With teammate Cary Goforth and rival John DeFlorian dominating every aspect of the Pro Stock season so far in 2014, Hoerner jumped into the conversation in a major way on Friday with a chart-topping 6.259-second lap at 223.91 mph, good enough for the top qualifying position in the popular doorslammer class during opening night at the IHRA Nitro Jam Palm Beach Nationals at Palm Beach International Raceway.

Jason Rupert qualified first for the fourth race in a row in Nitro Funny Car, while Jay Turner (Nitro Harley), Ron Maroney (Nitro Altered) and Elaine Larsen (Jet Dragster) all topped their respective classes Friday night.

   Tim Boychuk (near) and Mike McIntire Jr. both produced great 5-second laps to make the NFC field

Hoerner’s 6.259 in the Dean’s Casing Service 2011 GXP was just enough to keep John DeFlorian Jr. from his second pole position of the season as DeFlorian clocked in with a 6.281 at 223.73 in the Black Diamond Motorsports 2012 Chevrolet Camaro. Pete Berner was third with a 6.346 at 222.62, followed by Cary Goforth and Kevin Bealko. With just .091 separating the five-car field, it is truly anyone’s game on Saturday.

Jason Rupert proved Friday’s other major storyline as the Yorba Linda, California native drove the Bays and Rupert “Black Plague” Camaro to the top of the charts in Nitro Funny Car in an extremely tight field. Rupert’s 5.836 at 246.30 was just enough to hold John “Bodie” Smith in the “Jungle Jim” Camaro at bay with a 5.845 at 243.50. “Mr. Explosive” Mark Sanders made it a three-pack of drivers in the 5.80s with a 5.859 at 250.09.

Tim Boychuk qualified fourth with a 5.937, followed by Mike McIntire Jr., Ronnie Young, Mike Smith and Wayne Mellinger. Young provided one of Friday’s scarier moments when the “Blue Max” nostalgia machine went up in flames just shy of the finish line and drove into the catch fencing at the top end. Young walked away from the accident.

Perhaps of even more interest, the list of drivers that didn’t qualify for Saturday’s eliminations in Nitro Funny Car provided their own surprises. Bruce Litton, John Hale and Mike Halstead all failed to qualify in the nostalgia field.

   Jay Turner

North Carolina native Jay Turner led the nitro-fed motorcycle division, topping the Nitro Harley field with a 6.298-second pass at 224.25 mph. Floridian and local favorite Joey Sternotti was second with a 6.396 at 194.41 and Mike Pelrine was third with a 6.399 at 223.69. Most recent race winner Mark Cox qualified fourth with a 6.402, followed by points leader Randal Andras, Mike Scott, Larry Brancaccio and Alvin Kobernusz.

In the final nitro-burning class Ron Maroney topped the wild Nitro Altered division in the “Blind Faith” entry with a 6.307 at 220.37, followed closely by last race winner Don Blackshear in the “Bullet Bob” AA/FA with a 6.315 at 209.59. Brian Hope qualified third, followed by Kyle Hough, Ron Hope and Terry Haddock.

Elaine Larsen wrapped up Friday qualifying by topping the Jet Dragster class with a weekend-best pass of 5.781 at 277.77. Dawn Perdue was second and Marisha Falk and Kat Moller rounded out the four-car field.

Racing will continue on Saturday with eliminations in all of the professional classes plus sportsman bracket racing throughout the day at the IHRA Nitro Jam Palm Beach Nationals at Palm Beach International Raceway.

   Elaine Larsen

FRIDAY QUALIFYING

Jupiter, Fla. – Qualifying from the 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Palm Beach Nationals at Palm Beach International Raceway

Nitro Funny Car – 1. Jason Rupert, 5.836, 246.30; 2. John Smith, 5.845, 243.50; 3. Mark Sanders, 5.859, 250.09; 4. Tim Boychuk, 5.937, 243.63; 5. Mike McIntire Jr., 5.987, 235.80; 6. Ronnie Young, 6.008, 234.29; 7. Mike Smith, 6.015, 224.85; 8. Wayne Mellinger, 6.071, 202.06; 9. Bruce Litton, 6.109, 243.94; 10. John Hale, 6.175, 209.39; 11. Mike Halstead, 6.254, 231.08

Pro Stock – 1. Todd Hoerner, 6.259, 223.91; 2. John DeFlorian Jr., 6.281, 223.73; 3. Pete Berner, 6.346, 222.62; 4. Cary Goforth, 6.346, 221.78; 5. Kevin Bealko, 6.350, 217.91

Nitro Harley – 1. Jay Turner, 6.298, 224.25; 2. Joey Sternotti, 6.396, 194.41; 3. Mike Pelrine, 6.399, 223.69; 4. Mark Cox, 6.402, 215.00; 5. Randal Andras, 6.487, 217.21; 6. Mike Scott, 6.563, 206.76; 7. Larry Brancaccio, 7.147, 193.07; 8. Alvin Kobernusz, 7.153, 176.10

Nitro Altered – 1. Ron Maroney, 6.307, 220.37; 2. Don Blackshear, 6.315, 209.59; 3. Brian Hope, 6.354, 229.90; 4. Kyle Hough, 6.392, 217.39; 5. Ron Hope, 6.612, 212.49; 6. Terry Haddock, 7.761, 123.87

Jet Dragster – 1. Elaine Larsen, 5.781, 277.77; 2. Dawn Perdue, 5.807, 269.62; 3. Marisha Falk, 5.817, 276.18; 4. Kat Moller, 6.184, 253.47

   Ron Maroney