Palmer and Worsham Dominate Friday Qualifying at IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series West Salem

Scott Palmer and Del Worsham headline Friday qualifying at the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series in West Salem, Ohio. Their benchmark runs shape the elimination picture for Saturday.

Palmer sets the Top Fuel pace with a 3.079-second, 277.26 mph pass. The session streams live on IHRA.TV, adding pressure as teams chase lane choice and consistency.

Daniel Mercier follows at 3.103 and 275.74 mph. Todd Paton posts 3.107 with 281.07 mph. Gary Pritchett records top speed at 282.13 mph with a 3.127. Greg Carillo also clocks 3.127.

In Funny Car, Del Worsham delivers a 3.320 at 265.02 mph to lead. Terry Haddock is next with 3.391 at 241.29 mph, with Creasy, Morrison, and Austin rounding out the top five.

Dwayne Rice heads Mountain Motor Pro Stock at 4.088 and 175.78 mph. John Montecalvo shadows with 4.092 and the class-best 175.99 mph, indicating tight margins.

Outlaw Pro Mod sees Hank Stubbs on top at 3.573 and 212.26 mph. Bubba Stanton is close with 3.579 and the best speed, 213.27 mph, highlighting strong downtrack performance.

In Pro Mod, Kallee Mills leads at 3.583 and 208.14 mph, with Kurt Steding second. Those numbers suggest a tight elimination ladder when conditions stabilize.

Top Fuel Harley features Jay Turner leading at 4.231 and 179.86 mph. Bob Malloy sits second after a 4.274 at 182.26 mph, trading speed for incrementals.

Fuel Altereds make their first appearance here, with Ryan Hill on 3.461 at 226.70 mph. Kebin Kinsley secures the second spot, promising an explosive class debut on Saturday.

Rachel Curl leads Top Alcohol Dragster at 3.489 and 229.71 mph, edging Rich McPhillips. Phil Esz sets the Top Alcohol Funny Car provisional mark with a 3.654.

On sleds, Louie Wirbel and Edwin Wirbel lock out the top two in Outlaw Snowmobile. Matt Obertanec is fastest in Factory Stock, continuing a consistent season.

Additional leaders include Bruce Broeker in Super Rod, Kristopher Fields in Quick Rod, and Gary Fleenor in Hot Rod. Each group shows tight clustering on ET.

Top Dragster, Top Sportsman, Stock, and Super Stock advance to second-round eliminations after Friday running. Turnaround times will test crew execution and parts life.

Saturday eliminations unfold at Darana Dragway, with coverage on IHRA.TV and SPEED SPORT. Track evolution and weather will likely dictate lane picks and clutch calls.

Teams sharpen procedures overnight, with safety a constant focus. The importance of racing suits for driver safety remains central as speeds climb.

For newcomers, understanding Top Fuel dragster performance helps frame these numbers. The broader auto-racing industry trends also influence participation and event formats.

Visual Summary

Nicholas Rivera

Nicholas Rivera delivers NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car news, including eliminator-round results and reaction-time stats. He brings track-side interviews, contender profiles, and championship-point breakdowns straight from drag-racing’s biggest national events.