Steve Torrence, a four-time Top Fuel world champion, secured the provisional No. 1 position on Friday at the 42nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. 

Joining Torrence atop their respective professional categories were Blake Alexander (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock).

Torrence edged out motorsports icon Tony Stewart in the second qualifying session, clocking a 3.688-second run at 335.32 mph in his Capco Contractors dragster.

“We’ve been working on trying to make power,” Torrence said. “At the end of the day, power is speed, and the high mile an hour is just an exhibition of power and being able to get it down. These conditions here are different than a lot of places we go, so it’s rather difficult to make power here. I was a little surprised to see .68 being low.

“The track is good, everything is good, but people are struggling to make the power they want. We were wanting to run quicker than .68, and that’s just what it gave us. We were just a little closer to it than everybody else, only a little better than Smoke. Pretty cool to see him come out and do as well as he’s done right here. We got lucky, and it’s been a good day.”

Stewart also recorded a 3.688-second run, but his slower speed of 332.18 mph relegated him to second. Reigning world champion and points leader Doug Kalitta is currently third with a 3.703-second run at 335.40 mph.

In Funny Car, 2023 NHRA Norwalk champion Alexander jumped to the top spot with a 3.874-second run at 331.61 mph in his Head Racing Ford Mustang. This would be Alexander’s first career No. 1 qualifier if it holds.

“Given the circumstances of the previous race, that was very sweet – but also, I think we’re capable of doing that, and it wasn’t exactly surprising,” Alexander said. “It’s repetitive – that’s the second time we’ve run 3.87, and that’s when you start becoming a problem for these guys out here who are, quite frankly, bigger outfits than us. It feels pretty good to be able to run with them. 

“We’re having the best season we’ve ever had, to be honest. We just haven’t won a race yet. I think that gets lost in the nature of this business is you’re only as good as your last run. That will happen tomorrow, and that will happen on Sunday, but right now, we’re happy with where we’re at.”

Alexis DeJoria is second in Funny Car with a 3.882-second run at 332.84 mph, while Bob Tasca III, the recent winner in Sonoma, is third with a 3.884-second run at 332.59 mph.

Anderson, a native of Duluth, Minn., is racing at his longtime home track and claimed the provisional No. 1 position in Pro Stock with a 6.641-second run at 207.08 mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. 

Anderson, a five-time world champion, is aiming for his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season and first win in Brainerd since 2011.

“I was hoping we could have run a little bit quicker, but the bottom line is that we did all we could do today. We got all the points that they had to give, and we won Friday,” Anderson said. “So, we’ll move into tomorrow as a new day, and we’ll use that as tuning data. There’s definitely a lot of room left in it, we know we can run better which is great news.

“I love racing here at Brainerd. When it’s cloudy and cool like this, the racetrack is great. The bottom line is that the racetrack is better than we went up there prepared for. That’s a good problem. You go home and find some courage; come back tomorrow and be better. That’s what we’ll do. We’ll come back like a lion tomorrow and hopefully run better and take No. 1 home with us.”

Aaron Stanfield, who has won three of the last four races, is second in Pro Stock with a 6.642-second run at 206.26 mph. Matt Hartford is close behind with a 6.643-second run at 204.66 mph.

Qualifying continues Saturday at 12 p.m. CT at Brainerd International Raceway.