NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Billy Torrence and Steve Torrence highlighted a Capco Contractors one-two punch in Top Fuel qualifying at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis. 

Billy Torrence took the top spot with a 3.699-second lap at 321.88-mph. His son, defending world champion Steve Torrence, followed with a 3.717-second hit. Billy is chasing his second pole of the season and first since the Phoenix event, where he went on to win for the second time in his career. He enters the event in 10th place and battling in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship for the first time in his career. 

Billy Torrence scores third Top Fuel win in Sonoma

Steve is the defending world champion for the first time in his career. He is coming off a first-round loss that bumped him down to third place. He is chasing his first victory since the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver in July. Steve reached the final round in Seattle, also in July, four events ago. The Texan entered the Countdown as the No. 1 seed for the third-straight season. 

Clay Millican knocks out Steve Torrence in first round in Reading

Austin Prock, who won his first event in Seattle, is qualified in the No. 3 position. He moved up to seventh place after beginning the Countdown in eighth. Prock has reached at least the semifinals for the past four as he chases the championship and the Auto Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award, which goes to the top rookie of the year. 

Mike Salinas, who won his first Wally this season, is qualified in the No. 4 position. He is slotted above Doug Kalitta, who won the last event in Reading and enters St. Louis at the top of the Top Fuel standings. Antron Brown, Scott Palmer and Pat Dakin round out the top half of the qualifying order. 

Brittany Force is on the bump spot with a 4.055-second pass two weeks after setting the world record for elapsed time. She is holding out Luigi Novelli, who experienced a fiery explosion during the second qualifying session. Chris Karamesines and Lex Joon are also on the outside looking in with two sessions remaining. 

There will be two more qualifying sessions on Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. Central. Race day is set for Sunday at 11 a.m. Central.