Torrence, Johnson Jr., Gray, Stoffer Lead Pomona Qualifying

Billy Torrence

Billy Torrence (Top Fuel), Tommy Johnson, Jr. (Funny Car), Shane Gray (Pro Stock) and Karen Stoffer (Pro Stock Motorcycle) raced to the top of the speed charts in Friday’s opening qualifying session for Sunday’s Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Calif.

Johnson, Jr. laid down a pass of 3.917 seconds at 324.67 mph in the second round to jump from 17^th to first and knock Ron Capps from the provisional pole. Capps would eventually fall to third behind Matt Hagan. Cruz Pedregon and Jack Beckman rounded out the top five.

Torrence holds the lead in Top Fuel with a run of 3.726 at 331.61 mph in the second session, bumping Larry Dixon to second, followed by Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown and Dave Connolly.

In Pro Stock, Shane Gray beat Vincent Nobile for the no. 1 spot, clocking in at 6.509 at 212.79 mph. Drew Skillman, Bo Butner and Erica Enders made up the rest of the top five.

Stoffer turned in a run of 6.823 at 196.36 mph in Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying to take the provisional No. 1 spot ahead of Chip Ellis, Hector Arana, Jr., Jerry Savoie and Andrew Hines