Lucas Oil Nationals preview at Brainerd International Raceway

August 18, 2019 at 7:11AM
In this photo provided by the NHRA, Steve Torrence drives in Top Fuel qualifying Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals drag races at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minn. Torrence's top run was 3.738 seconds at 328.70 mph. (Marc Gewertz/NHRA via AP)
Steve Torrence qualified second in Top Fuel qualifying. Torrence won the event last year in Brainerd. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals

Brainerd International Raceway • FS1 (1-4 p.m.)

Preview: This is the 17th of 24 stops on the NHRA circuit. Pro Stock driver and Minnesota native Jason Line secured his second No. 1 qualifier of the 2019 season and the 55th of his career. Brittany Force (Top Fuel) and Matt Hagan (Funny Car) also qualified No. 1 (complete results on C11). Eliminations begin at 11 a.m. Sunday and will be followed by the finals. The 2018 winners at BIR were Billy Torrence (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Deric Kramer (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

2019 points leaders: Top Fuel — 1. Steve Torrence 1,587, 2. Antron Brown 966, 3. Clay Millican 955. Funny Car — 1. Robert Hight 1,341, 2. John Force 1,155, 3. Tommy Johnson Jr. 1,117. Pro Stock — 1. Bo Butner 815, 2. Greg Anderson 769, 3. Alex Laughlin 742. Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Andrew Hines 967, 2. Eddie Krawiec 770, 3. Matt Smith 712.

Numbers: John Force notched his 150th career Funny Car win on Aug. 4 in Kent, Wash. It was the Hall of Famer's first win of the season. … This weekend's races are the second-to-last before the six-event Countdown to the Championship.

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