Steve Torrence earned a career-best fourth Top Fuel win in a season Sunday, capturing the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.
Meanwhile, Bo Butner (Pro Stock) and L.E. Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) captured their third wins in 2017, while Jack Beckman (Funny Car) earned his second win of the season as the NHRA wrapped up the first half of its 24-race season.
TOP FUEL: Torrence (3.743 seconds at 331.45 mph) defeated Doug Kalitta (3.736 at 331.36) in the final round. Torrence has now reached six final rounds this season over the last eight events, with a 4-2 record.
“I knew I left good on the tree but I could tell it would just be a coin toss who got it and fortunately I was able to come out ahead,” Torrence said in an NHRA media release. “It’s been a great season so far and we are hoping to keep this momentum going.”
The win also keeps Torrence No. 1 in the Top Fuel point standings.
FUNNY CAR: “Fast Jack” Beckman (4.073 seconds at 311.85 mph) earned his 26th career win over Robert Hight (6.673 seconds at 98.53 mph). Beckman has now won two of the last three races.
“We were consistently a bit off this weekend, but we are definitely happy to earn the victory this weekend,” Beckman said. “Now that we are getting down the track consistently, it keeps our opponents honest and that is definitely a formula we will continue to use for the rest of the season.”
PRO STOCK: It was a great jump at the starting line that led Butner (6.601 seconds at 210.50 mph) to defeat Greg Anderson (6.581 seconds at 210.87 mph).
“Today was a great day, we made four pretty consistent runs and my car was good when it needed to be,” said Butner, who added to his lead in the Pro Stock standings. “It’s one thing to have a good car, but we also had a lot of things go our way to get those win lights today.”
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: Tonglet (6.824 seconds at 195.76 mph) earned his 13th career PSM win, defeating Matt Smith (6.882 seconds at 195.31 mph).
“I didn’t see any win lights throughout qualifying, but seeing them on Sunday is what matters and we are happy with the results,” Tonglet said. “This is huge for us and our position in the points standings, so getting as many wins as possible is definitely our goal.”
Tonglet, who took over the points lead with the win, leads all PSM riders, having reached the final round in three of the first five races this season, and won all three of those.
The NHRA has an off-weekend coming up before returning to action July 6-9 at the Fallen Patriots NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Illinois.
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FINAL FINISHING ORDER:
TOP FUEL: 1. Steve Torrence; 2. Doug Kalitta; 3. Leah Pritchett; 4. Brittany Force; 5. Terry McMillen; 6. Clay Millican; 7. Tony Schumacher; 8. Antron Brown; 9. Shawn Langdon; 10. Dom Lagana; 11. Pat Dakin; 12. Mike Salinas; 13. Ike Maier; 14. Troy Buff; 15. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 16. Scott Palmer.
FUNNY CAR: 1. Jack Beckman; 2. Robert Hight; 3. Bob Tasca III; 4. Tommy Johnson Jr.; 5. Ron Capps; 6. John Force; 7. Matt Hagan; 8. Alexis DeJoria; 9. J.R. Todd; 10. Jim Campbell; 11. Cruz Pedregon; 12. Del Worsham; 13. Jonnie Lindberg; 14. Jeff Diehl; 15. Dale Creasy Jr.; 16. Tim Wilkerson.
PRO STOCK: 1. Bo Butner; 2. Greg Anderson; 3. Jason Line; 4. John Gaydosh Jr; 5. Tanner Gray; 6. Vincent Nobile; 7. Jeg Coughlin; 8. Allen Johnson; 9. Erica Enders; 10. Chris McGaha; 11. Alex Laughlin; 12. Val Smeland; 13. Mark Hogan; 14. Drew Skillman; 15. Kenny Delco; 16. Alan Prusiensky.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: 1. LE Tonglet; 2. Matt Smith; 3. Hector Arana Jr; 4. Scotty Pollacheck; 5. Joey Gladstone; 6. Mike Berry; 7. Andrew Hines; 8. Steve Johnson; 9. Chip Ellis; 10. Eddie Krawiec; 11. Karen Stoffer; 12. Cory Reed; 13. Joe DeSantis; 14. Angelle Sampey; 15. Melissa Surber; 16. Angie Smith.
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FINAL RESULTS:
TOP FUEL: Steve Torrence, 3.743 seconds, 331.45 mph def. Doug Kalitta, 3.736 seconds, 331.36 mph.
FUNNY CAR: Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 4.073, 311.85 def. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 6.673, 98.53.
PRO STOCK: Bo Butner, Chevy Camaro, 6.601, 210.50 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.581, 210.87.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.824, 195.76 def. Matt Smith, Victory, 6.882, 195.31.
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FINAL ROUND-BY-ROUND RESULTS:
TOP FUEL: ROUND ONE -- Clay Millican, 3.775, 311.63 def. Scott Palmer, Broke; Leah Pritchett, 3.760, 324.12 def. Ike Maier, 8.295, 105.60; Steve Torrence, 3.786, 326.32 def. Troy Coughlin Jr., 8.501, 87.48; Brittany Force, 3.772, 324.98 def. Pat Dakin, 3.832, 293.60; Doug Kalitta, 3.749, 329.99 def. Troy Buff, 8.421, 82.77; Antron Brown, 3.768, 323.35 def. Dom Lagana, 3.828, 322.34; Terry McMillen, 3.806, 323.04 def. Shawn Langdon, 3.787, 324.90; Tony Schumacher, 3.789, 326.56 def. Mike Salinas, 7.129, 96.03;
QUARTERFINALS -- Torrence, 3.792, 326.79 def. Millican, 3.872, 312.86; Force, 3.808, 325.53 def. McMillen, 3.859, 291.32; Pritchett, 3.848, 322.04 def. Brown, 5.187, 142.16; Kalitta, 3.782, 325.85 def. Schumacher, 4.099, 232.03;
SEMIFINALS -- Torrence, 3.751, 326.08 def. Force, 8.630, 75.66; Kalitta, 3.768, 328.62 def. Pritchett, 3.800, 314.46;
FINAL -- Torrence, 3.743, 331.45 def. Kalitta, 3.736, 331.36.
FUNNY CAR: ROUND ONE -- Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 3.993, 310.27 def. Jonnie Lindberg, Toyota Camry, 8.596, 84.51; Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.913, 329.75 def. Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.101, 307.65; Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.349, 216.62 def. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Solara, 14.165, 61.22; John Force, Camaro, 3.930, 326.32 def. Dale Creasy Jr., Charger, Broke; Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 3.942, 322.34 def. J.R. Todd, Camry, 4.032, 318.69; Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.944, 326.56 def. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, Foul - Centerline; Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 3.972, 324.75 def. Del Worsham, Camry, 7.528, 98.54; Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.060, 319.82 def. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.180, 266.11;
QUARTERFINALS -- Johnson Jr., 3.960, 324.44 def. Capps, 3.965, 324.83; Hight, 3.978, 321.73 def. DeJoria, 4.741, 180.16; Tasca III, 4.006, 323.58 def. J. Force, 4.047, 301.00; Beckman, 4.078, 310.84 def. Hagan, 4.152, 275.06;
SEMIFINALS -- Beckman, 4.074, 319.45 def. Johnson Jr., 6.049, 118.22; Hight, 3.925, 328.62 def. Tasca III, Foul - Red Light;
FINAL -- Beckman, 4.073, 311.85 def. Hight, 6.673, 98.53.
PRO STOCK: ROUND ONE -- Allen Johnson, Dodge Dart, 6.627, 209.43 def. Chris McGaha, Chevy Camaro, Foul - Red Light; Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.595, 210.37 def. Erica Enders, Camaro, Foul - Red Light; Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.567, 210.64 def. Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 6.676, 209.26; Jason Line, Camaro, 6.562, 210.50 def. Alan Prusiensky, Dart, 14.694, 58.11; Tanner Gray, Camaro, 6.558, 210.64 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 7.790, 130.97; Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.579, 210.70 def. Val Smeland, Camaro, 6.759, 198.76; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.570, 211.16 def. Mark Hogan, Pontiac GXP, 6.814, 203.52; John Gaydosh Jr, Chevrolet Camaro, 6.663, 208.01 def. Drew Skillman, Camaro, 7.212, 149.95;
QUARTERFINALS -- Butner, 6.615, 210.73 def. Nobile, 6.687, 209.95; Anderson, 6.597, 210.90 def. Johnson, Foul - Red Light; Gaydosh Jr, 6.695, 207.18 def. Coughlin, 12.760, 68.65; Line, 6.585, 211.33 def. Gray, 6.599, 210.77;
SEMIFINALS -- Butner, 6.606, 210.34 def. Gaydosh Jr, 6.701, 207.50; Anderson, 6.599, 210.80 def. Line, Foul - Red Light;
FINAL -- Butner, 6.601, 210.50 def. Anderson, 6.581, 210.87.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: ROUND ONE -- Mike Berry, Buell, 6.950, 192.22 def. Cory Reed, 6.991, 189.31; Scotty Pollacheck, Suzuki, 6.924, 193.43 def. Angelle Sampey, Foul - Red Light; LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.853, 195.25 def. Melissa Surber, Buell, 22.220, 24.02; Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.907, 193.74 def. Chip Ellis, Buell, 6.890, 193.93; Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 6.880, 194.80 def. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.915, 195.96; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.910, 196.13 def. Angie Smith, Buell, Broke; Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.867, 194.69 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.924, 193.16; Matt Smith, 6.849, 196.27 def. Joe DeSantis, Suzuki, Foul - Red Light;
QUARTERFINALS -- Pollacheck, 6.905, 194.46 def. Gladstone, 6.904, 193.49; Arana Jr, 6.846, 197.36 def. Hines, 6.925, 193.02; Tonglet, 6.823, 196.22 def. Johnson, 6.962, 182.72; M. Smith, 6.876, 196.50 def. Berry, 6.916, 192.77;
SEMIFINALS -- M. Smith, 6.872, 195.48 def. Pollacheck, 6.969, 186.30; Tonglet, 6.831, 195.08 def. Arana Jr, 6.863, 195.22;
FINAL -- Tonglet, 6.824, 195.76 def. M. Smith, 6.882, 195.31.
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POINT STANDINGS AFTER NORWALK:
TOP FUEL:
1. Steve Torrence, 1,071; 2. Leah Pritchett, 1,021; 3. Antron Brown, 990; 4. Tony Schumacher, 856; 5. Doug Kalitta, 781; 6. Brittany Force, 734; 7. Clay Millican, 695; 8. Terry McMillen, 477; 9. (tie) Troy Coughlin Jr., 464; Scott Palmer, 464.FUNNY CAR: 1. Ron Capps, 1,095; 2. Matt Hagan, 946; 3. Jack Beckman, 855; 4. Robert Hight, 809; 5. Tommy Johnson Jr., 739; 6. Courtney Force, 714; 7. John Force, 683; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 525; 9. J.R. Todd, 508; 10. Cruz Pedregon, 431.
PRO STOCK: 1. Bo Butner, 1,067; 2. Greg Anderson, 941; 3. Tanner Gray, 887; 4. Jeg Coughlin, 820; 5. Jason Line, 781; 6. Erica Enders, 690; 7. Vincent Nobile, 670; 8. Drew Skillman, 575; 9. Chris McGaha, 454; 10. Allen Johnson, 448.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: 1. LE Tonglet, 480; 2. Eddie Krawiec, 389; 3. Scotty Pollacheck, 325; 4. Jerry Savoie, 322; 5. Andrew Hines, 317; 6. Hector Arana Jr, 314; 7. Joey Gladstone, 278; 8. Matt Smith, 256; 9. Steve Johnson, 219; 10. Karen Stoffer, 217.