Reigning NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence has won eight times this year in the white on black Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster. His dad, Billy, has won twice in the black on white twin. Both will be racing this week in the 38th Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd, MN.

Billy won the event last year and will be hoping to do it again and also get a spot in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs that begin after the U.S. Nationals. Despite only racing in 10 of the 18 regular season events, the elder Torrence is currently 12th in points and needs to move past Scott Palmer and Terry McMillen with only two more events to do so. He has won twice in his eight appearances so far this season.  (Ron Lewis photo)   [08/14/19]

Coming off his first career victory at the recent Northwest Nationals, rookie Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team are hungry for continued success as they enter this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.

“That weekend in Seattle was just unbelievable. We got this Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist dragster in that winner’s circle and we did it alongside the man, John Force. It was really a dream come true,” said Prock who is tied for eighth in the NHRA Mello Yello points standings. “We still have a lot of work to do in this dragster to get it where we want it, but that win gave us a lot of confidence.”  (Ron Lewis photo)  [08/14/19]

Antron Brown has made it to the final round at Brainerd the past three years, but has finished runner-up each time.

Still, the racer who has won at the Minnesota track in both Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle has a positive attitude coming into this weekend’s competition after the three straight weeks of racing on the Western Swing.

“Brainerd has always been a really good track. I love going up there. I really enjoy the people, they’re strong supporters of our sport, and I think that energizes our whole Matco Tools Toyota Hangsterfers team to go up there and do well,” Brown said. “When you go around ‘the Zoo,’ and you get that surge of energy of people having a good time, it really brings back the memories of what drag racing means to me. It’s all about competing at a high-level on the track, but having a lot of fun while doing it, and that’s why I always look forward to Brainerd International Raceway each year.”  (Ron Lewis photo)  [08/14/19]

The numbers were up slightly for the Aug. 4 airing of the NHRA event at Seattle on FOX with 690,000 viewers and a 0.47 rating. Sonoma had 671,000 viewers and a .043 rating while Denver led the three-event Western Swing with 902,000 viewers and a 0.61 rating, all shown on FOX.

This week’s Brainerd show will be back on FS1. [08/14/19]