BRISTOL, Tenn. — Four-time defending season champion Steve Torrence led Top Fuel qualifying Friday at Bristol Dragway in the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
Winless this season, Torrence had a 3.791-second run at 317.79 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster.
“To come here and make a good run right off the trailer, that was a good run to get the ball rolling and give us some momentum heading into race day,” Torrence said. “Tomorrow will be a totally different day, so we’ll see where we go from there, but that was a good, stout pass to go to the No. 1 spot.”
Robert Hight topped the Funny Car field, Greg Anderson took the Pro Stock lead and Angelle Sampey was the fastest in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Hight had a 3.971 at 310.98 in a Chevrolet Camaro, and Anderson ran a 6.686 at 202.21 in a Camaro. Sampey, the defending event winner, had a a 6.966 at 185.38 on a Suzuki.