Updated

Antron Brown raced to the qualifying lead in Top Fuel at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday night.

Brown powered his dragster to a performance of 3.780 seconds at 320.43 mph to continue his successful comeback following a harrowing season-opening crash in February at the NHRA Winternationals at Pomona, Calif.

Brown, the defending Top Fuel world champion, won the most recent NHRA event in Gainesville, Fla. in March. If his performance holds through Saturday's two qualifying sessions, it will be his first No. 1 this season and 33rd of his career.

Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) also were qualifying leaders at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event. Hight paced the Funny Car category with a 4.053 at 315.19 in a Ford Mustang, while Edwards clocked in at 6.651 seconds at 207.98 mph in a Chevy Camaro.