Texas native Steve Torrence raced to the Top Fuel qualifying lead Friday at the NHRA SpringNationals, the sixth event of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.  

Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) were also qualifying leaders in their categories at Royal Purple Raceway near Houston.

Torrence, winner of the season-opening Winternationals, piloted his Capco Contractors/Torrence Racing dragster to a track record 3.724-second pass at 329.42 mph during Friday’s second qualifying session. The Kilgore, Texas native is two sessions away from securing his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and third in-a-row.

“Houston is one of the racetracks I get to call home. It is really gratifying to be able to run well in front of the home town crowd and all the friends and family I’ve grown up racing with,” Torrence said. “Just have a lot of support here.”

Doug Kalitta is currently in the No. 2 spot, racing his Mac Tools dragster to a 3.743 at 324.36, while Clay Millican and his Parts Plus/Great Clips dragster sit in third with a matching time of 3.743 but slower speed of 323.12.

Two-time world champion Antron Brown and his Matco Tools dragster are in fifth and points leader Brittany Force is seventh in her Monster Energy dragster.

In Funny Car, Wilkerson set a career best and track record time of 3.899 at 327.59 in his Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang. Wilkerson, the 2004 SpringNationals winner, has two wins this season in Phoenix and Charlotte, N.C. and is hoping to earn his first No. 1 qualifier of the year.  

“I’m pretty happy with that performance,” Wilkerson said. “I knew it was a pretty fast run because [the car] went out there in the middle of the track and really took off. Usually when it does that it’s marching pretty hard.”

Alexis DeJoria is second with a 3.910 at 324.90 in her Tequila Patron Toyota Camry and is trailed by Courtney Force and her Traxxas Chevy Camaro with a 3.915 at 320.66.

Defending world champion Del Worsham set the track record for speed with a 328.06 run in his DHL Toyota Camry and is currently in the fourth spot while current Funny Car points leader, Robert Hight, is in fifth.  

In Pro Stock, Anderson powered his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro to a 6.589 at 210.41. Anderson, eyeing his third No. 1 qualifier of the year, has two wins so far this season in Pomona, Calif. and Gainesville, Fla.

“I couldn’t be more proud of my guys and what they do with our race cars. It’s just a dream to drive right now,” said Anderson, a four-time Pro Stock world champion. “That run tonight was beyond what I thought we could run. That was pretty darn close to a perfect run. We usually get out of the car saying, ‘We did this wrong and we did that wrong,’ but I can’t pick anything apart on that run. It was a very, very nice run. Probably the nicest run I’ve had all year long.”

Anderson’s Ken Black Racing teammates Jason Line and Bo Butner currently sit in the second and third spots with a 6.602 at 209.92 and a 6.623 at 208.91, respectively.

Line and his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro have not qualified outside of second or missed a finals appearance so far this season.

Butner, in his Bill Butner Auto Chevy Camaro, will be racing for his first Pro Stock victory after finishing runner-up to Line two consecutive times in Charlotte and Las Vegas.

Two-time and defending world champion Erica Enders is in the sixth position. Enders will be racing for her third consecutive victory at Royal Purple Raceway.

The final two qualifying sessions of the NHRA SpringNationals will be at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Royal Purple Raceway.

 
Friday's results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 29th annual SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway, sixth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.  Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.
 

Top Fuel -- 1. Steve Torrence, 3.724 seconds, 329.42 mph; 2. Doug Kalitta, 3.743, 324.36; 3. Clay Millican, 3.743, 323.12; 4. Richie Crampton, 3.752, 314.31; 5. Antron Brown, 3.753, 321.58; 6. Shawn Langdon, 3.760, 325.06; 7. Brittany Force, 3.761, 298.54; 8. Tony Schumacher, 3.766, 322.19; 9. Terry McMillen, 3.819, 314.02; 10. Kebin Kinsley, 3.870, 310.05; 11. Troy Buff, 3.884, 311.70; 12. J.R. Todd, 3.889, 300.53.  Not Qualified: 13. Terry Haddock, 4.124, 276.46; 14. Scott Palmer, 4.137, 222.18; 15. Leah Pritchett, 5.199, 139.20; 16. Rob Passey, 7.090, 95.52.
 

Funny Car -- 1. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 3.899, 327.59; 2. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Camry, 3.910, 324.90; 3. Courtney Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.915, 320.66; 4. Del Worsham, Camry, 3.923, 328.06; 5. Robert Hight, Camaro, 3.953, 324.98; 6. Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 3.953, 321.27; 7. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 3.969, 315.56; 8. Chad Head, Camry, 3.972, 315.86; 9. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.982, 327.43; 10. John Force, Camaro, 4.005, 322.11; 11. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.103, 289.07; 12. Todd Simpson, Camaro, 4.224, 293.86.  Not Qualified: 13. Bob Bode, 4.971, 157.47; 14. Jack Beckman, 7.005, 87.69; 15. John Hale, 7.015, 93.13.
 

Pro Stock -- 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.589, 210.41; 2. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.602, 209.92; 3. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.623, 208.91; 4. Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.632, 208.75; 5. Allen Johnson, Dodge Dart, 6.635, 208.97; 6. Erica Enders, Dart, 6.635, 208.91; 7. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.639, 208.42; 8. Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 6.644, 208.49; 9. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.646, 208.39; 10. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.653, 209.01; 11. Jeg Coughlin, Dart, 6.655, 208.10; 12. Aaron Strong, Camaro, 6.683, 207.21.  Not Qualified: 13. V. Gaines, 6.701, 208.07.

SMITH RACES TO QUALIFYING LEAD FRIDAY AT THE NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES EVENT IN HOUSTON

Rickie Smith raced to the qualifying lead Friday during the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Racing Series portion of the NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway. This weekend’s Pro Mod racing, co-presented by the Pro Line Racing and Jerry Bickel Race Cars, Inc., is the second of the 10 events in the season.

Smith, the 2014 J&A Service Pro Mod world champion from King, N.C., powered his IDG 2015 Camaro to the top qualifying run of 5.779 seconds at 250.46 mph. Smith won the Pro Mod season opening event at the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. and has nine career wins.

Troy Coughlin, the reigning world champion, sits second with a 5.798 at 255.92 in his Jegs.com 2015 Corvette while Von Smith is third with a 5.802 at 249.12 in his Al-Anabi Racing 2016 Corvette.  

The final Pro Mod qualifying session is Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and the first round of eliminations will begin at 5 p.m.
 

Friday's results after the first two of three rounds of qualifying for the 29th annual SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway, the second of 10 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.  Qualifying will continue Saturday for Saturday's first round of eliminations.
 

Pro Modified -- 1. Rickie Smith, Chevy Camaro, 5.779, 250.46; 2. Troy Coughlin, Chevy Corvette, 5.798, 255.92; 3. Von Smith, Corvette, 5.802, 249.12; 4. Sidnei Frigo, Corvette, 5.817, 252.52; 5. Bob Rahaim, Corvette, 5.861, 246.48; 6. Jonathan Gray, Camaro, 5.868, 257.63; 7. Khalid alBalooshi, Camaro, 5.870, 247.16; 8. Michael Biehle, Ford Mustang, 5.880, 252.33; 9. Mike Castellana, Corvette, 5.904, 244.52; 10. Danny Rowe, Corvette, 5.914, 246.26; 11. Pete Farber, Dodge Daytona, 5.919, 245.58; 12. Steve Matusek, Camaro, 5.928, 247.20; 13. Mike Janis, Camaro, 5.930, 236.38; 14. Doug Winters, Chevy Chevelle, 5.938, 237.50; 15. Steven Whiteley, Cadillac CTS-V, 5.941, 245.99; 16. Bill Glidden, Mustang, 5.955, 241.71.  Not Qualified: 17. Jim Whiteley, 5.957, 240.68; 18. Gerry Capano, 5.972, 237.50; 19. Robert Patrick Jr., 5.983, 241.63; 20. Kevin Fiscus, 5.995, 243.72; 21. Shane Molinari, 6.008, 249.76; 22. Clint Satterfield, 6.034, 246.62; 23. Kenny Lang, 6.050, 241.37; 24. Jim Bell, 6.188, 212.63; 25. Jeff Naiser, 6.193, 227.73; 26. Ruben Tetsoshvili, 6.542, 219.72; 27. Chip King, 7.402, 133.92; 28. Dan Stevenson, 7.827, 124.79; 29. Mike Knowles, 9.974, 106.76.