NHRA FinalsJ.R. Todd and Morgan Lucas put their matching dragsters atop the Top Fuel field after the first day of qualifying at the 44th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, the final event of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series schedule. Todd scorched the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona track with a 3.851 to take the top spot, just four-thousandths ahead of his teammate.

Mike Neff leads the Funny Car field with three qualifying sessions to go after posting a 4.10 while Dave Connolly fronts the Pro Stock pack and Eddie Krawiec, who is locked in a tight championship battle with Matt Smith, heads the Pro Stock Motorcycle field.

It's been a tough season for the Lucas Oil team of Todd and Lucas, so the two palsit was more than 100 years ago, on Oct. 10, 1901, that Henry Ford made history when he ran his one and only automobile race and defeated Alexander Winton—known as the greatest racer of his era. This upset victory ultimately attracted investors to Ford and helped Henry Ford start Ford Motor Company less than two years later. This race has long since been known as the start of the Ford Racing program. “It’s a perfect fit that a legacy of the Ford Racing program serves as Grand Marshal for the final race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup,” said Homestead-Miami Speedway President Curtis Gray. “What an honor to have Mr. Ford join us for Ford Championship Weekend.”

A tire and wheel sits attached to the Landing Gear