Steve Torrence – Syndication Server

Prock sweeps Saturday at NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd

On the final Funny Car pass of the day at Brainerd International Raceway, points leader Austin Prock powered to the No. 1 spot and claimed his sixth straight victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday at the 42nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA …

Antron Brown (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Jerry Tucker (Pro Stock) also qualified No. 1 at the 13th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Prock went a stellar 3.860s at 334.07mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to close out qualifying and win the specialty race against Ron Capps in the process. It gives Prock an incredible seven victories in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, which is the most in the history of the program that started a year ago.

He’s earned 23 bonus championship points as well, while the run hands the points leader and first-year Funny Car driver an equally incredible nine No. 1 qualifiers in the first 13 races of the season. Like he’s done several times in 2024, Prock will look for a clean sweep of the weekend on Sunday, opening eliminations against Jim Campbell.

“It was impressive, but the conditions were coming to everybody,” Prock said. “Safety Safari did an outstanding job of getting the race track back into tip-top shape. I’m really proud of the team, we had a great day and were low of both sessions.

“I was nervous but a little excited to get another shot at a late run here because last night we threw up. We were kind of scratching our heads on why. It was really close to making it and it just didn’t go. [Today], it went right down there and made a really nice pass. We ended up with three more points, a Mission win, and another yellow hat – pretty proud of that.”

Bob Tasca III jumped to second after going 3.868s at 334.98mph in the final session, while Blake Alexander took third thank to Friday’s run of 3.874s at 331.61mph.

In Top Fuel, Antron Brown stayed red-hot in Brainerd, as the defending event winner and victor in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge repeated the first part of that on Saturday, defeating Steve Torrence in the final of the bonus race with a run of 3.842s at 314.17mph in his Matco Tools Toyota dragster.

It is Brown’s second victory in the Challenge this season, giving him 10 bonus points for the Countdown to the Championship. Brainerd continues to be a great place for the three-time world champion who looking to be peaking at the perfect time. He’s the back-to-back Indy winner and Brown, who is currently fifth in points, also won the most recent race in Sonoma, giving him plenty of momentum at an ideal time.

“It’s always been a plan in motion to try to peak at the right time. Our car has been running exceptionally well and that’s just a tribute to our team,” Brown said. “They’ve been working really hard at this and they got a good combination. We’ve been running strong enough, even with the Mission #2Fast2Tasty to pull off the runs. We make it down track every run, and when you do that, it gives you a chance to win.

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“This is one of those great tracks. This is a special track for us, this is where we ran our first 0.60s, a 3.68s against J.R. Todd. This track always has some great memories for us, and we always kick into gear – this is where we get into our groove. We race enough races in a row to know where we’re at and where we need to be at. Tomorrow, hopefully we can continue that trend and carry it on to the U.S. Nationals.”

Torrence kept the No. 1 position on the strength of Friday’s 3.688s at 335.32mph in his Capco Contractors Toyota dragster. It gives the four-time world champ his third top spot this season and the 40th in his career. He’ll open eliminations against Ida Zetterstrom, who is making her Top Fuel debut this weekend in Brainerd.

“This is time where you really get up on your A-game and start working on trying to go win a championship,” Torrence said. “We have here and Indy left, and then it’s ‘katy bar the door.’ Everybody is going to be swinging as hard as they can and trying to go out and win a championship. We’re right in the thick of things, and we need to capitalize on every opportunity we have to stay a top three car and start the Countdown strong.”

Tony Stewart stayed in the second spot thanks to Friday’s 3.688s at 332.18mph and Brittany Force jumped to third in the final qualifying session thanks to a run of 3.698s at 335.48mph.

Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson capped off the night with his third win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, taking down KB Titan Racing teammate Cory Reed in the final of the bonus race with a run of 6.618s at 204.79mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. It was an ideal finish for the evening for Anderson, who will look to sweep his hometown race and win for the first time in Brainerd since 2011.

“It was definitely a great day,” Anderson said. “You have to stick it out. Nobody cares how it happened, they just know who won, period, so you have to find a way to win. We did. It was a great race in the final with my new teammate, Cory Reed. He’s obviously going to be a special racer. I’m very proud of the boy, and I dodged a bullet. We’ll see what the Good Lord brings tomorrow.

“Today was a great day. I love racing on Saturday, and as I’ve said many times before, after a great win on Sunday I sure wish we could race tomorrow, and man we get to race tomorrow. I’m very happy about that, and I can’t wait to get to it. I think tomorrow is going to be smooth, it should be a great day, and hopefully we can find a way to show off in front of the hometown fans.”

Jerry Tucker earned his second career No. 1 qualifier of the year in his Outlaw Mile Hi Beer/Scag Power Equipment Car after a strong pass of 6.612s at 207.78mph. It adds to Tucker’s current momentum after running well in Sonoma and advancing to the semifinals. He’ll face off with Mason McGaha, hoping to pick up his first career win in Pro Stock and give Elite Motorsports its seventh straight victory of the year as well.

“We knew we had it in us. We went to Sonoma, and we were probably the fastest car. I let the team down,” Tucker said. “We went over to Rock Falls and did some testing and we were faster than Jeg and TJ and Erica. Really, in testing, if you’re that fast, you’ve got a good racecar. When the car is that fast, it’s a lot of pressure on a guy not to mess up a good deal. Erica drove that car for five years, and there are no issues with that car. It’s the fastest car.

“The Elite team is something, it’s hard to put your finger on. Everyone is pulling in the same direction. Erica Enders has been great to me, Jeg has been right beside me. Anytime you have that many championships trying to keep you in line, it’s kind of hard to mess up. My team is good that works on my car, so it’s really just up to the driver.”

Enders is second with a 6.612s at 207.27mph and Anderson qualified third.

Eliminations for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals begin at 10:30 a.m. CT on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway.

Torrence, Alexander, Anderson go No. 1 on Friday at Brainerd

Four-time Top Fuel world champion Steve Torrence powered to the provisional No. 1 position on speed at Brainerd International Raceway, taking the top spot over Tony Stewart on Friday at the 42nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Blake Alexander …

Blake Alexander (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 13th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Torrence and Stewart both went a blistering 3.688s during the second qualifying session at Brainerd, but Torrence had the faster run, going an impressive 335.32mph in his Capco Contractors dragster. If that holds, it would be Torrence’s third top spot of the season and the 40th in his career. After winning in Seattle, things are continuing to come around for Torrence, who is currently third in Top Fuel points.

“We’ve been working on trying to make power,” Torrence said. “At the end of the day, power is speed, and the high mile an hour is just an exhibition of power and being able to get it down. These conditions here are different than a lot of places we go, so it’s rather difficult to make power here. I was a little surprised to see 0.68s being low.

“The track is good, everything is good, but people are struggling to make the power they want. We were wanting to run quicker than 0.68s, and that’s just what it gave us. We were just a little closer to it than everybody else, only a little better than Smoke. Pretty cool to see him come out and do as well as he’s done right here. We got lucky and it’s been a good day.”

Stewart went a career-best 3.688s at 332.18mph to sit in the second spot, while points leader and reigning world champ Doug Kalitta is third with a run of 3.703s at 335.40mph.

Funny Car’s Blake Alexander made a big move to close out qualifying on Friday in Brainerd, jumping to the No. 1 position in his Head Racing Ford Mustang after a strong run of 3.874s at 331.61mph. It would be Alexander’s first career No. 1 qualifier should it hold. It was a standout performance by Alexander, who has enjoyed some strong moments during the 2024 campaign, including a pair of semifinal finishes over the last four events. Adding his first career No. 1 qualifier would certainly add that list if Alexander can hang on.

“Given the circumstances of the previous race, that was very sweet – but also, I think we’re capable of doing that, and it wasn’t exactly surprising,” Alexander said. “It’s repetitive – that’s the second time we’ve run 3.87s, and that’s when you start becoming a problem for these guys out here who are, quite frankly, bigger outfits than us. It feels pretty good to be able to run with them.

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“We’re having the best season we’ve ever had, to be honest. We just haven’t won a race yet. I think that gets lost in the nature of this business is you’re only as good as your last run. That will happen tomorrow, and that will happen on Sunday, but right now we’re happy with where we’re at.”

Alexis DeJoria took the second spot after going 3.882s at 332.84mph and Bob Tasca III, who won the most recent race in Sonoma, is third thanks to a run 3.884s at 332.59mph.

In Pro Stock, Duluth native Greg Anderson put together a classic performance at the track where he grew up racing, taking the provisional No. 1 position with a run of 6.641s at 207.08mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. That puts Anderson in position to pick up his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the year and the third in the past four races. Anderson hasn’t won in Brainerd since 2011, something the five-time world champion would love to change as the Countdown to the Championship approaches. He closed out qualifying with a standout run and will look to continue that on Saturday when Pro Stock will make three qualifying runs.

“I was hoping we could have run a little bit quicker, but the bottom line is that we did all we could do today. We got all the points that they had to give, and we won Friday,” Anderson said. “So, we’ll move into tomorrow as a new day, and we’ll use that as tuning data. There’s definitely a lot of room left in it, we know we can run better which is great news.

“I love racing here at Brainerd. When it’s cloudy and cool like this, the racetrack is great. The bottom line is that the racetrack is better than we went up there prepared for. That’s a good problem. You go home and find some courage, come back tomorrow and be better. That’s what we’ll do. We’ll come back like a lion tomorrow and hopefully run better and take No. 1 home with us.”

Aaron Stanfield, who has won three of the past four races, is currently second with a 6.642s at 206.26mph and Matt Hartford is right behind after going 6.643s at 204.66mph.

Qualifying continues at 12 p.m. CT on Saturday at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.

Torrence, Prock among NHRA Northwest Nationals winners

Funny Car points leader Austin Prock powered to his fourth win of the season for John Force Racing on Sunday at Pacific Raceways, defeating first-time finalist Paul Lee in the final round of the 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals. Steve Torrence …

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Chase Van Sant (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won at the 11th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

In the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Maddi Gordon became the 100th different female winner in NHRA history, picking up her first career national event victory in Top Alcohol Funny Car. Gordon is in her rookie season in the Top Alcohol Funny Car ranks.

“This is amazing. It doesn’t get any better than this,” Gordon said. “This is a dream. I’m a brand new driver and this is amazing. I couldn’t be more thankful and it just feels great.”

Prock went 3.875s at 334.57mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS in the Funny Car finals to get past Lee and pick up his eighth career win as part of another incredible weekend. The pass in the finals was his fourth consecutive run in the 3.80s on Sunday, as Prock, who was also the No. 1 qualifier, defeated Cruz Pedregon and J.R. Todd earlier in the day.

The first-year Funny Car standout became just the fourth driver in NHRA history to win in both Funny Car and Top Fuel in Seattle, following up his 2019 Top Fuel win at the facility, which was his first career victory.

“This whole Cornwell Tools team is just doing such a great job and given me an opportunity to go out and compete for wins every weekend, and we’ve been going a lot of rounds lately. I just hope we can keep it up throughout the rest of the year,” Prock said.

“I didn’t drive all that hot this weekend. I was consistent but consistently slow on the starting line, so they did an outstanding job and they really carried the team. They’ve been doing a great job of that this year and it sure has been fun.”

In advancing to his first career final round, Lee got past Jeff Diehl, defending world champion Matt Hagan and Blake Alexander.

Looking for his first win of the season, Top Fuel’s Steve Torrence simply had to go back to Seattle, as the four-time world champion won for the second straight year at Pacific Raceways with a wild run of 3.963s at 279.79mph in his Capco Contractors dragster in the finals against Shawn Langdon. It is the 55th career win for Torrence, but the Texan had not won since his Seattle triumph a year ago.

But he changed that after a spectacular weekend, qualifying No. 1 and then rolling through Ron Smith and defending world champion Doug Kalitta to reach the final round. Both Torrence and Langdon ran into difficulty during the run, but Torrence had enough at the finish line to claim the victory, moving to third in points. It is also Torrence’s third career win in Seattle.

“I think we left pretty close to each other and I could hear him right there with me, and then I heard him start to go away. But you’re trying to hold it straight and you’re waiting on that light on the wall to come on and it took me forever to finally see it. We’ve been trying to win one of these for a long time,” Torrence said.

“Our car definitely has shown a lot of promise to go out there and throw down when it needs to go fast. We’ve had a difficult time managing the power, so I think this weekend was exemplary of what we can do and what we need to do.”

Langdon, who struggled in qualifying, rebounded in a big on Sunday, advancing to the finals for the third time in 2024 and the 43rd time overall with round wins against Justin Ashley, Josh Hart and Clay Millican. Langdon is second in points while Kalitta stayed comfortably in the points lead.

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In Pro Stock, Jeg Coughlin helped continue an impressive streak for Elite Motorsports, driving to his third victory of the season by taking down points leader Dallas Glenn in the final round with a run of 6.536s at 209.95mph in his Scag Power Equipment/Outlaw Mile-High Light Beer/Elite Motorsports car. It’s the 68th career victory for the five-time world champ and also handed Elite Motorsports its fifth consecutive victory.

Coughlin has been a huge part of that dominant stretch with two victories in that span and was on his game on Sunday, getting around Jerry Tucker, Eric Latino and Chris McGaha in the final round. He followed that with an 0.010s reaction time in the final round against Glenn, getting his second career victory at Pacific Raceways, with the first coming 22 years ago in 2002.

“It feels fantastic. It’s just kind of a corny statement, but the team, as a whole has obviously done very well,” Coughlin said. “We’ve won all but three of the events this year, which is a real testament to our stamina and our abilities.

“We’ve been struggling with some consistency and we really feel like we’ve turned the corner in multiple ways in the last two or three weeks, not because we’ve won the events, but because the cars have become more efficient, they’re accelerating better, and printing better time slips. So, you know, a real tip of the hat to our whole crew.”

Glenn, who stayed in the points lead, advanced to the finals at his home track for the sixth time this season and the 23rd time in his career thanks to round wins against teammate Greg Anderson, Matt Hartford and Troy Coughlin Jr.

Chase Van Sant made his own history and also ended a historic run in Pro Stock Motorcycle on Sunday, picking up his first career victory with a run of 6.720s at 201.31mph on his Trick Tools Suzuki over defending world champion Gaige Herrera in the final round. It snapped Herrera’s record-breaking run of 12 straight victories and 46 consecutive round wins, a string that dated back to last September.

Van Sant, though, was impressive throughout eliminations, taking down Brandon Litten, John Hall and Matt Smith. Van Sant left first on Herrera and led wire-to-wire in a rematch of the final round in Chicago this year. This time, though, Van Sant, the 2023 NHRA Rookie of the Year, got the best of Herrera, denying him any chance of an undefeated season and picking up a victory he won’t soon forget. Van Sant also moved to fourth in points with the win.

“I got down to the top end and saw my win light on and I was just shaking my head,” Van Sant said. “We were down in the shutdown and Gaige yelled something at me and he pointed and I was like, ‘Man, I don’t know. Like is this real?’ I’ve gone up against Gaige five times and lost all five times, so to cut a light and get away early and outrun him just speaks volumes to how hard this team has been working kind of silently in the midst of all the drama in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

“Gaige and I have known each other for a while and every time we raced, it’s been a lot of fun and I’ve enjoyed it. I was super happy for him breaking all of those records, but I told him “If I can end your streak, I will be the happiest person in the world.'”

Herrera maintained a dominant points lead, advancing to his seventh final this season and 19th in his career after defeating Eiji Kawakami and Jianna Evaristo.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action July 26-28 with the 36th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

Friday speeds hold for nitro No. 1s at NHRA Arizona Nationals

J.R. Todd powered to the Funny Car victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday at a sold-out Firebird Motorsports Park, defeating John Force in the final round of the specialty event as part of the 39th annual NHRA Arizona …

Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, while Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) claimed No. 1 qualifiers at the third of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Todd held off Force in the final round of the Challenge with a run of 3.974s at 316.67mph in his DHL Toyota GR Supra. It gives the former world champion his second victory in the specialty race, with the first coming last year in Sonoma. Todd swept that weekend, which is something he would certainly love to replicate in Phoenix. Todd knocked off Matt Hagan in the earlier round before leading from start-to-finish against Force in the final round.

“Anytime you could turn on a win light against the greatest of all time, that’s it’s doing something whether it’s the Mission race or the actual Sunday event,” said Todd, who won the Gatornationals earlier this season. “He’s a tough one to get by.

“It’s weird to say that we’ve been struggling this year, but we have been struggling to get down to try to make clean runs and haven’t really been consistent a lot, so coming up to this race I think the game plan was just going from A to B to make sure we got a good clean run. to start off the weekend.”

Austin Prock’s 3.840s at 334.40mph from Friday in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS held up, giving the first-year Funny Car driver his second No. 1 spot in three races. He’ll open eliminations against Buddy Hull. Bob Tasca III took second with a 3.876s at 334.65mph and Paul Lee qualified third after going 3.889s at 329.02mph.

In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher picked up the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory with a run of 3.925s at 292.77mph in his Leatherwood Distillery/RAC Financial dragster, getting past Brittany Force in the finals of the specialty race. It’s the first victory in the Challenge for Schumacher, an eight-time Top Fuel world champ, who likes the direction the team is headed.

“This does a lot for us,” Schumacher said. “The car has been running well. They’ve made some changes. We’re happy where we’re at. We’re gaining knowledge. We have a great race car. I’m driving the car well, minus that last round. All things considered, we get to do it again tomorrow. This is a great race track, it’s a sold out show today and I’m looking forward to getting started for tomorrow.”

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Steve Torrence’s strong run from Friday stood up, as the four-time world champion earned his first top spot of the season with his 3.678s at 336.23mph in his Capco Contractors dragster. He’ll open eliminations against Top Fuel rookie Travis Shumake, looking for his first victory of the season. Brittany Force qualified second thanks to Friday’s 3.689s at 334.90mph, while defending world champ Doug Kalitta’s 3.697s at 323.66mph put him third.

Enders’ Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge win in Pro Stock came against Mason McGaha, as the defending world champion tracked down McGaha with a run of 6.541s at 210.87mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car. It’s the second specialty event win for motorsports’ winningest female, and she’ll look to pick up her 50th career national event win on Sunday.

“We’re obviously very thankful for what Mission is doing for our sport and our class, and it’s exciting to have a race within a race despite the stress that it has been,” Enders said. “Rolling off the trailer and having no shots at the Tree or the racetrack before that round of eliminations, it was nerve-wracking. Fortunately, my horsepower saved me. I’ve saved my car before and today they saved me.”

Her Elite Motorsports teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. swiped the No. 1 spot from the six-time world champ during the final session, as the veteran went 6.517s at 210.64mph in his Scag Power Equipment car. It’s the 35th career No. 1 qualifier for Coughlin, who returned back to full-time racing this season. He’ll open eliminations against Phoenix-area native Matt Hartford, looking to win for the first time since 2020.

“It’s very exciting and a big testament to this team,” Coughlin said. “To be on the pole, it feels fantastic. We unloaded off the trailer with a good run right off the bat. I had my hands full the first three gears and we tuned it up for Q2. It was the quickest of the session and went straight down the track. They tuned it up for Q3 and gave me a little more and it felt really nice. The car feels good and the team is gelling, and that’s what it takes.”

Enders’ 6.518s at 210.90mph put her second, while Dallas Glenn took third with a 6.537s at 209.14mph.

Eliminations for the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday at Firebird Motorsports Park.

Prock fastest at NHRA Gatornationals in Funny Car debut

Austin Prock set the Gainesville Raceway track record in his Funny Car debut on Friday for John Force Racing, powering to the provisional No. 1 position at the 55th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. Steve Torrence (Top …

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the first of 21 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Prock, the 2019 NHRA Rookie of the Year, moved from Top Fuel to Funny Car before the season and enjoyed an impressive start to the 2024 NHRA campaign, going 3.820s at 334.65mph in his Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. If that holds, it would be his fourth No. 1 qualifier and first in his new class.

“When you’re running this quick, it’s right on the ragged edge and you have to be perfect,” Prock said. “It’s been a lot to take in, but the way this car is running and the way my dad (crew chief Jimmy Prock) is feeling, it’s definitely been a fun experience. We’re all on the same page and my whole family has the same passion for this sport. To be successful is one thing, but to do it with your family is really special. I’ve really been looking forward to this season and this was a heck of a way to start.”

Bob Tasca III was right behind, going 3.829s at 337.75mph, with the speed mark setting a track record. Ron Capps took the third position with a 3.871s at 333.00mph.

Torrence made the quickest run in both Top Fuel qualifying sessions on Friday, as the four-time world champ went 3.690s at 333.08mph in his Capco Contractors dragster. If that holds, Torrence would earn his 38th career No. 1 position and sets him up nicely for Saturday’s Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout. Torrence is the No. 1 seed in the specialty race and will get the first selection for his opening-round opponent. The eight-car shootout features a big payout and bragging rights and also includes Doug Kalitta, Mike Salinas, Brittany Force, Justin Ashley, Antron Brown, Shawn Langdon and defending Callout winner Josh Hart.

“It gives me more confidence going into tomorrow,” Torrence said. “The car is performing like we want and we’ve got a good car right now. Those two runs are a product of the last [one to two] years coming to fruition. It gives my team confidence as well and it says a lot to be No. 1 [in the Callout]. In this field, you’ve got some of the toughest competition out there. This place was packed today and I look forward to putting on a show in front of these fans tomorrow.”

Langdon posted an impressive run to close out his day, jumping to second with a 3.697s at 332.43mph. Salinas’ 3.717s at 321.19mph puts him third after two sessions. Racing legend Tony Stewart, who is making his Top Fuel debut this weekend, went 3.739s at 327.82mph.

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Looking to conquer Gainesville Raceway for the first time in her stellar career, defending and six-time Pro Stock world champ Enders enjoyed a strong start on Friday, going 6.550s at 207.88mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/SCAG Power Equipment car. That closed out the day and sent the reigning champ to the No. 1 spot. If it holds, it would be Enders’ 35th career top position, but motorsports’ winningest female is more interested in winning in Gainesville for the first time.

“We’ve obviously not had a lot of great luck here,” Enders said. “We qualified No. 2, we got beat out by our teammate Troy Coughlin for the No. 1 spot last year. I went to hit the start button for first round and she did not crank so the gator bite continued, but we’re determined to change that this weekend. This is one of the last tracks on the circuit we have left to accomplish so it’s high on our to-do list. It doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, but it definitely means we’re going to give it every bit of effort we have.”

Enders’ Elite Motorsports teammate Cristian Cuadra is second after a run of 6.552s at 209.10mph and Dallas Glenn’s 6.556s at 208.59mph currently puts him third.

Herrera picked up right where he left off in Pro Stock Motorcycle, both from his championship-winning 2023 season and last year in Gainesville, going to the No. 1 spot with a run of 6.752s at 198.64mph on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. Herrera dominated the 2023 campaign, winning 11 races and grabbing 14 No. 1 qualifiers – both single-season records in the category – and showed no signs of slowing down Friday in Gainesville. The defending event winner made the quickest runs of both sessions as he looks to repeat at the site of his first NHRA win.

“We started where we left off and all the credit goes to my team,” Herrera said. “They’ve worked really hard in the off season. I’m very happy with how I ran today. Everybody in this class has been working and it shows. This season is going to be very exciting and I’m really looking forward to it. Andrew (Hines, crew chief) works day and night in the shop and that’s where we shine. He keeps pushing and pushing, and this team never stops working.”

Matt Smith went 6.785s at 199.55mph to go into the second spot, while Steve Johnson is currently third after going 6.804s at 195.70mph.

Qualifying continues at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

Hagan rockets to top on fast Friday at NHRA Finals at Pomona

Funny Car points leader Matt Hagan made a pair of strong qualifying runs to open the final race weekend of the 2023 NHRA season, powering to the provisional No. 1 position for Tony Stewart Racing on Friday at the 58th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA …

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 21st race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the sixth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Hagan put together a run of 3.869s at 328.46mph in his Dodge Direct Connection Charger SRT Hellcat, moving into the No. 1 spot and putting him in line for his second top qualifier of the season and 51st in his career. Hagan, Bob Tasca III and Robert Hight entered the weekend separated by just 17 points as Hagan seeks his fourth career world title and the first for Tony Stewart Racing.

“This is what I worked for all year long – to be able to do this, go down that racetrack, and have a fast racecar underneath me,” Hagan said. “That’s what excites me and keeps me coming back every year. I keep crawling back in this racecar because I get to create these moments. I truly wake up every morning going damn this is my job and I get to do this, and I’m right here in this fight.

“I truly love pulling the helmet on and having an opponent that makes me rise to the occasion. I don’t care if it’s on me. For me, it’s turning it into something that’s exciting energy instead of nervous energy. It’s taken me a long time to learn how to do that as a competitor.”

Paul Lee took the second spot with a run of 3.875s at 322.58mph and Tasca is currently third thanks to his run of 3.880s at 336.99mph. Hight is fourth with a 3.898s.

In Top Fuel, Steve Torrence opened up what he hopes is a championship-winning weekend with a spectacular start, going 3.641s at 335.65mph in his Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster. Should that hold, the four-time world champion would earn his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 38th in his career. More importantly, it’s a great way to kick off the weekend in what could be an incredible finish in the category. Torrence, Doug Kalitta and Leah Pruett are all within striking distance of each other heading into the weekend and each delivered standout runs during the second qualifying session under the lights. But it was Torrence who delivered the biggest, something he hopes is the sign for the rest of the weekend.

“That’s a huge boost for us,” Torrence said. “The last four, five, six races, the car has been really good and getting better. We took a year and developed what we’re doing, maybe a year and a half. We were always the car that ran well in mediocre, hot conditions and tricky racetracks but not powerful or strong enough to go 0.64s, 0.65s, 0.63s. It took a lot of time and effort to get there and I feel very confident that when conditions are like they are now, we’ve got one of the strongest cars if not the strongest.

“That’s big for me. Not that it boosts your head up, but it definitely gives you a mental confidence and somewhat of an advantage going into a round where, hey we’ve got to throw down and we can throw down more than they can. I would dare to say that I have the best racecar I’ve had in a long time, probably the quickest and fastest I’ve ever had. If not the best at the racetrack, one of the best.”

Kalitta is currently in second with a 3.671s at 336.99mph and Pruett’s 3.676s at 332.84mph puts her third.

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Looking to stay alive in the championship hunt, Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson made a stellar run to close out Friday, going 6.495s at 211.69mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. He entered the weekend trailing Erica Enders by 114 points, but closed the gap a little with two strong runs to open qualifying. Enders can still clinch the title on Saturday if she gains seven or more qualifying points than Anderson. If not, the championship would be decided the next day and Anderson hopes he can stay in the mix for at least a couple more days as both standouts race for their sixth world championship.

“The points deal is not exactly playing in my favor right now, but it’s like the old line from ‘Dumb and Dumber, ‘So you’re saying there’s a chance,’” Anderson said. “Until they tell me there’s not a chance, I’m not leaving. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got. I need to find a way to have a great run in qualifying and score bonus points and not lose bonus points to Erica. That would put her another round ahead and make it to where it’s locked up.

“That’s No. 1 goal, qualify ahead of her and not lose bonus points. Day one in the books, mission accomplished. We did great today, we did all we could do today. I’ve got all the confidence in the world that this team will do all we can possibly do. You just never know what’s going to happen. It’s not over until it’s over. We’re going to keep swinging until they tell us it’s over.”

Troy Coughlin’s 6.500s at 210.01mph puts him in the second spot, while Enders moved to third in the final session after going 6.500s at 210.31mph.

Gaige Herrera will clinch his first Pro Stock Motorcycle world championship on Saturday and enjoyed a strong Friday as well in Pomona, going to the provisional No. 1 spot on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki with a run of 6.721s at 200.59mph. Should that hold, Herrera would extend his PSM single-season record with his 14th top spot in 15 races, one of the many examples of his dominance in 2023. Herrera will wrap up his world title at the conclusion of qualifying on Saturday on the strength of 10 wins during his record-setting season.

“It’s really starting to set in, what all has been accomplished,” Herrera said. “We’re basically wrapping up the championship tomorrow, and it’s a lot to take in. I was talking to a good friend of mine and he was like a year ago at this time, did you think you’d be in the position you’re in? That’s a definite no. Even though I joined one of the best teams out here, you can’t expect to have a season like this. It’s just, it’s remarkable. It’s incredible. I’m literally living the dream I had as a little kid and I’m just having fun with it. I don’t think it can get any better than this.

“I’m definitely thinking about the championship, but I’m not even nervous about this, I’m more worried about the banquet on Monday.”

Hector Arana Jr. is currently in the second spot after going 6.729s at 201.28mph and Eddie Krawiec, who is seeking his 50th career win, is third thanks to a 6.742s at 201.52mph.

Qualifying continues at 12:00 p.m. PT on Saturday at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

Torrence, Tasca, Kramer and Herrera lead Friday NHRA qualifying at Texas

Top Fuel’s Steve Torrence delivered the fifth-quickest run in NHRA history on Friday and the quickest run in four years, powering to the provisional No. 1 position at the 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex. Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Deric Kramer (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers.

Torrence went 3.636s at 336.62 mph in his Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster at his home track, putting the Texan and four-time world champion in line for his third No. 1 qualifier of the season. It’s also a track E.T. record and career-best run for Torrence, who entered the weekend third in points. Setting the track record and making the best Top Fuel run since 2019 at a track where he grew up racing meant a great deal to Torrence, who hopes to turn his incredible start to the race – which includes the $15,000 “Friday Night Live” low qualifier bonus – into a great finish this weekend.

“I have so much history here at this racetrack, I grew up racing here,” Torrence said. “There are a a lot of expectations when you come here. You want to go out and do well in front of the hometown fans. I take pride of being from Texas and these fans are unbelievable. Richard Hogan, Bobby Lagana, every one of those guys put so much blood, sweat and tears into what they’re doing. It makes you be proud of the team and what’s going on.

“The track is unbelievable here, the whole Meyer family and everyone behind the scenes has done a great job. This is an event, this is more than just a race, and I’m really proud of everything that’s gone on here. To go out, to go low E.T., to run a career-best speed and E.T., it’s special. We need to carry that momentum into raceday, we need to keep the car running well, but this is definitely a great place to start.”

Points leader Doug Kalitta put up a 3.642s at 334.70 to sit in the second spot, while Torrence’s father, Billy, is third after going 3.660s at 334.57. Justin Ashley sent the track speed record with a blast of 338.40, which is also the third-fastest run in Top Fuel history. In all, 11 cars went in the 3.60s during an epic nitro qualifying session.

That included Funny Car, where points leader Bob Tasca III blasted to the quickest run in five years in the category, delivering a magnificent pass of 3.822s at 335.55 in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang, also breaking the track E.T. record. He made the quickest run in both qualifying sessions on Friday in Dallas to continue his Countdown to the Championship momentum, and inched closer to his seventh No. 1 qualifier of the season.

Tasca jumped into the points lead in the playoffs for the first time in his career at the most recent event in St. Louis and he kept up his torrid pace in Dallas, making the quickest run in the class since the opening race of the 2018 season, which also netted Tasca the $15,000 “Friday Night Live” low qualifier bonus.

“It was unbelievable. The car was dead smooth,” Tasca said. “When we got back to the pit I said, ‘Fellas, when you look at that run you’re going to say there’s more in it.’ The hardest part of that run was it hiked the front end up around 700 or 800 feet. It got a little bit to the inside and I had half a steering wheel turning it to the outside. It put the nose down and I was able to bring it back in. That was an exciting run.

“You’re playing hardball against the best of the best in the world with Robert, Hagan, Capps running .80s left and right. That’s what it’s going to take if you’re going to win a championship. You’re going to go toe-to-toe with them, not one or two races but every race in the Countdown. To this point, we’ve done that. But you’re going to have to run hard out here to win this race. We’ve just got a lot of momentum going into this weekend.”

Matt Hagan, who entered the weekend 13 points behind Tasca, ran a 3.848s at 319.24, good enough for second, while defending world champion Ron Capps had a 3.851 at 333.95 that put him third.

Deric Kramer made the quickest run of the year in Pro Stock, delivering a stellar pass of 6.486s at 209.50 in his Get Biofuel Chevrolet Camaro. It puts the veteran on track for his first No. 1 spot of the season and the seventh in his career and handed Kramer the $7,500 “Friday Night Live” low qualifier bonus as well. Kramer enjoyed a strong run earlier this season, advancing to four straight final rounds and moving up to second in points. He’s dropped to seventh and hasn’t been to a final since May, but Kramer appears to be on track to turning that around after a strong run under the lights on Friday in Dallas.

“I just kept grabbing gears and it felt good the whole way,” Kramer said. “I knew we had more to pick up from our first run, and I thought other people would be able to pick up a little bit so I didn’t think it would hold, to be perfectly honest. But I’m super happy – everything turned out really well, and night runs are my favorite.

“If you’re not in the hunt this race, you don’t have a chance the rest of the year. This is to still stay in it, and I think we all knew that coming into this week. We knew we wanted to make some headway up this weekend. We want to try to finish the season strong and have a great year.”

Points leader, defending world champion and defending event winner Erica Enders went to second with a 6.498s at 211.79. She’s after her fourth straight No. 1 spot in the playoffs. Aaron Stanfield is currently third after going 6.498 at 210.62.

Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader Gaige Herrera closed in on another historic mark in his spectacular 2023 season, setting the track E.T. record at Texas Motorplex with a standout run of 6.689s at 203.41 on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. It gave him the $5,000 “Friday Night Live” low qualifier bonus and puts him on track for his 12th No. 1 qualifier in 13 races. Should that hold up on Saturday, Herrera would set the single-season record for No. 1 qualifiers in the category, breaking his current tie with Matt Hines. The points leader made the quickest runs in both sessions on Friday as he also looks for his third straight victory in the Countdown to the Championship.

“Overall, the day went really good for us,” Herrera said. “To be up there on the saddle, have a little fun, and get a little extra cash, it’s very cool to get those bragging rights. We’ve kind of been getting bragging rights all season, but to get the cash on top of that is good for the whole team.

“It would mean a lot to pass up Matt Hines who had that record before. If I’m able to do that, it’s going to mean a lot to me and to everyone at the shop. We’re happy to keep it under the same roof. That alone is very cool, but I have to give up all the credit to Andrew (Hines, crew chief) and all the guys at the shop at Vance & Hines. They work their butt off day and night, and it shows on the racetrack.”

Herrera’s teammate, Eddie Krawiec, took the second spot with a 6.727s at 202.35 as he looks for his 50th career win this weekend. Hector Arana Jr. is third thanks to a 6.756s at 201.20.

Qualifying continues at 1:00 p.m. CT on Saturday at the Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex.

Hight wins Funny Car Callout and qualifies No. 1 at NHRA US Nationals

Robert Hight claimed his first Funny Car specialty win at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Sunday, defeating Matt Hagan in the final round of the Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout at the 69th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. …

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also claimed No. 1 qualifiers at the 15th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

In the final round of the Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout, Hight went 3.955s at 321.58mph in his Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS to slip past Hagan’s 3.979s and win the $80,000 shootout at The Big Go. The multi-time world champ had fallen short in four previous specialty event final rounds at Indy, but came through in a big way on Sunday, knocking off points leader Ron Capps and Cruz Pedregon to set up the marquee matchup with Hagan.

“It’s amazing to get this,” Hight said. “Hagan really stepped up in the final round. We made the right decisions today, went out and did the job today. There’s been a lot of double-ups at this race and I’d like to add my name to it. You’ve got to win on Sunday first to even have a chance, but we’re looking forward to Monday. We’re definitely coming around and coming together at the right time.”

Hagan reached the final round in his Dodge Direct Connection Charger SRT Hellcat with wins against Tim Wilkerson and John Force. Hight will also try to make it a clean sweep of the weekend on Monday and starts race day from the No. 1 qualifier for the fourth time in 2023 thanks to Saturday’s run of 3.853s at 329.67mph. He’ll open race day against Paul Lee on Sunday.

Torrence’s standout Top Fuel run of 3.708s at 329.42mph from Friday in his Capco Contractors dragster on Friday held up, giving the four-time world champ his first career No. 1 qualifier at The Big Go. He put together a series of standout runs this weekend, qualifying No. 1 for the second time this season and 36th time in his career and giving him plenty of confidence going into race day. He’ll face off with Will Smith in the first round of eliminations, trying to win the world’s biggest drag race for the second time in three years.

“We’ve had a pretty consistent race car,” Torrence said. “We utilized the track conditions today to prepare for tomorrow and I feel really confident that the two runs we made today – even though we didn’t make it down the track – what we learned today will be useful for tomorrow. I enjoy coming here and we’ll see what we can do tomorrow. Being No. 1 at Indy for the first time is really special to me and now we’ll see if we can go win this thing [on Monday].”

Defending world champion Brittany Force stayed second with her 3.709s at 333.25mph and Doug Kalitta qualified third with a run of 3.717s at 328.54mph.

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Matt Hartford can now claim his first No. 1 qualifier at the world’s biggest drag race in Pro Stock, securing the top spot thanks to Friday’s run of 6.569s at 209.23mph in his Total Seal/GETTRX Camaro. That hands him his fourth No. 1 position this season, but none have been bigger than this weekend. Hartford, who is currently second in points, had never qualified No. 1 before this season, but has impressed in that area this year. He also closed out eliminations with a stellar 6.601s, adding to his momentum going into eliminations. He faces Mason McGaha in the opening round, looking to add a first Indy victory to his first Indy No. 1 qualifier this weekend.

“To come to Indy and qualify No. 1 is a dream come true, plain and simple,” Hartford said. “That 6.601s in those conditions, that’s more impressive to me than the 6.56s we ran on Friday night. I need to get focused tonight, I’m going to have to do something to clear my head before I go to bed because getting up tomorrow it’s a brand new day.

“It doesn’t matter what you did on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, what matters is what you do on Monday. It’s going to be four grueling rounds tomorrow. We’re going to be in conditions similar to this, and we have a great race day tuneup. We’re going to go up there with some strategy tomorrow and if I just do my job in the car, my crew is going to do theirs. All I have to do is my job and this car is going to go four rounds.”

Troy Coughlin Jr. stayed second with his run of 6.570s at 208.30mph and Aaron Stanfield, who won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday, took third after going 6.586s at 208.39mph.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Gaige Herrera wrapped up his eighth No. 1 spot in nine races in 2023 on the strength of his track record run of 6.746s at 198.96mph from Friday on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. He made another strong run to close out qualifying on Sunday, setting Herrera up nicely for race day, where he’ll open up eliminations against Cory Reed. Herrera made his Pro Stock Motorcycle debut last season at The Big Go and, a year later, the points leader now has a chance to wrap up a dominant regular season with his first Indy win.

“Running the [6.74s] off the trailer, that was a big accomplishment for the whole team,” Herrera said. “They worked pretty hard the last couple of weeks from Sonoma to here. All weekend, I’ve had a very consistent motorcycle and today Andrew (Hines, crew chief) decided to play with tires a little bit. We were in full test mode today, and we’re definitely ready for Monday.

“It would almost top the Western Swing to win Indy. That was a very big accomplishment for me and the whole team, but if I’m able to clinch here at Indy, this is the big race everyone talks about. It would definitely be amazing to win here.”

Herrera’s teammate, Eddie Krawiec, qualified second with his 6.800s at 198.79mph and Hector Arana Jr. took the third spot after going 6.828s at 199.11mph.

Eliminations for the 69th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals begin at 10 a.m. ET on Monday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Torrence seeking two for three after Friday No. 1 at NHRA US Nationals

Four-time Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence made the quickest run on Friday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, racing to the Top Fuel provisional No. 1 position at the 69th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals. Bob Tasca III (Funny …

Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 15th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Torrence went 3.708s at 329.42mph in his Capco Contractors dragster, going to the top spot on the final run of the night. If that holds, Torrence would earn his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and 36th in his career. He is aiming for his second win in three years at the world’s biggest drag race and third overall at The Big Go.

“This is a huge confidence builder,” Torrence said. “You have to come to Indy and be ready to endure it, and today is the longest day. Everybody likes to see these things at night and fire coming out of them. It’s just exciting and it adds a different element to it. We all say we’re riding on fire-breathing dragons, but until the nighttime, you don’t get to see it.

“It gives us an opportunity to work on the tune-up, work on the race day setup, and adjust from there. When you go out on Q1 and make a good run, you’re comfortable. It gives us that luxury. And it is The Big Go. You want to be the quickest every time. You want to win the race, but there is some prestige to being No. 1, even if it is for the day.”

Defending world champion Brittany Force is currently second after going 3.709s at 333.25mph and Doug Kalitta took the third spot on Friday with a run of 3.717s at 328.54mph.

Tasca’s strong summer in Funny Car continued on Friday, powering to the top in the loaded category with a run of 3.864s at 324.90mph in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang. If that holds, Tasca would earn his fifth No. 1 qualifier in what has been a strong season for the veteran. Currently fourth in points, Tasca has a chance to move into third with a strong weekend that will also include a spot in Sunday’s Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Funny Car Callout.

“I give all the credit to the guys. We worked really hard on Monday at Brainerd testing some things we felt we needed to make a change, and you saw some of that tonight,” Tasca said. “It felt so good, it sounded good, it was smooth, and I came back to the guys and I said, ‘When you pull it up on the computer, you’re going to smile.’

“Sometimes you get all of it and it’s sketchy, but I felt it like it was planted all the way down the racetrack. Tomorrow is a new ballgame. I think you’re going to have to step up to hold onto it, but the good news is that we’ve got a package that we can definitely step up for tomorrow night.

Robert Hight is currently second with a 3.886s at 327.43mph and Alexis DeJoria’s 3.888s at 331.77mph puts her third.

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Looking to regain momentum heading into the Countdown to the Championship, Pro Stock’s Matt Hartford made a strong first impression on Friday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park with a run of 6.569s at 209.23mph in his Total Seal Chevrolet Camaro. It puts Hartford in line for his fourth No. 1 qualifier this season as the veteran bids to win for the first time at the U.S. Nationals.

“It’s running pretty good right now,” Hartford said. “I’ve struggled the last few races driving, but we’re going to make up for it at Indy. It’s up to me to drive well because we know we’ve got power.”

Troy Coughlin Jr. is currently second with a run of 6.570s at 208.30mph and Aaron Stanfield currently has the third spot after going 6.586s at 208.39mph.

Back in action for the first time in a month, Pro Stock Motorcycle continued to belong to Gaige Herrera, as the points leader blistered the track record on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki with an impressive run of 6.746s at 198.96mph. The last time the class was in action, Herrera was sweeping the Western Swing and he didn’t let up on Friday. If that run holds, Herrera would pick up his eighth No. 1 qualifier in nine races, an incredible success rate in what has been a dominant season. The points leader knows the magnitude of The Big Go and an Indy win would add another spectacular moment in his 2023 campaign.

“I was definitely anxious to get back on the motorcycle, especially after three weeks in a row on the Western Swing and then basically having a month off,” Herrera said. “That 6.74s was a perfect run for us, for the team. The guys at the shop have put in countless hours, and that pass right there showed it.

“But I have all the confidence in the world, and I’m very comfortable on the bike and with the whole team. Everything has been going smooth as can be. We’re here at Indy, this is where I made my debut last year, so it’s kind of got a special feeling to me. It’s been good. It’s Indy, it’s Friday, and there’s a long weekend ahead.”

Herrera’s teammate, Eddie Krawiec, is currently second with a 6.807s at 198.79mph and Hector Arana Jr. is third after going 6.873s at 198.76mph.

Qualifying continues at 2:15 p.m. ET on Saturday at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Hight reignites NHRA Countdown hopes with No. 1 run at Topeka

Robert Hight hung on to the No. 1 qualifier position in Funny Car at Heartland Motorsports Park, earning his 80th career top spot on Saturday at the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor. Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) …

Robert Hight hung on to the No. 1 qualifier position in Funny Car at Heartland Motorsports Park, earning his 80th career top spot on Saturday at the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor.

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also qualified No. 1 at the 13th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Hight’s strong run of 3.948s at 321.19mph in his Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS from Friday held up, handing the multi-time world champ his third No. 1 qualifier this season and a remarkable 80th in his standout career. Hight also made a strong run to close out qualifying on Saturday as he looks for his third win of the 2023 season. Currently fourth in points, Hight has his sights on a major move over the next three races and he’ll open eliminations on Sunday against Jack Wyatt.

“That 3.80s is a big number. It shows I’ve been doing it a long time, but it also shows I’ve had great teams behind me,” Hight said. “You’re not No. 1 qualifier without a really good race car. This is a tribute to all the good people I’ve worked with. This is big for us. I think we’re turning a corner with this new combination; it’s starting to respond. Jimmy [Prock, crew chief] was happy.

“It’s not too late to get back in this points deal and leave Indy with the No. 1 spot. It can happen. Points and a half at Indy, we do good here, do good at Brainerd, we’re right back in the thick of things. That’s our mindset.”

Defending and back-to-back world champ Ron Capps took second in qualifying with a 3.950s at 314.17mph and Matt Hagan’s 3.960s at 318.24mph put him third.

A host of competitors came close, but Steve Torrence claimed his first No. 1 qualifier of the season thanks to Friday’s run of 3.764s at 326.24mph in his Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster. He nearly topped it in his final run of the day where Torrence went 3.767s and Leah Pruett made a huge jump with her pass of 3.768s, but the Texan hung on for his 35th career top spot. He’ll open eliminations against Terry Totten, trying to pick up his second win in three races and possibly move into the points lead in the process.

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“This morning I felt safe. The conditions have changed and evolved to cloudy and cool,” Torrence said. “The big thing is, picking up bonus points throughout the rounds, that’s key, that’s crucial. We need to pick up those points. I’ve won a championship by less than two or three points. It’ll be a big deal at the end. Consistency wins races and championships, and that, along with being quick, is what we pride ourselves in. We’re going to do the best we can to keep this up.”

Pruett’s 3.768s at 325.77mph put her second in qualifying, while Doug Kalitta went to third with a 3.799s at 316.45mph.

Topeka continues to be very good for Pro Stock points leader Dallas Glenn, who turned in a terrific Saturday with two strong runs, including a 6.642s at 205.26mph in his RAD Torque Systems to close out the day and give Glenn his second No. 1 spot this season. Glenn tied KB Titan Racing teammate Greg Anderson earlier in the day with a run of 6.653s and 205.66mph, and Anderson made an impressive pass of 6.645s at 205.79mph in the final session. But Glenn responded with his run to move to the No. 1 spot for the fourth time in his career. He’ll open eliminations against Fernando Cuadra Sr., looking for his fourth win in 2023.

“As a driver, you cannot make any mistakes,” Glenn said. “If you miss one shift, you can fall back four or five spots, just that easy. I don’t know exactly what it is, but it’s probably two-hundredths between No. 1 through No. 9. It’s going to be a really tight field and a really tough Sunday, and we’ve got a lot different weather rolling in for tomorrow so that’s going to throw an extra variable into the mix, but I think we have a really good car for them.”

Anderson took the second spot after making three stellar runs during qualifying, while Matt Hartford claimed third with a 6.657s at 206.23mph.

Eliminations for the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor begin at 10 a.m. CT on Sunday at Heartland Motorsports Park.