Since 2016, Steve Torrence has become familiar with being the top qualifier at NHRA national events.

Torrence captured eight of his 13 career No. 1 spots last season and now he’s on the brink of having No. 14.

All season, Courtney Force has had outstanding qualifying performances.

The first three races – the Winternationals, Phoenix and the Gatornationals – Force qualified third, second and fourth, respectively.

Pro Extreme driver Terry Leggett made a triumphant return to competition Friday when he earned the provisional No. 1 qualifying spot at the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) East Coast Nationals at GALOT Motorsports Park. He drove his Leggett Logging & Trucking ’71 Mustang to a 3.527-second, 217.56-mph blast during the second session of the day’s rain-shortened qualifying schedule.
 

Day one of the Summit Racing Equipment Grand Finals produced some record-breaking performances in both the ANDRA Drag Racing Series and Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series.

The indication that Adelaide International Raceway had some teeth on Wednesday’s Grand Finals Test n Tune, had racers grinning like kids in a toyshop. ANDRA’s Ray Treasure and Adelaide Drag Race Promotions Peter Pisalidis put in a lot of time and effort to get the track into top shape.

Keith Haney Racing's "Enigma" Drag Radial Chevrolet Camaro race car will return to action in the Strange Engineering Radial Revenge Tour race this weekend at Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park.

But owner/driver Keith Haney won't be behind the wheel. Haney will instead participate in a charity golf tournament with long-time friend and business partner Wayne Cline in Florida, an event Haney and Cline have done for more than 20 years. Cline helped give Haney is start in the automotive business more than 25 years ago.

Enigma, the Lucas Oil/RacingJunk.com car, will be driven by one of Haney's tuners, Brandon Pesz.

The NHRA’s West Central Division is proud to welcome Patterson Elite Performance as the title sponsor to the NHRA West Central Low Qualifier Bonus Award. The Patterson Elite Performance Low Qualifier Bonus is awarded to racers who earn the #1 qualifier position in Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, and Stock categories at the NHRA West Central Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events.

Patterson Elite Performance, hailing from Augusta, Kan., is well known for providing high-powered, reliable performance to Sportsman racers across the country and around the globe. The Patterson’s have been building winning engines for top drag racers since 1979. During this time, Patterson power has propelled Sportsman racers to win over 100 NHRA, European FIA, and Australian ANDRA events.

The Raceshop at Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center (SDPC) along with Chevrolet Performance will be the NHRA South Central Division 4 Top Dragster and Top Sportsman class sponsor for 2017.  

“SDPC  Raceshop  is honored to sponsor the NHRA South Central Division 4 Top Dragster and Top Sportsman series racing. We are looking forward to an exciting season,” said Marty Morris of SDPC Raceshop.

​As odd as it might seem, running the full 24-event NHRA Mello Drag Racing Series will be an easier proposition for Scott Palmer, the working class hero of the Top Fuel fraternity. 

Just because he wasn't running every event in years past didn't mean he wasn't fooling with nitromethane. Last year Palmer and his tireless crew spent 34 weekends on the road either racing by land or water. In addition, Palmer's doorslammer diversion took up four spare weekends. 

"It’s pretty much the same as what we are used to doing," Palmer said. "Tommy Thompson and his World Championship Top Fuel Hydro team that he owns, they are running our Top Fuel boat at the races that overlap, so we actually can just concentrate on these 24 races. So to us, at least mentally, it’s going to be a little bit easier for us because they’re handing the boat. We love nitro."

Stanfield Racing Engines has signed on as the Sportsman Performance Bonus Award sponsor for Super Stock and the 2017 Division 4 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. The Stanfield Racing Engines Sportsman Performance Bonus Award will aim to increase payouts to racers in the Super Stock Eliminator class at all six NHRA Division 4 Lucas Oil events.
 
With years of experience in the engine building world the Stanfield Racing Engines sponsorship will provide the winners and runner-ups with some extra bonus money this season. The Sportsman Performance Bonus Award is worth an additional $500 for the winner and $250 for the runner-up.