Steve Torrence on his way to becoming interim #1 in Top Fuel. (NHRA photo)
KENT, Wash. — Four-time Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence drove to provisional first place at the NHRA’s first race in Seattle since 2019 and secured top spot on Friday at the 33rd Annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at the Pacific Raceway.
Bob Tasca III (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) are also the No. 1 interim qualifiers at the 13th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the final stop during the NHRA Western Swing with three Run .
Torrence clocked 3.819 seconds at 321.50mph in his 11,000hp Capco Contractors dragster as he aims to qualify No. 1 for the third time this season. It’s been three years since the NHRA last visited Pacific Raceways, and Torrence is after his first win of the 2022 season as the team continues to race in championship form at what could be perfect timing.
“We were very happy to have a nice, clean run and our boys were happy with that,” said Torrence, who won in Seattle 10 years ago. “It’s a good place to build up and it’s good to be back. We love coming here and I really enjoyed it. The fans are so amazing and so thankful that we are here. We get there and I can see that confidence coming back. The guys just hack away and I have all the faith in the world in these Capco guys.”
Shawn Langdon continued to run well, finishing second with a 3.848 run at 315.64, while eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher is on course for his best qualifying performance of the season, finishing third after 3.850 at 316.67.
Tasca kept his funny car momentum alive in Seattle on Friday, jumping to the top with an impressive run of 3.965 at 319.82 in his 11,000hp Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang. It would be Tasca’s first No. 1 qualifier of the season if it holds and the eighth of his career as the veteran picked up right where he left off en route to victory after a spectacular performance last weekend in Sonoma. Tasca will try to keep that up this weekend and get his first career win at Pacific Raceways.
“What I loved about that run is that the guys predicted it,” Tasca said. “When you get that confidence, you become a dangerous team. I think we should be able to pick it up (on Saturday). We worked really hard to get the car to run those numbers. Sonoma was really important for us and we have the car really well under control now. We’re a very confident group going into this weekend and I’m delighted with the car’s performance. Qualifying #1 would be really big for us.”
Alexis DeJoria made the other three-second run during the opening qualifying session, hitting 3.994 with 313.95, while John Force, who finished second a week ago, hit 4.001 with 311.92. Force is the event’s defending champion, earning his 150th career win at the 2019 race.
Enders continued rolling in Pro Stock, putting in a 6.608 run on a 209.26 in her Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro. With that, the points leader and four-time World Champion sits in line for her fourth-place finish of the season and 27th of her career, setting the tone for another strong weekend. She has won six times this season, including last weekend in Sonoma, and will be looking to get her first win in Seattle in 10 years this weekend. Enders was also the first driver to qualify for the countdown to the championship.
“It was definitely a great run from the start,” said Enders, who has had six wins this year. “You have to drive the car very differently in these conditions. The conditions are very different, but I have every credit for my boys. You are the best in the business. It’s tricky in the heat, but that’s where my boys’ experience comes into play. There’s definitely more to the race car and it’s cool to be back. It’s a great track and a beautiful part of the country. We had a fantastic start to the season and don’t want to let up.”
Defending champion Greg Anderson, who fell to Enders in the last lap last week, missed out on first place in speed, posting an identical 6.608 with a 207.11. His KB Racing teammate Kyle Koretsky is third on a 208.17 after a 6.630 run.
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