Lee Hartman secures a second consecutive Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown No. 1 at the NAPA NHRA Midwest Nationals, lowering the national elapsed time record to 7.548 seconds at 182.30 mph.

The record comes in Q2, which doubles as the rain-delayed NHRA Great Lakes Nationals semifinal, edging the 7.558 baseline and placing Hartman against Kim Shirley for opening eliminations.

Hartman then delivers a 5.511-second pass in the final session, underlining a sixth career No. 1 in the category and reinforcing momentum entering a championship-defining weekend.

Title rival Raymond Nash closes on points leader Jonathan Allegrucci, who qualifies fifth and edges toward a potential clinch, narrowing margins as eliminations compress the battle at the penultimate event.

Conditions shift positively versus Friday. Hartman says the team anticipated tire shake, saw it in Q1, then recalibrated for Q2 to keep the Dodge planted and the scoreboard lit.

“We were worried it would shake the tires,” Hartman says. “In Q1, it did. For Q2, we made sure it wouldn’t, then pushed to win and post a number.”

The Stanfield Racing Engines-powered Challenger runs consistently from qualifying into eliminations. Hartman reports no setup overhauls expected, prioritising repeatability over risk for Saturday’s first two rounds.

He also banks two elimination round wins during the delayed portion, adding evidence the package remains competitive under changing track and weather conditions.

The $1,000 Flexjet Bounty sits on Hartman’s car entering eliminations. Kim Shirley gets the first shot to collect, with ladder position shaped by the 16-car qualifying order.

Eliminations start Saturday afternoon, with two rounds planned. Semifinals and finals follow Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway, promising decisive swings in a tightly bunched standings picture.

Scott Libersher qualifies third and David Janac thirteenth, maintaining pressure on Allegrucci as the title race narrows across the final events after a recent Factory Stock Showdown round.

Hartman’s back-to-back top spots build on momentum from the Great Lakes weekend and bolster his challenge as the season reaches its defining phase.

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.