It is not often that a track is so good that drivers can’t handle it, but that was just the case Friday night.

Perfect conditions wreaked havoc on a majority of the competitors on the opening day of the IHRA President’s Cup Nationals at Maryland International Raceway, but for the few who were able to figure it out Friday made for some of the most exciting passes of the year.

Highlighting Friday’s opening round was Kenny Lang’s world record pass of 5.884 seconds to place him on top of the Pro Modified charts.

After a slow start in the Pro Modified class that saw many of its own struggle to hook up with the track and the near perfect conditions, the second half of the session featured back-to-back world record times that could officially find their way into the record books if it is backed up during the weekend.

Moments after Tony Pontieri laid down a 5.929 second lap, overtaking his own world record set earlier this year, he was bumped from the top by reigning world champion Kenny Lang thanks to a new world record pace of 5.884 seconds at 243.55 miles per hour.

“It felt like a decent lap, but it didn’t feel like an 88 run. We backed it off a little bit in the staging lanes because a lot of people were struggling to get down the track so we went a little on the conservative side,” Lang said. “We still went after it a little bit, but we didn’t give it all the car has in it.”

The tremendous run not only placed Lang at the top of the charts after one round, but it also gave him five more points over Ed Hoover in the championship hunt by being Friday’s Last Man Standing.

If Lang can back up the run within one percent at some point during the weekend he will become the new elapsed time world record holder with the first ever run in the eights.

“It felt smooth and good. It wandered toward the center a little bit, but it ran smooth and just so decent that it just felt like a good solid lap, but nothing like the numbers we put up,” Lang said. “This couldn’t have happened without the Al Billes horsepower. To go out and start to set a world record, to put up numbers like that is fairly impressive.”

Pontieri is just behind Lang with a still solid 5.929 second lap. Ike Maier, continuing his tremendous season, qualified third with a 6.239 second lap at 231.79 miles per hour.

Harold Martin (6.321, 204.66) and Andy Jensen (6.324, 154.92) rounded out the top five.

BUDDS CREEK, Md. -- Results Friday after qualifying for the IHRA President's Cup Nationals at Maryland International Raceway, ninth of 10 events in the 2009 Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.

Pro Modified -- 1. Kenny Lang, Chevy Corvette, 5.884, 243.55; 2. Tony Pontieri, Chevy Camaro, 5.929, 243.33; 3. Ike Maier, Corvette, 6.239, 231.79; 4. Harold Martin, Martin M 4, 6.321, 204.66; 5. Andy Jensen, Camaro, 6.324, 154.92; 6. Killer Brooks, Chevy Cavalier, 6.874, 186.07; 7. Larry Plummer, Camaro, 7.054, 229.00; 8. Tommy Gray, Camaro, 7.511, 130.07; 9. Frederick Scriba, Corvette, 9.412, 105.60; 10. Pete Farber, Dodge Daytona, 10.122, 73.59; 11. Steve Bareman, Corvette, 12.029, 100.67; 12. Chris Russo, Corvette, 12.252, 70.47; 13. Frank Patille III, Buick Special, 12.388, 91.11; 14. Ed Hoover, Camaro, 15.502, 60.69; 15. Benny Alfonso, Pontiac Firebird, 21.970, 33.14.