Leah Pritchett sets NEW national record in Arizona

There’s a new sheriff in the Top Fuel ranks, and SHE is kicking ass and taking names so far in 2017.

Don Schumacher’s newest hired gun is fan-favorite wheelwoman Leah Pritchett, and after kicking off the season with a win at the Winternationals in Pomona, she’s rolled into the second stop on the tour and ripped off a new national ET record. In Friday’s second qualifying session at Phoenix’s Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, Leah and her Papa John’s Pizza-sponsored fueler blasted to a scintillating 3.658 ET at 329.34 MPH to take the provisional #1 qualifier position.

The other teams will have a couple of shots to overtake Pritchett on Saturday, but with record numbers setting the pace, it’s unlikely anything put a perfect 1,000′ pass could take the poll from the knockout pilot, meaning Pritchett should roll into Sunday’s eliminations at the Arizona Nationals with a first round date with the #16 qualifier. Whomever ends up opposite Leah better be praying for a miracle as the Papa John’s team has been on a mission to establish themselves as contenders early in the new season, a task they’re well on their way to completing.