(Photos by Kim Fuller) • Four-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence (near lane) moved into the points lead on Sunday at Pacific Raceways with his first win of the 2023 season, powering past Doug Kalitta in the final round of the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals.
Torrence earned his 54th career win, going 3.940-seconds at 289.26 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster to knock off Kalitta, denying the veteran his 50th overall victory. It also gave Toyota its 200th overall NHRA win. Kalitta reached the finals for the second time in 2023 and 109th time overall, getting past Ron Smith and Clay Millican earlier in the day.
In Funny Car, consistency paved the way for Tim Wilkerson (far lane), putting together three straight 4.00 runs on Sunday and going 4.007 at 321.96 in his 11,000-horsepower SCAG Power Equipment/Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang in the championship round to defeat J.R. Todd. The win bumped Wilkerson to sixth in points.
To reach the final round, Wilkerson had to knock off points leader Matt Hagan, back-to-back world champ Ron Capps and Blake Alexander, going 4.007 in consecutive rounds to close out his day. It bumped Wilkerson to sixth in points, adding another standout performance in Seattle to his career accomplishments.
“I accidentally went a little deep on J.R. in the final there or the thing probably would have run a (3).96,” Wilkerson. “But I’m very, very proud of my guys today. They were flawless It’s a hot day, man. We worked hard and had the same motor in the car all the way until the finals, and I’m pretty proud of that. We really had a great day.
The first-ever weekend in Seattle for Pro Stock Motorcycle simply meant another dominating weekend for points leader Gaige Herrera (far lane), as he wrapped up a flawless weekend at Pacific Raceways with a winning run of 6.764 at 198.99 on his Vance & Hines/Mission Foods to defeat teammate Eddie Krawiec. It gives the phenom his fifth win in seven races in the category this year, as well as a second perfect weekend after Herrera qualified No. 1 and also picked up the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge victory.
The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series heads to the final stop on the Western Swing at the NHRA Sonoma Nationals this weekend.
In Sportsman competition:
Alcohol Dragster — Jackie Fricke, 5.270, 276.13 def. Joey Severance (shown), 8.312, 100.31.
Top Alcohol Funny Car — Doug Gordon, Chevy Camaro, 5.475, 268.60 def. Annie Whiteley, Camaro, 7.379, 137.62.
Competition Eliminator — Joseph Arrowsmith, Pontiac GTO, 9.164, 108.77 def. Cody Lane, Chevy Cavalier, Foul – Red Light.
Super Stock — Rick McKinney, Chevy Camaro, 10.582, 122.50 def. Don Thomas, Pontiac Gran Am, 10.135, 131.88.
Stock Eliminator — Justin Lamb, Chevy Camaro, 9.814, 127.35 def. Greg Kielman, Camaro, 11.676, 111.15.
Super Comp — Garrett Sides, Dragster, 8.912, 181.23 def. Dylan Hough, Dragster, 8.888, 182.03.
Super Gas — Paul Nero, Chevy Corvette, 9.932, 162.45 def. Lindsey Larson, Chevy Corvette, 9.968, 167.05.
Super Street — Brian McGinnis, Chevy, 10.951, 126.79 def. Dustin Ward, dodge Dart, 10.971, 125.19.
Top Dragster — Thomas Bayer, Dragster, 6.148, 231.40 def. Dylan Hough, Dragster, 6.796, 195.90.
Top Sportsman — Mike Ferderer, Pontiac Grand Am, 7.119, 193.85 def. Bryan Warr, Chevy Camaro, 6.775, 199.94.
Junior Dragster Shootout — Ty Gaynor, Halfscale, 8.178, 80.33 def. Cody Mackey, 8.008, 79.06.
Here’s our gallery of photos from Pacific Raceway and the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals.
