BRISTOL, Tenn. — Steve Torrence made the quickest Top Fuel run in Bristol Dragway history Saturday to top qualifying for the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
Torrence closed out qualifying with a 3.667-second run at 331.28 mph for his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the this season and 31st in his career. It was the third time the track record was set in Thunder Valley this weekend.
“That was really big for us,” said Torrence, the points leader and three-time defending season champion. “We’ve been picking at that over the last few races. It’s something you just don’t get overnight and you really have to work at going mid-3.60s. The track here is great and it’s exceptional. On that run, the car was super quick early and it really pulled hard out the back. That was a confidence builder for tomorrow, so you’ve got to go out and be able to throw down.”
Alexis DeJoria took the No. 1 spot in Funny Car and Scotty Pollacheck topped the Pro Stock Motorcycle field in the fifth of seven races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
DeJoria earned her first No. 1 qualifier in five years, going 3.907 at 326.79 in a Toyota Camry. Pollacheck went to No. 1 on his final pass, a 6.859 at 197.80 on an EBR.