BRISTOL, Tenn. 7 Tony Schumacher set a Bristol Dragway record in taking the provisional No. 1 spot in Top Fuel during Friday/s first day of the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

Schumacher, driving the U.S. Army dragster owned by father Don and tuned by Santa Maria/s Alan Johnson, posted the best time of the day with a 4.529-second run at 324.30 mph. The 4.529 was a Thunder Valley record, nipping Brandon Bernstein/s year-old mark by .001 of a second (4.530).

"It/s definitely nice to end up number one after the first day," said the Chicago native after his track record pass. "But, we have to remember that there are two more runs tomorrow. And, we better be prepared because if the weather ends up like it was today, we/ll be challenged."

Whit Bazemore led the way in Funny Car with a time of 4.770 at 321.27 for Schumacher/s flopper camp, edging the 4.815 at 320.66 of Cruz Pedregon.

Jerry Toliver, driving the Shick Quattro Toyota he co-owns with Johnson, qualified 11th at 4.924/275.22, while teammate Jim Head was 17th after the first day of action, at 5.102/289.69, one spot out of the elimination field.

Ron Capps and his Skoal Green Camaro out of Don Prudhomme/s Snake Racing was ninth at 4.915/313.00; Gary Sclezi, another of Schumacher/s Funny Car drivers, was sixth at 4.857/319.52.

Greg Anderson continued his dominance in Pro Stock, taking the provisional No. 1 spot with a 6.790/202.52, well ahead of teamamte Jason Line/s 6.840/201.10. Kurt Johnson was a narrow third at 6.841/201.13.

Qualifying continues today, with eliminations set for Sunday.

May 1, 2004