Blake Alexander, the toast of the Top Fuel team last year for his two victories and one semifinal finish in the first six of only 11 starts, is driving a Funny Car this season. After skipping the preseason PRO Winter Warm-up at Wild Horse Motorsports Park and the schedule-opening Winternationals, then working with his crew for 10 hours in the chilly rain here Thursday, Alexander was more than ready to make his first laps in the Funny Car.

The rain delay and the time track-prep officials took to ensure the sand trap was safe didn’t bother Alexander. He said the crew needed a little more time before heading to the starting line.

But he had to wait even further to make his on-track return to Funny Car. An apparent mechanical problem forced the Daniel Wilkerson-led crew to push the car from the starting line in the fuel cars’ only Friday session. The NHRA canceled the day’s action around 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time because of incoming rainstorms, without the Pro Stock class making a showing.

The second event of the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series concluded Sunday as Billy Torrence took home the Top Fuel victory at the 35th annual Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.

Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) were also winners in their respective categories at the second of 24 events on the 2019 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

Everyone who attended the Lucas Oil Winternationals and/or this weekend’s Magic Dry Arizona Nationals understands the effects of the cold and rain on the crowds. But Rob Wendland and John Collins – crew chiefs for Top Fuel’s Terry McMillen and Funny Car’s Tommy Johnson Jr., respectively – offered some insight about how teams have to react to these more extreme conditions.

“There’s so much stuff that’s done in the pit first – not tune up wise, but just making sure the car’s prepared for cold weather. That is all the internals and all the rear end. Everything’s really cold,” Wendland said.

Parts and pieces receive special treatment.

For three days a week, Johnna Dunn works primarily in the emergency room at St. Jude Children’s Research at Temecula, Calif. And she’s a first-responder in “code” situations, often administering CPR astride the patient and whisking them to urgent surgery.

At the dragstrip, she’s the assistant clutch specialist for her grandfather Jim Dunn’s Funny Car that her father Jon Dunn tunes and Jim Campbell drives. She also is an aspiring nitro-class racer.

“I get adrenaline here, and I get adrenaline there. So it’s fun,” she said during the Magic Dry NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.

Sunday's final results from the 35th annual Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. The race is the second of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

Point standings (top 10) following the 35th annual Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, the second of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series -

Final round-by-round results from the 35th annual Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, the second of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

If there's one lesson two-time Funny Car champion Robert Hight has learned over the last decade-and-a-half, he's put it to use over the course of the last two weeks.

"We gotta make hay while the sunshine's out," Hight said.

During the PRO Winter Warm-up at Wild Horse Motorsports Park, Billy Torrence seemed to accept playing second-fiddle to his championship-winning son Steve, who was untouchable on the best run grid.

Fast forward three weeks later at the facility outside of Phoenix, the elder Torrence ensured it would be a CAPCO Car leading the Top Fuel qualifying. With Steve off of his usual torrid pace (No. 14, 5.682, 261.88) Torrence rared back and delivered a 3.667, 328.46 to unseat Terry McMillen atop the qualifying list.

Maybe Bo Butner should announce his retirement at the end of the season more often.

Hot off of a season-opening victory at the NHRA Winternationals at Pomona, Ca., the 2017 NHRA Pro Stock champion added his first pole position of the season and the ninth of his career during final day qualifying for the Magic Dry NHRA Arizona Nationals outside Phoenix.