NHRA: Torrence, Wilkerson lead at Houston

Texas native Steve Torrence raced to the Top Fuel qualifying lead Friday at the NHRA SpringNationals just east of Houston.

Torrence, winner of the season-opening Winternationals, piloted his dragster to a Royal Purple Raceway track-record pass of 3.724-seconds at 329.42mph during the second qualifying session. The Kilgore, Texas, native is two qualifying sessions away from securing his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and third in-a-row.

"Houston is one of the race tracks I get to call home," Torrence said. "It is really gratifying to be able to run well in front of the hometown crowd and all the friends and family I've grown up racing with. There's just a lot of support here."

Doug Kalitta is currently in the No. 2 spot, racing his Mac Tools dragster to a 3.743 at 324.36, while Clay Millican and his Parts Plus/Great Clips dragster sit in third with a matching time of 3.743 but slower speed of 323.12.

Two-time world champion Antron Brown and his Matco Tools dragster are in fifth and points leader Brittany Force is seventh in her Monster Energy dragster.

Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) were also qualifying leaders at the sixth NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event of the season.

In Funny Car, Wilkerson set a career best and track record time of 3.899 at 327.59 in his Ford Shelby Mustang. Wilkerson, the 2004 SpringNationals winner, has two wins this season in Phoenix and Charlotte, North Carolina, and will have the chance to earn his first No. 1 qualifier of the season on Saturday.

In Pro Stock, Anderson powered his Chevy Camaro to a 6.589 at 210.41. Anderson, eyeing his third No. 1 qualifier of the year, has two wins so far this season.

Pro Mod driver Sidnei Frigo was airlifted to a hospital but was said to be responding after his Corvette crossed the white line before taking a sharp left, flying up, hitting the wall and then rolling – both in the air and on the ground – before coming to a stop in the grass.

The final two qualifying sessions of the NHRA SpringNationals will be at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Royal Purple Raceway.