Edwards top NHRA qualifier at Las Vegas Speedway

Sun Staff

Saturday, April 4, 2009 | 9:30 p.m.

Mike Edwards did it again. This time, he set a track record, too.

Edwards on Saturday earned the No. 1 qualifying spot in the Pro Stock division for the SummetRacing.com NHRA Nationals with a The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway record time of 6.656 seconds at 206.16 mph.

It is the third time in five events this year that Edwards has qualified in the top spot.

“The conditions were really good, and the track was really good,” Edwards said. “We’ve had an awesome start this year, that is for sure.”

He will take on Steve Spiess in the opening round Sunday at speedway. The 16-driver elimination round for all three division starts at 11 a.m.

The 51-year-old Edwards won twice last year, at Memphis and Atlanta, and has 17 career victories. However, he has never been victorious in Las Vegas and said he typically is eliminated early on most Sundays in Sin City.

“But hopefully tomorrow I can turn that around,” he said. “Hopefully, we can keep that momentum going.”

This was the second consecutive week Edwards has set a record. Last week in Houston, he became the first driver in Pro Stock to eclipse 212 mph with a 212.03 shot.

Edwards lost in the finals at Houston to Ron Krisher, who failed to qualify Saturday for the elimination round.

Also, Rookie Shawn Langdon captured his first-ever No. 1 qualifying spot on Saturday, recording a time of 3.874 seconds at 311.41 mph in the Top Fuel division.

Langdon, the 1997 NHRA Jr. Dragster national champion, is paired against Steve Chrisman in Sunday’s first round.

“My first No. 1 is a great feeling,” Langdon said. “The car has been running really good and we’ve had the potential. We’ve run good and consistent in qualifying and we’ve just struggled a little bit in eliminations.”

Tony Pedregon was the top qualifier in the Funny Car Division with a time of 4.100 at 302.62 mph. He will face Del Worsham Sunday in the first round.

“It was just good conditions going into that last session,” Pedregon said. “I’m surprised that some of the other cars didn’t take advantage of the conditions. It was a good racetrack out there. The car finally did what we told it too.”