Billy Torrence had been home at Kilgore, Texas, all year long, tending to his Capco Contractors oil-and-gas-industry business and enjoying his two small granddaughters. But he decided to show up at this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway, and he factored Sunday into a major scramble in the Top Fuel standings.
Torrence didn’t win this final race before the Labor Day weekend U.S. Nationals that will award the regular season king $150,000 and set the fields for the six-race Countdown to the Championship. But he advanced to the quarterfinals, where he disrupted Tony Stewart’s march back to the top of the standings. Then Torrence lost in the semifinals to eventual winner Doug Kalitta, helping boost him from fourth place to third, just six points behind No. 2-ranked Stewart and 51 points behind leader Shawn Langdon.
Kalitta earned the 100th Top Fuel victory for Kalitta Motorsports and the 57th of his career. He passed Steve Torrence on the category’s all-time wins list, rising to fourth place (behind Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown, and Larry Dixon). It also made him the No. 12-ranked winner in NHRA history.
“This is the time of year to get hot,” Kalitta’s crew chief, Alan Johnson said after his driver defeated Clay Millican in the final round.
After capturing back-to-back victories, Sonoma winner Kalitta said, “I’ve just got to do my job. I’ve kind of let the guys down on occasion. Relly proud of this effort we’ve got going on.”
Little suspense about the regular-season champion is left in the Funny Car and Pro Stock categories. Austin Prock has that locked up in Funny Car, and in Pro Stock, it’s guaranteed to be either Greg Anderson or his KB-Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn.
Top Fuel’s Brittany Force Cranks Out Her 10th 340-Plus-mph Run
Brittany Force recorded her 10th 340-plus-mph speed in the past 10 races as she knocked off points leader Shawn Langdon in the second round. Her 3.679-second pass at 341.25-mph broke Mike Salinas’ 2023 mark of 338.26 mph. However, she lost to Clay Millican in the semifinal round.
Them Again: KB-Titan Racing Duo Duke It Out For Trophy For Sixth Time This Year
Like a broken record, Greg Anderson and Dallas Glenn have met in the Pro Stock final round for six times in the class’ 11 events on the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour this year. Sunday’s showdown marked the 10th time in those 11 races that the final included at least one of those Chevy Camaro drivers. This time points leader Anderson was the victor, earning his 111th trophy, best among the NHRA’s active drivers and second only to John Force’ 157. What Anderson called “an absolutely perfect day” resulted in the Duluth native’s fourth victory in his home state. Just nine points separate him and Glenn heading into Indianapolis. The regular-season crown will go to whichever driver lasts farthest in Monday eliminations Sept. 1.
Prock Barges to Sixth Funny Car Victory in Eight Finals in Race. No. 13
Nothing seems to be slowing down reigning champion, points leader, and Sunday’s No. 1 starter Austin Prock. He defeated J.R. Todd, of Kalitta Motorsports, to claim his sixth victory in 13 events and his fourth in the past five races. He heads to Indianapolis with a 29-7 race-day record, but his crew chief dad Jimmy Prock cautioned, “A lot if these cars are way closer to us than they were last year. We’ve got our work cut out for us in the Countdown.”
Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd
Results
Final finish order (1-16) at the 43rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. The race is the 13th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
TOP FUEL:
1. Doug Kalitta; 2. Clay Millican; 3. Billy Torrence; 4. Brittany Force; 5. Jordan Vandergriff; 6. Tony Stewart; 7. Shawn Langdon; 8. Justin Ashley; 9. Josh Hart; 10. Kyle Satenstein; 11. Will Smith; 12. Terry Totten; 13. Ida Zetterstrom; 14. Antron Brown.
FUNNY CAR:
1. Austin Prock; 2. J.R. Todd; 3. Jack Beckman; 4. Chad Green; 5. Spencer Hyde; 6. Matt Hagan; 7. Ron Capps; 8. Daniel Wilkerson; 9. Alexis DeJoria; 10. Paul Lee; 11. Cruz Pedregon; 12. Dave Richards; 13. Jim Campbell; 14. Bobby Bode; 15. Bob Tasca III; 16. Hunter Green.
PRO STOCK:
1. Greg Anderson; 2. Dallas Glenn; 3. Erica Enders; 4. Aaron Stanfield; 5. Cory Reed; 6. Eric Latino; 7. Jeg Coughlin; 8. Matt Hartford; 9. Cristian Cuadra; 10. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 11. Greg Stanfield; 12. Deric Kramer; 13. Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 14. Cody Coughlin; 15. David Cuadra; 16. Chris Vang.
Sunday's final results from the 43rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. The race is the 13th of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel -- Doug Kalitta, 3.670 seconds, 338.77 mph def. Clay Millican, Broke.
Funny Car -- Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.907, 321.50 def. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 9.126, 85.87.
Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.551, 206.86 def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.577, 206.10.
Top Alcohol Dragster -- Anthony Troyer, 5.241, 272.23 def. Jackie Fricke, 5.211, 277.60.
Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Sean Bellemeur, Chevy Camaro, 5.453, 263.67 def. Bob McCosh, Camaro, 5.473, 264.44.
Competition Eliminator -- Matt Harris, Pontiac Grand Am, 7.795, 165.21 def. Cali Neff, Dragster, 6.824, 174.77.
Super Stock -- Jason DeForrest, Chevy Cavalier, 9.072, 137.41 def. Len Schneider, Ford Thunderbird, 10.063, 130.90.
Stock Eliminator -- Ryan Hutar, chevy Camaro, 10.167, 123.56 def. Joe Santangelo, Camaro, 10.479, 115.30.
Super Comp -- Brian Johnson, Dragster, 8.932, 161.44 def. Bob Prose, Dragster, 8.963, 166.01.
Super Gas -- Jason Kenny, Chevy Corvette, 9.928, 151.34 def. Trevor Larson, Corvette, 9.949, 156.44.
Super Street -- Donnie Durenberger, Chevy Nova, 10.887, 133.88 def. Scott Cowles, Chevy Truck, 10.862, 133.08.
Top Sportsman -- Michael Chitty, Chevy Cobalt, 6.641, 203.95 def. Jim Thorp, Chevy Camaro, 6.439, 221.78.
Top Dragster -- Mark Grame, Dragster, 6.730, 189.90 def. Holden Laris, Dragster, 6.129, 225.52.
Top Fuel Motorcycle -- Larry McBride, Custom, 5.881, 126.32 def. Mitch Brown, Suzuki, Broke - No Show.
Mountain Motor Pro Stock -- John DeFlorian Jr., Chevy Camaro, 6.325, 221.67 def. Mike Coughlin, Camaro, Foul - Red Light.
Pro Outlaw Snowmobile -- Edwin Wirbel, Sidewinder, 4.927, 137.06 def. Louie Wirbel, Sidewinder, 4.918, 138.78.
Junior Dragster Shootout -- Tyler Reynolds, Motivational, 8.103, 77.90 def. Jack Beutler, Huddleston, 8.205, 76.31.
Final round-by-round results from the 43rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, the 13th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE -- Shawn Langdon, 3.683, 334.90 def. Antron Brown, 6.742, 93.16; Clay Millican, 3.693, 330.80 def. Justin Ashley, 3.740, 336.57; Tony Stewart, 3.733, 328.54 def. Josh Hart, 3.788, 328.78; Jordan Vandergriff, 3.778, 283.97 def. Kyle Satenstein, 3.851, 316.01; Doug Kalitta, 3.721, 337.50 def. Terry Totten, 4.269, 213.37; Brittany Force, 3.692, 338.77 def. Will Smith, 4.239, 206.20; Billy Torrence, 3.706, 335.73 def. Ida Zetterstrom, 6.733, 89.99;
QUARTERFINALS -- Kalitta, 3.683, 337.50 was unopposed; Torrence, 3.708, 335.73 def. Stewart, 3.746, 328.54; Millican, 3.715, 337.66 def. Vandergriff, 3.726, 332.18; Force, 3.679, 341.25 def. Langdon, 4.087, 219.40;
SEMIFINALS -- Kalitta, 3.665, 329.83 def. Torrence, 3.710, 335.32; Millican, 3.715, 321.50 def. Force, 3.718, 337.07;
FINAL -- Kalitta, 3.670, 338.77 def. Millican, Broke.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE -- Spencer Hyde, Ford Mustang, 3.904, 327.51 def. Alexis DeJoria, Dodge Charger, 3.878, 331.77; Chad Green, Mustang, 3.952, 306.67 def. Hunter Green, Charger, 9.837, 83.88; Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.861, 333.91 def. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 4.078, 261.42; Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 3.895, 319.37 def. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.002, 319.90; Austin Prock, Camaro, 3.855, 335.98 def. Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.026, 286.80; J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.894, 335.15 def. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.923, 328.46; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.883, 333.58 def. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.940, 327.11; Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.919, 332.34 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.780, 180.04;
QUARTERFINALS -- C. Green, 3.979, 309.34 def. Hyde, 3.942, 323.19; Beckman, 7.659, 83.86 def. Wilkerson, Foul - Red Light; Prock, 3.886, 332.18 def. Hagan, 4.092, 239.70; Todd, 3.852, 334.15 def. Capps, 4.245, 231.71;
SEMIFINALS -- Prock, 3.879, 320.36 def. C. Green, 6.706, 96.31; Todd, 3.863, 334.32 def. Beckman, 3.889, 323.81;
FINAL -- Prock, 3.907, 321.50 def. Todd, 9.126, 85.87.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE -- Eric Latino, Chevy Camaro, 6.643, 205.88 def. Cody Coughlin, Camaro, 15.796, 54.92; Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.583, 207.85 def. David Cuadra, Camaro, 32.885, 34.01; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.560, 208.55 def. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.589, 208.10; Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.560, 207.66 def. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.593, 208.59; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.581, 209.01 def. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.582, 207.88; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.554, 208.10 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, Foul - Red Light; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.521, 208.07 def. Chris Vang, Camaro, Broke; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.566, 206.45 def. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.567, 206.83;
QUARTERFINALS -- A. Stanfield, 6.579, 208.07 def. Reed, 6.582, 208.33; Enders, 6.572, 208.71 def. Hartford, Foul - Red Light; Glenn, 6.564, 208.04 def. J. Coughlin, Foul - Red Light; Anderson, 6.551, 207.66 def. Latino, 6.598, 206.48;
SEMIFINALS -- Glenn, 6.579, 208.14 def. Enders, 6.583, 208.75; Anderson, 6.555, 207.66 def. A. Stanfield, 6.583, 207.85;
FINAL -- Anderson, 6.551, 206.86 def. Glenn, 6.577, 206.10.
Point standings (top 10) following the 43rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, the 13th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Top Fuel
1. Shawn Langdon, 1,044; 2. Tony Stewart, 999; 3. Doug Kalitta, 993; 4. Justin Ashley, 911; 5. Brittany Force, 817; 6. Antron Brown, 815; 7. Clay Millican, 704; 8. Josh Hart, 571; 9. Steve Torrence, 569; 10. Shawn Reed, 475.
Funny Car
1. Austin Prock, 1,140; 2. Jack Beckman, 898; 3. Matt Hagan, 871; 4. Ron Capps, 840; 5. Paul Lee, 767; 6. J.R. Todd, 720; 7. Daniel Wilkerson, 664; 8. Spencer Hyde, 620; 9. Alexis DeJoria, 568; 10. Bob Tasca III, 567.
Pro Stock
1. Dallas Glenn, 1,146; 2. Greg Anderson, 1,137; 3. Matt Hartford, 715; 4. Cory Reed, 658; 5. Aaron Stanfield, 582; 6. Eric Latino, 577; 7. Jeg Coughlin, 516; 8. Greg Stanfield, 506; 9. Cody Coughlin, 462; 10. Deric Kramer, 447.
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