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  • DeJoria, Salinas, Sampey collect wins at Bristol Thunder Valley Nationals

    DeJoria, Salinas, Sampey collect wins at Bristol Thunder Valley Nationals

    On a cool, but sunny afternoon at Bristol Motor Dragway, the Thunder Valley Nationals were held and we saw veterans return to the winner circle.

    Alexis DeJoria in Funny Car, Mike Salinas in Top Fuel and Angelle Sampey in Pro Stock Motorcycle all won in their respective categories.

    Funny Car

    It’s been four years since Alexis DeJoria has been in victory lane and she was looking to change that this weekend at Bristol. She began on Saturday afternoon by locking in the No. 1 spot for the first time since 2016. Thanks to her No. 1 spot and a short field of 14 drivers, DeJoria lined up in a Round 1 matchup against No. 14 qualifier, Paul Lee.

    DeJoria was victorious in her first-round victory after going 4.030 seconds and 269.83 mph as Lee’s Funny Car’s cylinders went out early following the launch. By winning the first round, DeJoria had an easy quarterfinal victory as she had a solo run. Her Funny Car powered to a time of 3.931 seconds and a 321.04 mph pass.

    In the semi-finals, she met John Force Racing’s Robert Hight after Hight had victories over Cory Lee in Round 1 and Bob Tasca III in Round 2. However, Hight lost to DeJoria as DeJoria went 3.904 seconds and 327.74 mph over Hight’s 3.934 seconds and 329.10 mph. As a result, DeJoria would make her second final round appearance of 2021 and she was set to face J.R. Todd.

    J.R. Todd in his DHL Toyota Camry had an interesting day. He had a first-round match with then Funny Car points leader, Matt Hagan. Todd eliminated Hagan early with a time of 3.924 seconds at 324.90 mph compared to Hagan’s 3.958 seconds and 326.16 mph run. Hagan lost the championship points lead due to his first-round loss.

    Afterward, Todd faced John Force, the all-time leader on the wins list, in the quarterfinals. He won again with a time of 3.916 seconds at 328.78 mph. Then, in the semis, Todd squared up against Ron Capps (current Funny Car Points leader). Todd won over Capps when Capps’ win was disallowed after Capps’ machine hit the cylinder block and was disqualified.

    For the finals, the temperature was 62 degrees and Todd had a slight advantage over DeJoria being 5-2. However, DeJoria had a picture-perfect final-round win and was clearly ahead of Todd all the way to the finish line. She scored her first career victory since 2017 at Brainerd and had a reaction time of .002.

    “I was hungry and I know that feeling,” DeJoria said. “I was just happy to be there and I believed I was going to win. It’s one of the biggest wins of my career. Coming back after two years off, getting to work with my mentor and friend (Del Worsham), being able to do this, it’s huge. It’s just been a roller-coaster and it takes a toll on you.

    “It’s very humbling, but I was just ready to win. I was calm and just excited, and when I’m in that headspace I do my best. This is definitely one of my favorite tracks and it’s just beautiful here. I just love it.”

    Todd’s second-place finish was the fourth runner-up finish of the season and the 21st of his career.

    “There is nothing I would have done differently in that final,” said Todd. “You are not going to beat a .002 light and a 3.92 on the race track. That is unbelievable. All in all, a great day for the Yella Fellas. It just shows what kind of team I have behind me with everything that has gone on the last three races. It was a good points day, but I just wanted that one bad. The kind of day we had today is the day you dream about as a driver, and I just want to finish it off. There is nothing we could have done differently in the final.”

    Funny Car Results

    1. Alexis DeJoria
    2. J.R. Todd
    3. Robert Hight
    4. Ron Capps
    5. Cruz Pedregon
    6. John Force
    7. Bob Tasca III
    8. Matt Hagan
    9. Dave Richards
    10. Tim Wilkerson
    11. Cory Lee
    12. Blake Alexander
    13. Paul Lee
    14. Jim Campbell

    Funny Car Championship Points Standings

    1. Ron Capps, 2,490 points
    2. Matt Hagan, -1
    3. J.R. Todd, -83
    4. Cruz Pedregon, -101
    5. John Force, -101
    6. Bob Tasca III, -147
    7. Robert Hight, -153
    8. Alexis DeJoria, -171
    9. Tim Wilkerson, -241
    10. Blake Alexander, -306

    Top Fuel

    With the exception of 2020 when the race was canceled due to COVID, Mike Salinas claimed back-to-back victories at the Thunder Valley Nationals. The victory, though, wasn’t easy as he faced last week’s runner-up, Steve Torrence.

    Salinas qualified in the second position and faced Antron Brown in the first round. The Scrappers Racing machine had the advantage over Brown, as Salinas went 3.672 seconds and 334.32 mph for the first-round victory. During their race, Brown’s cylinder went out and Salinas got the win.

    In the quarterfinals, Salinas was set to face No. 8 qualifier Clay Millican after Millican won over Josh Hart. Millican was eliminated by Salinas who had a time of 3.707 seconds at 326.63 mph, to set up a semi-final matchup with Brittany Force.

    Force managed her way into the semis with victories over Lex Joon in Round 1 and Spencer Massey in the quarterfinal. Woefully, Force’s day ended early as Salinas won with an ET of 3.698 seconds and 330.55 mph to advance to the finals as Force’s car went up in smoke in the right lane.

    Torrence, on the other hand, was looking to bounce back from a runner-up finish at Dallas.

    The Kilgore, Texas native in his CAPCO machine was the No. 1 qualifier heading into Sunday for a first-round race with Cameron Ferre. Torrence won with a time of 3.729 seconds at 328.38 mph over Ferre. The first-round victory was an important one for Torrence as the victory set him up for a solo run in the second round.

    With an easy victory in the second round, Torrence had a Dallas final rematch in the semis against Justin Ashley. This time around, Torrence returned the favor and won over Ashley with a run of 3.677 seconds and 331.69 mph to face Salinas in the finals.

    While it looked as though Torrence might claim the victory over Salinas, the Texas native smoked the tires and saw Salinas take the win for the third time in his career to snap a two-year winless streak.

    “It’s a great facility and I’m glad they welcome us here,” Salinas said. “This track loves me. I met so many nice people over the years here. We’ve got a great team, and all the parts and pieces, and I think I threw away 3-4 races at the beginning of the year trying to get my routine down. It’s hard when you’re running with all these guys, but I got a lot of help and I’ve made some big improvements. These guys in this class, they’re awesome. They cut good lights I found something that works perfectly for me and I think we’re getting there. I just try to race my lane and that’s it.”

    Torrence’s runner-up finish was his third of the season and the 25th of his career.

    “Mike has really stepped up his game this year,” Torrence said about the man who ruined his otherwise perfect weekend. “I’m proud of him. I’m happy for him and for Alexis (DeJoria, whose Sunday Funny Car win was her first since 2017). They’re both great people and those are both independent teams.

    “Fortunately, we won rounds again today,” he said. “Richard Hogan and Bobby
    Lagana, they worked their magic and got us to another final round, so we’ll just move on to Vegas and get ready for another street fight. This thing’s going right to the end (at the season-ending Auto Club Finals at Pomona, Calif.).”

    Top Fuel Results

    1. Mike Salinas
    2. Steve Torrence
    3. Justin Ashley
    4. Brittany Force
    5. Billy Torrence
    6. Clay Millican
    7. Spencer Massey
    8. Shawn Langdon
    9. Antron Brown
    10. Cameron Ferre
    11. Doug Kalitta
    12. Leah Pruett
    13. Josh Hart
    14. Lex Joon

    Top Fuel Championship Standings

    1. Steve Torrence, 2,575 points
    2. Brittany Force, -73
    3. Justin Ashley, -147
    4. Mike Salinas, -150
    5. Billy Torrence, -218
    6. Leah Pruett, -284
    7. Clay Millican, -310
    8. Antron Brown, -323
    9. Shawn Langdon, -347
    10. Doug Kalitta, -395

    Pro Stock Motorcycle

    The Pro Stock Motorcycle class featured Angelle Sampey facing Karen Stoffer in the final round.

    Sampey qualified 13th following Saturday’s session and faced No. 4 qualifier Andrew Hines in Round 1. The Louisiana native was successful and claimed the victory when Sampey went 6.821 seconds and 195.62 mph and set the low ET of the round. She would then meet Chris Bostick in the second round and won due to Bostick’s red-light foul, and would go to the semi-finals for the third time this season.

    In the semis, Sampey met Eddie Krawiec and was 10-7 facing Krawiec. When the lights went down, Krawiec was ahead slightly over Sampey, but his bike started to move toward the wall and he began to ease off the throttle. As a result, Sampey would pull away with the victory going 6.814 seconds and 194.18 mph to face Stoffer in the final round.

    Stoffer had wins over Lance Bonham, Ron Tornow, and last week’s winner, Matt Smith, in the semis.

    Stoffer and Sampey have met before, facing each other 21 times in their careers. But Sampey had the upper hand with nine more victories over Stoffer entering into the final round.

    During the final, Sampey easily got out ahead first in front of Stoffer. Stoffer tried making up ground toward Sampey but she went on to win for the second time this season on a holeshot with a .010 reaction time compared to Stoffer’s .029.

    “I’ve been out here for so long, I’ve really learned to appreciate everything I get now,” Sampey said. “When I win a race, the emotions are 100 percent genuine because it’s a task to get it done. To get four round wins is really tough and it means so much to me. I love this sport so much and this team just works so hard. This mission was to catch back up in the points race and we made it happen. It was a fantastic day and it would be great to get the No. 1 back on the motorcycle.”

    Stoffer earned her first runner-up of the year and the 15th of his career.

    Pro Stock Motorcycle Results

    1. Angelle Sampey
    2. Karen Stoffer
    3. Matt Smith
    4. Eddie Krawiec
    5. Scotty Pollacheck
    6. Kelly Clontz
    7. Ron Tornow
    8. Chris Bostick
    9. Andrew Hines
    10. Joey Gladstone
    11. Charles Poskey
    12. Lance Bonham
    13. Ryan Oehler
    14. Steve Johnson
    15. Angie Smith

    Pro Stock Motorcycle Championship Standings

    1. Matt Smith, 2,451 points
    2. Angelle Sampey, -25
    3. Steve Johnson, -56
    4. Eddie Krawiec, -111
    5. Scotty Pollacheck, -160
    6. Karen Stoffer, -201
    7. Joey Gladstone, -216
    8. Angie Smith, -226
    9. Andrew Hines, -274
    10. Ryan Oehler, -301

    Up Next: The NHRA Camping World Drag Series will take a week off before returning on October 29th-31st for the Las Vegas Nationals.

  • Wilkerson, Hart, Koretsky, Sampey win Carolina Nationals

    Wilkerson, Hart, Koretsky, Sampey win Carolina Nationals

    Just one race removed from the Countdown (NHRA’s version of the NASCAR playoffs), the action heated up this past weekend at the zMax Dragway in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    Tim Wilkerson won in Funny Car, while Josh Hart upset Brittany Force, Kyle Koretsky defeated all-time great Greg Anderson, and Angelle Sampey picked up her 44th career victory over Joey Gladstone in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

    Funny Car

    Five years – 2016: You would have to go back five years to find the last time Funny Car driver Tim Wilkerson earned two victories in one season. Since then, the Springfield, Illinois native went on a winless streak from 2017 to 2021.

    Wilkerson broke the winless streak at the U.S. Nationals, one race prior to the beginning of the Countdown. Heading into the Countdown, Wilkerson’s team was hoping to make some noise and he did so Sunday afternoon by eliminating two-time Funny Car champion, Cruz Pedregon.

    “It was tremendous pressure today and a crazy day,” said Wilkerson, who now has two victories at zMAX Dragway. “It was a tough day and we barely made it to the rounds in the semifinals and finals. I’m very proud of my guys. We were thrashing and I’m worn out. Sometimes, there’s too much time to stare at the (car) and make changes. Today, I made wholesale changes and lived with them, and it worked out.”

    Wilkerson qualified in the eighth position and paired up with a first-round matchup against the No. 9 qualifier, Bob Tasca III. Wilkerson defeated Tasca going 3.931 seconds and 323.58 mph to advance to the quarterfinals where he was slated to go up against 16-time champion and championship points leader, John Force. As the two drivers rocketed off the staging lane, it initially appeared that Force had grabbed the victory. But, unfortunately for Force, he was disqualified after hitting a cylinder block.

    As Force was disqualified, Wilkerson was handed the victory and once again was in a rematch of the U.S. Nationals with NAPA Dodge driver, Ron Capps. Wilkerson again advanced and eliminated Capps going 3.909 seconds and 315.42 mph to face Cruz Pedregon in the finals.

    Pedregon defeated Dave Richards, J.R. Todd, and won over Alexis DeJoria in the semis to advance to the 80th semi-final of his Funny Car career.

    In the finals, Wilkerson got off the starting line and powered over Pedregon’s Snap-On machine to score his third career victory.

    Pedregon finished second earning his second runner-up finish of the season and the 42nd of his career.

    Funny Car Results

    1. Tim Wilkerson
    2. Cruz Pedregon
    3. Ron Capps
    4. Alexis DeJoria
    5. Matt Hagan
    6. J.R. Todd
    7. Terry Haddock
    8. John Force
    9. Jim Campbell
    10. Blake Alexander
    11. Bob Tasca III
    12. Mike McIntire
    13. Tony Jurado
    14. Robert Hight
    15. Dave Richards

    Funny Car Championship Points Standings

    1. Ron Capps, 2,233 points
    2. Matt Hagan, -5
    3. John Force, -25
    4. J.R. Todd, -46
    5. Cruz Pedregon, -52
    6. Robert Hight, -72
    7. Tim Wilkerson, -72
    8. Alexis DeJoria, -97
    9. Bob Tasca III, -103
    10. Blake Alexander, -169

    Top Fuel

    Rookie Josh Hart has only competed in seven races in his debut season in Top Fuel and did not start at Las Vegas I, Epping, Denver, Sonoma, Pomona I, Topeka, and Brainerd. Even though Hart hasn’t run a whole season and wasn’t qualified for the Countdown, it doesn’t mean he can’t compete for wins.

    Sunday Hart earned the second victory of his career upsetting Brittany Force in the final round. The drag race was close between Hart and Force, but as the win light came on at the top end of the racetrack, the victory went to Hart on a holeshot.

    “We just planned on getting our feet wet and building the team this year, and that has obviously been accelerated,” Hart said. “The team has gelled together right away and I think the results are showing. I’m glad to be out here and the real magic happens in the pits. The guys are awesome and watching them is like a well-orchestrated symphony, and that’s where the praise needs to go. I’ve got a lot of confidence in (crew chief) Ron Douglas and I’m happy I could return the favor for them in the final round.”

    Runner-up Brittany Force had high hopes heading into Charlotte as she continued her qualifying momentum this weekend by picking up her 10th No. 1 qualifier of the season. She had a first-round match with No. 16 Arthur Allen and Force was victorious with a run of 3.689 seconds and 332.67 mph to go to the quarterfinals.

    In the second round, Force faced Top Fuel returner, Spencer Massey. She won again by going 3.734 seconds and 325.85 mph to advance to a semi-final round with three-time champ Steve Torrence.

    Force won again in the semi-finals and eliminated Torrence though the win light came on in the wrong lane and originally gave the victory to Torrence. Despite the malfunction, Force went to the finals against Hart.

    Unfortunately for Force, she continued what has been a bit of a winless streak as she finished runner-up for the fourth time this year.

    “Tough for a driver to lose in the final round that way,” Force said. “Fortunately, I have a great group of guys around me in this Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac team and we’re staying positive,” Force said. “We’re still out in front and, overall, we had a great weekend, going to the finals, getting that eighth No. 1 in a row and picking up a lot of bonus points. I’m going to put this weekend behind me, build from it, move on and plan to win the next one.”

    The Monster Energy driver has not won since Topeka last month in August.

    Top Fuel Results

    1. Josh Hart
    2. Brittany Force
    3. Steve Torrence
    4. Justin Ashley
    5. Spencer Massey
    6. Billy Torrence
    7. Clay Millican
    8. Mike Salinas
    9. Antron Brown
    10. Doug Kalitta
    11. Doug Foley
    12. Leah Pruett
    13. Alex Laughlin
    14. Shawn Langdon
    15. Arthur Allen
    16. Joe Morrison

    Top Fuel Championship Points Standings

    1. Brittany Force, 2,274 points
    2. Steve Torrence, -21
    3. Justin Ashley, -74
    4. Billy Torrence, -82
    5. Leah Pruett, -128
    6. Mike Salinas, -136
    7. Antron Brown, -138
    8. Shawn Langdon, -141
    9. Clay Millican, -148
    10. Doug Kalitta, -210

    Pro Stock

    After winning last week at the Mopar Express Lane Nationals in Reading, Greg Anderson was seeking to break the all-time wins record tie in Pro Stock with Warren Johnson this weekend in Charlotte. However, with the young class of Pro Stock drivers, there were hungry drivers waiting for their moment to shine.

    One of the drivers that shined was Kyle Koretsky who defeated Greg Anderson in the finals. Koretsky qualified in the fourth spot and faced Cristian Cuadra in the first round. From there, Koretsky eliminated Dallas Glenn in the quarterfinals, local favorite Wally Stroupe in the semis, and eventually Greg Anderson in the finals.

    In the finals, Koretsky won his first-ever career Pro Stock victory against all-time great Anderson by setting an ET of 6.629 seconds and 208.20 mph.

    “I’m out here living my dream,” Koretsky said. “KB Racing supplies me with the best power out here and my team just works flawlessly. This is huge and what I’ve wanted my whole life. Pro Stock is the most competitive class out there, and we always looked up to Greg. I just raced Greg Anderson in the final round and picked up the first Wally for my family. It feels great and I needed to get this done.”

    Anderson will have to wait until next weekend at the NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis to break the tie with Warren Johnson.

    “The stars were aligned,” he said. “I had a great car and something in the clutch broke. I went to start the car and drive up to the water and some $5 part broke. It cost me. It’s just another way to lose. I can’t feel bad; we had a great day, everything was going swimmingly. It was a first for me. I at least gained a few points. We love racing here, it’s home for us, no matter where we started our lives and our careers. I don’t know that you have an advantage racing at home, but it’s a powerful motivator to have your team owners, sponsors, friends, and family cheering you on. You want to win every race you go to, but there is always something special about racing here.”

    Anderson had victories over Fernando Cuadra, Troy Coughlin Jr. and four-time champion Erica Enders and claimed his 68th runner-up finish.

    Pro Stock Results

    1. Kyle Koretsky
    2. Greg Anderson
    3. Wally Stroupe
    4. Erica Enders
    5. Troy Coughlin Jr
    6. Deric Kramer
    7. Mason McGaha
    8. Cristian Cuadra
    9. Vincent Nobile
    10. Fernando Cuadra
    11. Kenny Delco
    12. Alan Prusiensky
    13. Matt Hartford
    14. Chris McGaha
    15. Aaron Stanfield

    Pro Stock Championship Points Standings

    1. Greg Anderson, 2,327
    2. Erica Enders -65
    3. Kyle Koretsky, -91
    4. Dallas Glenn, -147
    5. Aaron Stanfield, -157
    6. Troy Coughlin Jr, -158
    7. Matt Hartford, -197
    8. Mason McGaha, -207
    9. Deric Kramer, -212
    10. Chris McGaha, -217

    Pro Stock Motorcycle

    It was a wild day of action in the Pro Stock Motorcycle category. In the second round, teammates Joey Gladstone and Cory Reed faced each other. However, once the two bikes crossed the finish line, Reed’s bike went over in the other lane and made contact with Gladstone. Reed then fell off his bike and hit the wall. Fortunately, he was alert, conscious, and talking to the Safety Safari personnel and was transported to the local hospital.

    The past month has been a challenging time for Angelle Sampey. Sampey’s hometown was affected by Hurricane Ida last month. The Louisiana driver had been without power until this past Thursday when the power came back on.

    With all of what was going back in Louisiana, Sampey had to put that in the back of her mind for a couple of hours Sunday and was determined to bring home a Wally for the first time this season.

    She qualified second and was paired with Ryan Oehler. The Louisiana native won over Oehler, Andrew Hines in the second round, and Eddie Krawiec to help her advance to the finals to face Joey Gladstone.

    When the Christmas tree went green, Sampey came through with the win over Gladstone, as Gladstone’s bike shut off and the killswitch came unplugged. It was an emotional win, her first of the season and the 44th of her career.

    “I’ve struggled this year on the Suzuki. It’s been a rocket ship and I’m getting close to where I need to be,” Sampey said. “This race, I didn’t think I was going to make it to the final. I wanted to win it for my team and I feel like we raced our butts off today. I’m very excited and proud to have my win light come on, and I definitely dedicate this Wally to southern Louisiana.”

    The runner-up was the second of Gladstone’s career.

    Pro Stock Motorcycle Results

    1. Angelle Sampey
    2. Joey Gladstone
    3. Eddie Krawiec
    4. Steve Johnson
    5. Andrew Hines
    6. Scotty Pollacheck
    7. Cory Reed
    8. Matt Smith
    9. Karen Stoffer
    10. Ryan Oehler
    11. Angie Smith
    12. Jim Underdahl
    13. Michael Phillips
    14. Kelly Clontz
    15. Jianna Salinas
    16. Chris Bostick

    Pro Stock Motorcycle Championship Standings

    1. Steve Johnson, 2,272
    2. Angelle Sampey, -17
    3. Matt Smith, -30
    4. Eddie Krawiec, -39
    5. Scotty Pollacheck, -95
    6. Joey Gladstone, -101
    7. Cory Reed, -147
    8. Angie Smith, -150
    9. Karen Stoffer, -155
    10. Andrew Hines, -162
  • Capps, Torrence, Anderson, Sampey earn No. 1 qualifiers for GatorNationals

    Capps, Torrence, Anderson, Sampey earn No. 1 qualifiers for GatorNationals

    On the eve of the 2021 NHRA season, the final two rounds of qualifying were held Saturday afternoon at the GatorNationals located in Gainesville, Florida.

    Funny Car

    After putting up a quick time Friday night of 3.895 seconds and 329.02 mph, NAPA Auto Parts driver Ron Capps was looking to keep his No. 1 spot for the two Saturday qualifying sessions. The time Capps set Friday night was against his Don Schumacher Racing teammate and 2020 Funny Car Champion Matt Hagan. On Saturday afternoon in the second round of qualifying, the San Luis Obispo, California native faced Tim Wilkerson and put up a time of 3.948 and 320.66 mph over Wilkerson’s 5.052 seconds and 150.28 mph.

    The run was still fast enough for Capps to hold the No. 1 qualifying spot through Round No. 3. In Round 3, Capps was up against Wilkerson again. As the Christmas tree lights went out, Capps ended up going 4.082 seconds and 163.65 mph. Despite the tire smoke coming to the line, the Don Schumacher Racing driver earned his 26th career No. 1 qualifier spot. Oddly enough, Capps is the defending race winner where he faced Wilkerson in the final round last year.

    “I’m just a small link and I just didn’t want to mess up,” said Capps, who has three wins at the historic facility. “I’ve got my first Camping World hat (for a No. 1 qualifier) and it’s great. It’s been fun and we’re excited, but tomorrow is race day. We’ve got a great crowd here, and I’m feeling good and I don’t want the dream to end, so hopefully, we can finish the job on Sunday.”

    While Capps stole the show in qualifying, all eyes were on John Force who, after Friday’s qualifying session, was 13th in the running order. In the first two attempts, Force was not locked in at all, meaning the 16-time Funny Car Champion had to make the third and final round count the most and he did. Force rocketed to 3.934 and 323.66 mph to lock into the show. Force will be making his first start since Arizona of last year. The Yorba Linda, California native has a total of eight career victories at the GatorNationals with his last win coming four years ago in 2017.

    Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations Ladder:

    No. 1 Ron Capps vs No. 16 Jim Campbell, No. 8 Matt Hagan vs No. 9 Bob Tasca III, No. 4 Robert Hight vs No 13 Bobby Bode, No. 5 John Force vs No. 12 Paul Lee, No. 2 Alexis Dejoria vs No. 15 John Smith, No. 7 Cruz Pedregon vs No. 10 Chad Green, No. 3 Tim Wilkerson vs No. 14 Dave Richards and No. 6 J.R. Todd vs No. 11 Blake Alexander.

    Top Fuel

    To no surprise to anyone, Steve Torrence was the quickest out of the Top Fuel category. The three-time Top Fuel champion put up a time of 3.699 to earn his 28th career No. 1 qualifier. His teammate and father Billy Torrence was the closest competitor as Billy ended up with a time of 3.735. Steve Torrence will be looking for a repeat, as the Texas native won this race last year after defeating Tony Schumacher, Doug Foley, Leah Pruett and his father Billy Torrence. He will face No. 16 qualifier Joe Morrison in the first round.

    “We need to maintain our focus and concentration on going laps and going rounds because there’s a lot of people targeting us,” said Torrence, a 40-time event winner. “We’re going to have to step up. Brittany (Force) is back, some other people are back and it’s going to be a competitive field, just as it always is. Getting in these things, you get jacked up and that run (Friday) was stout. We made a good run this afternoon and we’re excited to stay on top. The yellow (No. 1 qualifier) hats are nice, but we’re trying to get some of those winner’s hats, so we’ll see what we can do.”

    Krista Baldwin, who is a third-generation racer, and is the daughter of Top Fuel racer Bobby Baldwin and the granddaughter of NHRA racer Chris Karamesines, attempted to make her debut. On Friday afternoon, Baldwin had a time of 5.343 seconds and 125.74 mph meaning she had to make Saturday count if Baldwin wanted to race on Sunday. In the second round, she was a bit better at 181.81 and 4.503 seconds.

    Baldwin would need help in the final round, but unfortunately, she failed to qualify after veteran Doug Foley posted a time of 3.849 and 322.11 mph. Baldwin will have to wait another day to make her Top Fuel debut.

    Top Fuel Round 1 Eliminations Ladder:

    No. 1 Steve Torrence vs No. 16 Joe Morrison, No. 8 Josh Hart vs No. 9 Clay Millican, No. 4 Doug Kalitta vs No. 13 Arthur Allen, No. 5 Brittany Force vs No. 12 Justin Ashley, No. 2 Billy Torrence vs No. 15 of Scott Palmer, No. 7 Mike Salinas vs No. 10 Antron Brown, No. 3 Leah Pruett vs No. 14 Mike Bucher and No. 6 Shawn Langdon vs No. 11 Doug Foley.

    Pro Stock

    Veteran Pro Stock racer and four-time Gainesville winner Greg Anderson was the quickest after three rounds of qualifying Friday and Saturday but earning the top spot wasn’t easy. Anderson faced 2020 Pro Stock Champion Erica Enders in the final round late Saturday afternoon. Both Anderson and Enders put on quite an epic battle but in the end, Anderson’s speed of 211.36 mph gave him his 107th No. 1 qualifier over his 23-year career.

    “It feels great,” Anderson said. “It’s been a long five months with no racing and that drives us crazy. This is what it’s all about, racing at the Gatornationals, and so far my car has just been flawless. We got the spot we wanted and we’re going to come out tomorrow – on my birthday – and see if we can get a blue (winner’s) Camping World hat.”

    Pro Stock Ladder for Sunday eliminations – Numbers represent where the driver qualified.:

    No. 1 Greg Anderson vs No. 16 Cristian Cuadra, No. 8 Chris McGaha vs No. 9 Alex Laughlin, No. 4 Deric Kramer vs No. 13 Val Smeland and No. 5 Kyle Koretsy vs No. 12 Dallas Glenn.

    Pro Stock Motorcycle

    The Pro Stock Motorcycle class quite possibly had the most interesting story out of qualifying Saturday. Four drivers, Angie Smith, Angelle Sampey, Hector Arana Jr. and Matt Smith all reached 200 mph for the first time ever at Gainesville. Angie Smith was the first to do so when she reached 200.47 mph and 6.880 seconds while facing Lance Bonham in the second round.

    However, at the end of the final qualifying session, the No. 1 qualifier went to the Matthews, Louisiana native, Angelle Sampey. Sampey put the Vance and Hines Mission Foods Suzuki Motorcycle on the pole with an ET of 6.742 and 200.00 mph. The No. 1 qualifier is Sampey’s 52nd of her career. This is Sampey’s second Gainesville No. 1 qualifier as her first came in 2007.

    “This is amazing. I posted a video of my team celebrating on the starting line because I don’t get to see them celebrate very often,” said Sampey. “I’m so proud to have Mission Foods on board this year. This feels like mission accomplished already, but I feel like I have so much more ahead of me. I’m just the lucky rider of this Suzuki. I’m still learning this motorcycle. It’s been a struggle but I’m still going.”

    Pro Stock Motorcycle Ladder for Round 1:

    No. 1 Angelle Sampey vs No. 16 Michael Phillips, No. 8 Scotty Pollacheck vs No. 9 Corey Reed, No. 4 Ryan Oehler vs No. 13 Jerry Savoie, No. 5 Karen Stoffer vs No. 12 Kelly Clontz, No. 2 Matt Smith vs No. 15 James Underdahl and No 7 Hector Arana Jr. vs No. 10 Angie Smith.

    Eliminations begin at 10 a.m. ET and can be seen on NHRA.TV with a subscription before switching over to FOX later in the morning.