our team. … I’m so proud of them.”

Pro Stock’s Kyle Koretsky (6.589 seconds at 205.66 mph) and Top Fuel’s Mike Salinas (3.68, 331.77) join Tasca as the fastest in their respective classes entering Sunday’s elimination rounds.

Tasca beat out Robert Hight in the last pairing. Tasca’s time Saturday was better than Hight’s top time set Friday (3.851, 327.51), which was two-hundredths of a second better than the time Tasca posted Friday.

“This is big-time, championship NHRA racing,” Tasca said. “Robert Hight, pulling up against him, I’ve got all the respect for him. We get a little excited when we knock them off because they are the kings. When you pull up alongside those guys, you better have your A-game. Tomorrow will be a big day in the championship battle.”

Tasca is second in the Funny Car points standings, 36 points behind Matt Hagan, who qualified third (3.871, 322.58).

“We’ve got a long way to go,” Tasca said. “It’s great on Saturday night to celebrate with this team, but we’ve got to win this race (Sunday). It’s a must-win to go into (the season finale) at Pomona with a chance (for the title).”

Koretsky had to beat one of the sport’s best to earn the top spot. In Pro Stock’s last round of qualifying, Koretsky unseated nine-time LVMS winner Erica Enders by three-thousandths of a second over Enders’ best time (6.592).

“That’s what it’s about. We didn’t give up after (the first qualifying session) of making a good run,” Koretsky said. “They kept digging and trying to get better every round. The last few races we’ve been behind, and they keep pushing.”

It’s Koretsky’s first No. 1 qualifying run of the season. He and Enders, the five-time Pro Stock champion who holds an 85-point lead in the standings, were the only drivers to run under 6.6 seconds.

“I think we have a shot. I really do,” Koretsky said. “I never enter the property thinking that we don’t have a shot. … I need this, I really do. I know everyone wants to win out here, but I think this weekend’s mine.”

Salinas posted his fastest time of the weekend with an estimated time of 3.680 at 331.77 mph in the last pairing in the last round. Salinas beat out Steve Torrence by three-thousandths of a second (3.683) to retake the top spot.

Top Fuel points leader Leah Pruett qualified fifth (3.704, 330.96), and second-place Doug Kalitta qualified fourth (3.696, 334.9). Pruett, Kalitta and Torrence are separated by 13 points in the standings.

“It’s a tough deal out here,” Salinas said. “You win one race, that’s great. If you can win three, four or five, you’re a superhero. This is a hard sport. … We know what it takes. It’s not an easy task (to win). Everything has to fall in place. Everything has to be amazingly perfect.”

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.