To be in the championship hunt, you must be able do more than just win features.  You’ve got to qualify well and you’ve got to transfer through your heat race regularly.  Accomplishing those two items will put a driver in a better position to achieve a better finish in the main event later that night.

While USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car point leader C.J. Leary has won just two feature events this year, including the recent Oval Nationals in Perris, Calif. last weekend, his success has started nearly from the instant the team has rolled the car off the trailer.

Watch 2019 USAC Sprints & Midgets at Arizona Speedway Live

Nov. 15-16 | 7:30PM ET

Check out the all-time Western World results

Through 33 qualifying sessions this year, the Greenfield, Ind. driver has collected fast time during Fatheadz Eyewear qualifying 10 times, nearly one of every three times he and his Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports No. 19AZ hits the track.

He’s already become just the fifth driver in series history to reach double-digit fast qualifying times in a single season, followed by Tom Bigelow's 14 in 1978, Rich Vogler's 10 in 1989, Bryan Clauson's 10 in 2012 and Kevin Thomas, Jr. in 2018, who recorded a record of 15 one year ago.

One thing in common among that group of drivers is that, during their double-digit fast qualifying seasons, three of the four captured the series title that same year.  Only Thomas missed the title, ultimately tying Tyler Courtney for the most points, but losing out on a tiebreaker of most feature wins.

Leary’s run of 10 fast times this year marks the first time in USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car history that there has been a driver record 10 or more fast qualifying times in consecutive years.

Watch 2019 USAC Sprints & Midgets at Arizona Speedway Live

Nov. 15-16 | 7:30PM ET

Check out the all-time Western World results

In essence, with 6 points gained for each fast qualifying time, that has provided Leary an extra 60 points to his total.  With a 44-point lead over Tyler Courtney entering the final two races of the year this weekend, November 15-16, at Arizona Speedway for the 52nd annual Western World Championships presented by San Tan Ford, each of those points have paid dividends toward his quest on reaching the pinnacle.

Leary has found qualifying success with fast times this season on quarter miles, three-eighths miles and half-miles, at Bloomington, Eldora twice, Terre Haute, Port Royal, Knoxville, Kokomo, Lawrenceburg, Gas City and Perris.

This weekend, it’s a one-third mile that Leary and the series are ready to tackle, on one sized track he has yet to record fast qualifying this year, the 1/3-mile Arizona Speedway in San Tan Valley.  If not, keep in mind he's qualified within the top-six of the field in 24 of 31 qualifying sessions in 2019, helping set him up for 30 top-ten finishes in his first 32 starts, most in the series, which he'll need to do two more times this weekend to help him cap off a series championship.

2019 FAST QUALIFYING TIMES:

1. (10) C.J. Leary

2. (7) Tyler Courtney

3. (4) Justin Grant

4. (3) Carson Short & Chase Stockon

6. (2) Chris Windom

7. (1) Brady Bacon, Timmy Buckwalter, Thomas Meseraull & Kevin Thomas, Jr.

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MOST FAST QUALIFYING TIMES (SINGLE SEASON) – USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CARS

BY RANK:

2018: 15-Kevin Thomas, Jr.

1978: 14-Tom Bigelow

2019: 10-C.J. Leary

1989: 10-Rich Vogler

2012: 10-Bryan Clauson

1977: 9-Pancho Carter

1995: 9-Kenny Irwin, Jr.

2002: 9-J.J. Yeley

2003: 9-J.J. Yeley

1976: 8-Pancho Carter

1979: 8-Steve Chassey

2013: 8-Dave Darland

2014: 8-Brady Bacon

2015: 8-Chase Stockon

2000: 7-Jay Drake & Tracy Hines

2017: 7 Justin Grant

1961: 6-Roger McCluskey

1966: 6-Don Branson & Roger McCluskey

1968: 6-Sonny Ates & Larry Dickson

1970: 6-Larry Dickson & Bill Puterbaugh

1971: 6-Larry Dickson

1984: 6-Rick Hood

1990: 6-Steve Butler

1991: 6-Steve Butler

1996: 6-Dave Darland

1997: 6-Richard Griffin

1999: 6-Tracy Hines

2001: 6-Tracy Hines

2016: 6-Bryan Clauson & Chase Stockon

1962: 5-Parnelii Jones

1965: 5-Johnny Rutherford

1973: 5-Sam Sessions & Tom Sneva

1974: 5-Tom Bigelow

1980: 5-Tom Bigelow

1981: 5-Eddie Leavitt

1982: 5-Sheldon Kinser

1983: 5-Rich Vogler

1994: 5-Mike Bliss & Doug Kalitta

1998: 5-Tony Elliott & Brian Tyler

2004: 5-Levi Jones

2005: 5-Levi Jones

2006: 5-Levi Jones & Josh Wise

2008: 5-Tracy Hines

2010: 5-Bryan Clauson

2011: 5-Levi Jones

1964: 4-A.J. Foyt & Jud Larson

1967: 4-Greg Weld

1969: 4-Larry Dickson, Cy Fairchild & Greg Weld

1972: 4-Tom Bigelow

1975: 4-Marvin Carman, Pancho Carter & Larry Dickson

1985: 4-Steve Butler

2009: 4-Bryan Clauson, Tracy Hines & Jon Stanbrough

1963: 3-Don Branson, A.J. Foyt, Chuck Hulse & Parnelli Jones

1987: 3-Rich Vogler

1988: 3-Tray House & Rich Vogler

1992: 3-Jim Keeker & Robbie Stanley

1993: 3-Doug Kalitta

2007: 3-Bryan Clauson, Jerry Coons, Jr. & Levi Jones

1986: 2-Sheldon Kinser

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MOST FAST QUALIFYING TIMES (SINGLE SEASON) – USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CARS

BY YEAR:

1961: 6-Roger McCluskey

1962: 5-Parnelii Jones

1963: 3-Don Branson, A.J. Foyt, Chuck Hulse & Parnelli Jones

1964: 4-A.J. Foyt & Jud Larson

1965: 5-Johnny Rutherford

1966: 6-Don Branson & Roger McCluskey

1967: 4-Greg Weld

1968: 6-Sonny Ates & Larry Dickson

1969: 4-Larry Dickson, Cy Fairchild & Greg Weld

1970: 6-Larry Dickson & Bill Puterbaugh

1971: 6-Larry Dickson

1972: 4-Tom Bigelow

1973: 5-Sam Sessions & Tom Sneva

1974: 5-Tom Bigelow

1975: 4-Marvin Carman, Pancho Carter & Larry Dickson

1976: 8-Pancho Carter

1977: 9-Pancho Carter

1978: 14-Tom Bigelow

1979: 8-Steve Chassey

1980: 5-Tom Bigelow

1981: 5-Eddie Leavitt

1982: 5-Sheldon Kinser

1983: 5-Rich Vogler

1984: 6-Rick Hood

1985: 4-Steve Butler

1986: 2-Sheldon Kinser

1987: 3-Rich Vogler

1988: 3-Tray House & Rich Vogler

1989: 10-Rich Vogler

1990: 6-Steve Butler

1991: 6-Steve Butler

1992: 3-Jim Keeker & Robbie Stanley

1993: 3-Doug Kalitta

1994: 5-Mike Bliss & Doug Kalitta

1995: 9-Kenny Irwin, Jr.

1996: 6-Dave Darland

1997: 6-Richard Griffin

1998: 5-Tony Elliott & Brian Tyler

1999: 6-Tracy Hines

2000: 7-Jay Drake & Tracy Hines

2001: 6-Tracy Hines

2002: 9-J.J. Yeley

2003: 9-J.J. Yeley

2004: 5-Levi Jones

2005: 5-Levi Jones

2006: 5-Levi Jones & Josh Wise

2007: 3-Bryan Clauson, Jerry Coons, Jr. & Levi Jones

2008: 5-Tracy Hines

2009: 4-Bryan Clauson, Tracy Hines & Jon Stanbrough

2010: 5-Bryan Clauson

2011: 5-Levi Jones

2012: 10-Bryan Clauson

2013: 8-Dave Darland

2014: 8-Brady Bacon

2015: 8-Chase Stockon

2016: 6-Bryan Clauson & Chase Stockon

2017: 7 Justin Grant

2018: 15-Kevin Thomas, Jr.

2019: 10-C.J. Leary