Photo: NHRA.com
On a weekend that saw Doug Gordon walk away from a horrific crash in Alcohol Funny Car, Steve Torrence and Bob Tasca III endured deteriorating track conditions to come out on top.
Coming into the weekend at the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota, Torrence stood in fourth place in the Top Fuel championship standings behind leader Brittany Force, Mike Salinas, and Justin Ashley. A first-round match-up paired Salinas against Torrence, but the result was rather anti-climactic. Salinas smoked the tires of his Pep Boys dragster mid-track, gifting the race to Torrence, who had an unimpressive run of 3.755 seconds at 313.37 mph (504.32 kph).
Torrence was overdue for a win, having not posted a victory yet this season through 14 events. It wasn't pretty, but the Capco Contractors team managed just enough moxie and power to beat eight-time champ Tony Schumacher in the final, raising his record to 5-0 versus Schumacher this season. Rising track temperatures by the time the final rolled resulted in a lackluster 3.866-seconds win for Torrence.
Top Fuel queen and points leader Brittany Force had scorched the track earlier in her Monster Energy dragster with a blazing 3.646-seconds run, but times slowed as the day went longer. Force, who qualified No.1, was knocked out in Round 3 by Torrence after beating Billy Torrence in Round 2.
The Funny Car division has been owned by Bob Tasca III of late, as his Ford Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang has appeared in the finals in five out of the last six events. Tasca III's final against Ron Capps was a 3.945-seconds run to Capps' 4.007-seconds. The victory improved his elimination rounds record to 19-3 since late June at the Summer Racing Equipment Nationals in Norwalk. Capps reached the final by getting by Tasca III team owner John Force.
The NHRA season moves on to Indianapolis between August 31 and September 5 for the NHRA Dodge Power Brokers U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Torrence was overdue for a win, having not posted a victory yet this season through 14 events. It wasn't pretty, but the Capco Contractors team managed just enough moxie and power to beat eight-time champ Tony Schumacher in the final, raising his record to 5-0 versus Schumacher this season. Rising track temperatures by the time the final rolled resulted in a lackluster 3.866-seconds win for Torrence.
Top Fuel queen and points leader Brittany Force had scorched the track earlier in her Monster Energy dragster with a blazing 3.646-seconds run, but times slowed as the day went longer. Force, who qualified No.1, was knocked out in Round 3 by Torrence after beating Billy Torrence in Round 2.
The Funny Car division has been owned by Bob Tasca III of late, as his Ford Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang has appeared in the finals in five out of the last six events. Tasca III's final against Ron Capps was a 3.945-seconds run to Capps' 4.007-seconds. The victory improved his elimination rounds record to 19-3 since late June at the Summer Racing Equipment Nationals in Norwalk. Capps reached the final by getting by Tasca III team owner John Force.
The NHRA season moves on to Indianapolis between August 31 and September 5 for the NHRA Dodge Power Brokers U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
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