Force grabs top Funny Car spot at Sonoma qualifying

Updated: July 26, 2008, 12:38 AM ET

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Associated Press

SONOMA, Calif. -- Ashley Force grabbed the provisional No. 1 qualifying position in Funny Car at the FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway on Friday.

The other provisional No. 1 qualifiers Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Chris Rivas (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

Force, the daughter of driver John Force, had 4.096-second pass at a top speed of 301.60 mph. If she can hold the top spot it would be her first career No. 1 qualifier in her 36th career race. Saturday's forecast of temperatures in the mid- to upper-80s are favorable for Force to maintain that position. Her father needed 59 races to earn his first career No. 1 qualifier (Baton Rouge, 1986).

Brown's run of 3.805 seconds at 316.45 mph earned the provisional top spot in Top Fuel.

For Edwards, if his 6.609 at 208.71 holds up Saturday, it would be his sixth career No. 1 qualifier but his first since 2001, a span of 146 races.

Rivas, of Fresno, Calif., rode to the top spot on the strength of a 6.987-second pass at 188.65. It would be Rivas's class-best third No. 1 qualifier this season.