Four-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence asserted his dominance at Pacific Raceways on Sunday, securing his first win of the 2023 season and taking over the points lead. Torrence surged past Doug Kalitta in the final round of the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals.

Joining Torrence in victory were Tim Wilkerson in Funny Car and Gaige Herrera in Pro Stock Motorcycle. These triumphs marked the 11th race out of 21 in the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Torrence clinched his 54th career win, turning in a 3.940 second elapsed time at only 289.26 mph in his Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster. This win denied Kalitta his 50th overall victory and marked a milestone for Toyota, as it commemorated the automaker's 200th overall NHRA win.

To emerge victorious, Torrence had to surpass tough opponents along the way. He defeated Josh Hart, defending world champion Brittany Force, and Shawn Langdon to secure a spot in the finals. With this win, Torrence moved four points ahead of Justin Ashley in the overall standings. Notably, this victory was Torrence's first since the St. Louis race in the Countdown to the Championship last year. Moreover, he achieved a thrilling double-up weekend by also winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday in Seattle.

Reflecting on his performance, Torrence expressed his satisfaction. , 

"The performance today, two rounds were stellar and two rounds weren't that stellar," Torrence said. "It's difficult when things are not absolutely great to be as confident as you need to be to drive these things successfully." 

Torrence highlighted the significance of winning at this time, mentioning the valuable momentum gained. He also emphasized the importance of consistency, acknowledging that despite previous challenges, his confidence is back, and he is determined to continue moving forward.

Meanwhile, in the Funny Car category, Tim Wilkerson exemplified consistency, cementing his victory with three consecutive 4.00 runs on Sunday. He completed his winning run in the championship round, with a time of 4.007 seconds at 321.96 mph in his SCAG Power Equipment/Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang. This was Wilkerson's second win of the season, marking his 24th career victory. Additionally, it secured his fourth overall victory at Pacific Raceways. Throughout the day, Wilkerson faced off against respected competitors including points leader Matt Hagan, back-to-back world champion Ron Capps, and Blake Alexander.

"I'm very, very proud of my guys today," Wilkerson said. "They were flawless." 

Wilkerson acknowledged the ups and downs he has encountered in recent races and his determination to improve. 

"Just hang in there. We've got that 24-hour rule: 24 hours after we win, lose or draw? Start over, because you can't dwell on that stuff," Wilkerson explained. "It'll drive you crazy." 

J.R. Todd was the runner-up in the Funny Car category, reaching the finals in Seattle for the second consecutive year. His path to the finals included victories against Alex Laughlin, Cruz Pedregon, and Chad Green. With this result, Todd secured his second runner-up finish this year, extending his total career finals appearances to 43. Hagan maintained his points lead, holding a 17-point advantage over Capps heading into the upcoming Sonoma race.

Pro Stock Motorcycle's points leader, Gaige Herrera, continued his dominant run at Pacific Raceways, claiming victory in the category. Herrera sealed a perfect weekend with a winning time of 6.764 seconds at 198.99 mph on his Vance & Hines/Mission Foods bike, defeating teammate Eddie Krawiec. This victory marked his fifth win out of seven races in this category in 2023, and Herrera achieved a second perfect weekend after qualifying as the top rider and winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge.

Having already won in Denver, Herrera has set his sights on sweeping the Western Swing. This accomplishment has never been achieved in Pro Stock Motorcycle and hasn't happened for any competitor since 2009. 

“It means a lot to be the first winner and I’m glad we were able to put on a show for them,” Herrera said. “The track was smooth and one of the best tracks I’ve been on, and Andrew (Hines, crew chief) and the guys had our bike running great. That was probably one of my toughest finals, having to race the boss and one of the guys that has helped me so much. Overall, though, it was awesome racing him and it was just business as usual and I’m happy to be on top. “I’ve had an awesome two races and I hope to do well in Sonoma. It obviously would be amazing to sweep (the Western Swing), so I’m definitely excited. Plus, we’ve got the (Pro Stock Motorcycle) All-Star Callout, so it’s going to be a busy, busy weekend. The whole field is tightening up and Sonoma is always a fast track, so it’s going to be very competitive.”

Krawiec, who aimed for his 50th career victory, reached the final round for the 82nd time overall and first time in 2023 with wins against Ryan Oehler, rookie Chase Van Sant and defending world champion Matt Smith. 

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series closes out the famed three-race Western Swing with the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals on July 28-30 at Sonoma Raceway.