It’s all about the little points.

In a battle as close as the one currently underway between Top Fuel rivals Steve Torrence and Clay Millican, every point matters and that is why Friday was such a big day for the current points leader.

Torrence, who has won every race thus far in the Countdown to the Championship but only holds a narrow margin over Millican, just edged his rival to take the provisional top spot Friday at the 11th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

“I’ve had quite a bit of success here in the past and I really like coming here. The track is so smooth and really fast. We’ve done especially well here in the four-wide format and we really hope to carry that momentum into this race,” Torrence said. “Richard Hogan and Bobby Lagana have done really well, but Clay has outperformed us in qualifying over the last few races. We need to keep that guy from gaining those points. Every point right now counts.”

Torrence earned the top spot in Q2 on Friday in the Capco Contractors dragster with a 3.704-second pass at 331.53 mph as he seeks his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the year and second of the Countdown. Millican, who entered this weekend trailing Torrence by just a few rounds, was second in the Parts Plus / Great Clips dragster with a 3.718 at 321.73 mph.

Defending Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force was third with a 3.724 at 328.14 mph, while Doug Kalitta (3.729) and Tony Schumacher (3.747) rounded out the top five.

Torrence was actually quickest in both sessions on Friday, allowing him to cushion his lead if ever so slightly.

“We take these things one round at a time. First we have to qualify and then we have to go rounds,” Torrence said. “It is imperative that you run well in Q1. We don’t have tracks like this all of the time. And not taking anything away from Clay, but going out there and throwing a hail mary and running a 71, more than likely that doesn’t stick at other tracks. We went out and did what we could do, what we felt comfortable with, and we went 70 flat. Now we just have to keep working, don’t let up and just keep pushing and eventually someone is going to say you either lost or you won.”

Torrence, who knows a thing or two about failing to close out a season after falling short of a championship last year, says that last year’s experience has played a big part in his current tear. Torrence has won the last 12 consecutive competitive rounds in NHRA Top Fuel.

“I came into last year with a different mindset. I had a chip on my shoulder and I wanted to prove that we were not only championship caliber, but I wanted to force it down their throats,” Torrence said. “After losing it at the last race of the season last year, I approached this year with a different mentality. Just enjoy it. We set ourselves apart as a championship contender by winning double the races than anybody else has won and we have been fortunate this year to have won four-times as many races as anybody else in the class. We just have to continue to keep moving forward and try to build on that lead.

“David Grubnic and Clay Millican, those guys are serious contenders. We have run well and they have run really well when they needed to. It is only four or five rounds (separating the two) and that is not big enough of a cushion right now to relax, so we have to keep moving forward with the same intensity and drive. It is going to be a long battle over the last three and it is definitely something that I think Richard and Bobby and myself and the Capco boys are up for.”