Chicago native T.J. Zizzo made the quickest Top Fuel run in each session on Friday at Route 66 Raceway, taking the provisional No. 1 qualifier at the 24th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance.
Austin Prock (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the sixth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Zizzo powered to a run of 3.735s at 331.77mph in his Rust-Oleum dragster, putting the part-time racer in line for his first career NHRA No. 1 qualifier. Clay Millican went 3.746s earlier in the session before Zizzo closed out the day with an impressive pass in front of a host of family and friends. Zizzo was a provisional No. 1 qualifier in 2019 in Gainesville, but it didn’t hold. This time, he’ll look to keep the No. 1 spot at his home track.
“Today has been a dream,” Zizzo said. “You have the opportunity to do all kinds of things in this world, but to do this with friends and family is really special. We have worked really hard to get this done and it means a lot.
“I have to say that Don Schumacher was riding along with me today. He was instrumental in the success of this team. We don’t race as much as I’d like but I have confidence that when the car runs, every nut and bolt is right. My crew is all volunteer, but they’ve all been with me for a long time and I have complete confidence in them.”
Millican’s 3.746s at 332.84mph has him second, while defending world champion Doug Kalitta sits third after going 3.750s at 332.84mph.
Funny Car points leader Austin Prock is searching for his first career victory at Route 66 Raceway and that journey got off to a good start on Friday, going 3.907s at 332.43mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to take the No. 1 spot. Prock made the best run in each session, slipping past Bob Tasca to close out the evening in the Funny Car category. Should that hold, Prock would pick up his fourth No. 1 qualifier in six races this season, another impressive mark in Prock’s first Funny Car seas on.
“It definitely feels good, especially after Charlotte where we weren’t happy,” Prock said. “We didn’t race smart in Charlotte and it cost us. Here, we made two great runs. I’m getting more seat time and we changed a few components on the car as far as steering. This is just my sixth race, but I’d say I’m more comfortable in the Funny Car. From day one, I’ve been saying I’m oddly comfortable in there. Don’t get me wrong. This thing is a beast and anyone who tells you otherwise is crazy, but I feel really good right now.”
Tasca is currently second thanks to a run of 3.913s at 329.91mph and Paul Lee’s 3.922s at 323.13mph has him third.
Looking for her 50th career national event victory this weekend, Pro Stock’s Erica Enders took back the provisional No. 1 spot to close out the day at Route 66 Raceway, going 6.548s at 209.69mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car. Should that hold, Enders would earn her second No. 1 this season and the 36th in her career. The defending and six-time world champ also made her selection for Saturday’s GETTRX Pro Stock All-Star Callout, selecting longtime rival and No. 2 seed Greg Anderson.