CHANDLER, Ariz. 7 While Tony Schumacher stayed at the No. 2 spot in Top Fuel qualifying at the Checker Schuck/s Kragen NHRA Nationals on Saturday, Jerry Toliver and Jim Head both found themselves on the outside of the Funny Car bracket.

Toliver, the winner of last week/s season-opening Winternationals, only qualified 19th with a top run of 5.784 seconds at 203.95 mph, three spots out of the 16-car field. Even worse, Head missed the field by .001, posting a 4.997 to qualify 17th behind Tony Bartone/s 4.996.

"This is a very humbling sport," said Toliver, in his second race after returning from an 18-month hiatus. "There is never a sure thing. You have to take the good with the bad. We/ll just pick up and go on to the next race."

Gary Densham, who Toliver beat in last week/s final, stole the No. 1 spot from boss John Force with a run of 4.773 at 322.34.

Schumacher and crew chief Alan Johnson held onto the No. 2 spot in Top Fuel in the US Army dragster, keeping his 4.511 from Friday to stay behind David Grubnic/s career-best 4.486. Still, Schumacher made noise by running 4.53 and 4.54 in the heat of the Phoenix-area desert.

"Our passes today were real nice considering how warm it was today and howslippery the track was," said Schumacher. The forecast for Sunday is for much of the same, maybe, warmer. So, I think we have a good tune up for race day."

Greg Anderson continued his dominance of Pro Stock by scoring his seventh straight No. 1 position, holding his spot with the 6.746 he posted on Friday night.

March 7, 2004