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NHRA Roars Into Wine Country For Weekend Competition
Sonoma TF
Capturing the 46th win of his career in the Top Fuel category, Steve Torrence and his Capco team took down Leah Pruett in the final round at the Sonoma Raceway over the weekend. Photo By Jeff Burghardt

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series made its way to beautiful wine country and Sonoma Raceway from July 23 through 25. In front of packed grandstands the stars of the NHRA did not disappoint. Many close races and stellar performances made for an exciting race weekend.

Steve Torrence and his Capco dragster continued to mow down the Top Fuel class scoring his seventh win out of nine races in the 2021 season. In the opening round Torrence took down Cameron Ferre with a solid 3.713 et at 331 mph. In round two he squared off against the Mac Tools dragster of Doug Kalitta. Torrence laid down a 3.730 @ 327 mph to Kalitta’s 3.811 @ 316 mph to advance to the semifinal round. Antron Brown and the Matco Tools team would be his opponent. Torrence again put a 3.739 @ 328 mph to Brown’s 3.813 @ 321 mph to move onto the final round. In the final round Leah Pruett would try to stand in his way. Pruett put a 3.768 @ 323 mph on the scoreboard but it would not be enough to hold off the hard charging 3.757 @ 327 mph of Torrence. This was his 46th career win in Top Fuel.

Robert Hight, a three-time series Funny Car champion conquered all during eliminations on Sunday. Hight and the Auto Club of Southern California team took on Steven Densham in round one. Hight posted a 3.938 @ 320 mph score the win to advance into the second round. In round two he took down the 2018 Funny Car champion JR Todd. Hight once again put a 3.938 @ 326 mph on the scoreboard to advance to the semifinal round. In that round, his match up would be the 2016 Funny Car champion Ron Capps and the Napa team. Hight’s 3.943 @ 323 mph was enough to hold off Capp’s 3.979 @ 322 mph to advance him into the final round. Once again Hight would take on another Funny Car champion, this time it was three-time champ Matt Hagan. Coming off his recent win in Denver, Colorado, Hagan got off the starting line first but was unable to hold off the hard charging Hight.

Hight’s 3.971 @ 322 mph to Hagan’s 3.991 @ 324 mph was just enough to squeeze out the win by two thousandths of a second at the finish line.

The final round of Pro Stock was a battle of rookies as Aaron Stanfield took on Dallas Glenn. Stanfield, a second generation Pro Stock driver, scored the win running a 6.557 @ 209 mph to Glenn’s 6.580 @ 207 mph. Stanfield picked up his fifth career win.

In Pro Stock motorcycle, Karen Stoffer scored the 10th win of her career. She squared off against six-time Pro Stock motorcycle champion Andrew Hines in the final round. Stoffer left the starting line first and never looked back with a solid 6.978 @ 197 mph to Hines’ 6.800 @ 200 mph.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series next travels to Southern California for the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals. The event was postponed from February due to COVID 19.

A special thanks to three-time Top Fuel world champion Steve Torrence, Bobby Lagana and the Capco Team for repairing a nail in my tire so I could travel home safely.

Sonoma FC
A three-time series Funny Car champion, Robert Hight and the Auto Club of Southern California team came out on top in the weekend competition hosted at Sonoma Raceway. Photo By Jeff Burghardt