The Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor heated up on Friday as Steve Torrence, Robert Hight, and Greg Anderson took the provisional No. 1 qualifying spots in their respective classes. Torrence dominated the Top Fuel category, Hight shined in the Funny Car division, and Anderson led the way in Pro Stock at the Heartland Motorsports Park.

As the four-time Top Fuel world champion, Torrence showcased his skill with the only run in the 3.70s, securing the provisional top spot. Torrence completed a thrilling side-by-side run with points leader Justin Ashley, finishing with an impressive pass of 3.764 seconds at a speed of 326.24 mph in his Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster. Currently placed second in points, Torrence is eyeing his first No. 1 qualifier this season and 35th in his career, while also closing in on championship form.

"This is a huge confidence booster, just for getting the momentum going early in the weekend and getting us set up to go into tomorrow for the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge," said Torrence. "That's going to be huge going into the Countdown, where we're able to cut that lead down or see if we can cut it to nothing between now and then with Justin Ashley being so far ahead of us."

In the Funny Car category, Hight made a strong comeback following a challenging Western Swing. He powered his Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS to the provisional No. 1 position with a run of 3.948 seconds at 321.19 mph. This performance could earn Hight his third No. 1 qualifier this season and 80th in his career. After a promising start to the season, Hight aims to regain his championship form.

"We've been struggling, and the car hasn't been cooperating with every adjustment (crew chief) Jimmy (Prock) makes," Hight explained. "He's really set on this new clutch combination, but he believes that he's the one that's been making the mistakes. It was just awesome to hear the excitement in his voice when he told me what it ran. We needed that run big time."

Anderson seeks a turnaround in his 2023 season and displayed strong potential during the qualifying round for Pro Stock. Anderson, a five-time world champion, secured the top spot with a run of 6.677 seconds at 205.38 mph in his HendricksCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. While currently placed seventh in points, Anderson hopes this performance is a stepping stone toward his 122nd career No. 1 qualifier.

"We made a lot of changes, but this year, I've been kind of let down when I get to the racetrack," Anderson admitted. "It's a great feeling I haven't had for a while, and I think we can even do better. Hopefully, we can improve."

Qualifying will continue on Saturday at 2:15 p.m. CT, with racers vying for crucial positions at the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park.