CHANDLER, Ariz. (March 20, 2025) – Temperatures that soared into the triple digits Friday at Firebird Motorsports Park played a key factor in the first day of qualifying for the FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs but all four John Force Racing drivers made it safely into the field for Sunday’s eliminations.
Jack Beckman and the PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car team led JFR’s overall charge with a Q1 run of 3.982 seconds at 323.97 mph, good enough for the provisional second spot, while the ambient temperature was still in the low 90s. Jordan Vandergriff then put the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car into fourth place with a Q1 run of 4.011 seconds at 288.21 mph while Alexis DeJoria and the Bandero Quality Tequila Chevrolet SS Funny Car team grabbed the ninth spot with a run of 4.081 seconds at 298.47 mph despite dropping a cylinder and having her hands full at the top end.
Josh Hart, winner of the season-opening Gatornationals two weeks ago, bettered his tire-smoking first attempt with a Q2 run of 4.053 seconds at 296.44 mph in the Burnyzz Speed Shop / Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster with the ambient temperature pushing past the 101-degrees mark.
Saturday’s qualifying sessions are scheduled for 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. PT with similar triple-digit heat in the forecast. Sunday eliminations are slated for 10 a.m. PT.
Quote from Jack Beckman, PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car:
“Except for Richmond, that only runs a two-day race and starts earlier in the day, there’s never an event you go to where the expectation is the first run might have the best conditions for the quickest run. But, when NHRA shifted the schedule due to the heat forecast, I think that was a prudent move. We knew runs one and three will probably be our best track conditions, but you don’t want to go to bed Friday night sweating if you’re not the one in the show. That’s a tough position to be in. We were there one race ago at Gainesville, going into the last session not qualified. So, to unload with the 3.98 takes so much pressure off the PEAK SQUAD and now it allows us to try some things with the tuneup. So, we pushed a little bit hard on Q2, and that’s okay. That will tell us what we need to do in Q4 and when we go into later rounds on Sunday.”
Quote from Jordan Vandergriff, Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car:
“It was a different scenario today with Q1 being the hero run, I guess you could say and ending with Q3 tomorrow looking like that, as well. You have to be ready to stomp on the pedal pretty early in the day. It’s different but it’s the same idea, right? The heat definitely is getting to me a little bit. Just trying to stay hydrated is the most important part but you definitely feel it in the car, and down track when you get out. It plays a factor but the key is to not let it play as much of a factor as it wants to.
“The run Q1 run was good and clean. It was hot so we didn’t know what to expect. I go out there and the Cornwell Tools Chevy is running clean, and I remember about half track, like this thing’s running good. It’s going to make it. And then I felt it kind of start spinning in a twist, and I was like, ‘oh, it’s not gonna make it.’ I heard it click itself off and coast but I knew we had made it pretty far down track, so I knew it was gonna be pretty quick. So, we’ll take that 4.01 and do better tomorrow”
Quote from Josh Hart, Burnyzz Speed Shop / Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster:
“Yeah, that first run was a little sketchy. The Burnyzz Speed Shop / Speedmaster dragster got out there and thought we were gonna make it. It started off pretty smooth, and then just hazed the tire. Nothing good is going to happen on a hot track after something like that takes place. So, in the second run, we dropped a cylinder early but we knew we needed to get down the track. So, we chugged it along there shut it off a little bit early but still threw a blower belt. I think we’re sitting fourth or fifth so we’ll be okay and get another shot at it tomorrow.”
Quote from Alexis DeJoria, Bandero Premium Tequila Chevrolet SS:
“The conditions are super hot. I mean, it’s ridiculous. Lanny (Miglizzi), our track specialist, said the track temp would probably get to about 150. That being said, John Force came over before Q1 and said, ‘Just get it down there any way you can. Obviously, it gets too crazy, you know, shut it off, and we’ll race another time. Uh, but you know what you’re doing.’ Just be careful.’ I said,’ Okay … deal.’ I was on a good run but I guess it dropped a cylinder early and started to spin the tires at the top end. I was legging it out because, if it’s at the top end, you still have momentum and I could still handle it. All of a sudden, it just shot to the left because of the dropped cylinder but I stayed in it just to get it down to the top end and that got us in the show. We have two more runs tomorrow and the conditions will still be super hot but I’ve got mad faith in Bandero Chevy this team.
TELEVISION SCHEDULE
Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, March 20, and 12 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, followed by eliminations coverage at 6:30 p.m. ET.
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