Compiled by SEMA Editors
 Steve Torrence piloted his Capco Contractors dragster to the Top Fuel victory last Monday at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. |
Torrence, Todd, Skillman and Krawiec Winners at Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals
Steve Torrence piloted his Capco Contractors dragster to the Top Fuel victory last Monday at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Drew Skillman (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also victorious at the 18th event of 24 on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Series Drag Racing Series schedule. Torrence raced to a 3.757-second pass at 322.96 mph to defeat Kebin Kinsley who lost traction in his Road Rage Fuel Booster dragster at the start of the final. It is Torrence’s first win at the Chevy Performance U.S. Nationals, seventh of the season and 15th of his career. Torrence also won the Top Fuel Traxxas Nitro Shootout, the lucrative race-within-a-race with a $100,000 cash prize. With his semifinal win over Leah Pritchett, Torrence clinched the No. 1 seed heading into the Countdown to the Championship—NHRA’s six-race playoff.
Todd powered past Funny Car reigning world champion Ron Capps with a 3.949 pass at 325.53 in his DHL Toyota Camry to better Capps’ 3.923 at 325.61 in his NAPA Dodge Charger. It is Todd’s first career win at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, his second of the season and of his Funny Car Career. He’s secured the No. 9 spot heading into the Countdown to the Championship.
In Pro Stock, Skillman ran a 6.676 pass at 206.61 in his Ray Skillman Chevrolet Camaro to defeat Greg Anderson’s 6.660 at 208.01 in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro on a holeshot for his first Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals victory, fourth win of the season and seventh of his career.
Krawiec rode to the Pro Stock Motorcycle win with his 6.858 pass at 196.90 on his Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to defeat Hector Arana Jr. and his Lucas Oil Buell’s 6.886 pass at 195.48. This was Krawiec’s second Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals victory, his third win of the season and 39th of his career.
The 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season continues September 15–17 at zMAX Dragway with the 10th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals and the kickoff to the Countdown to the Championship.
 The GsR vehicle that broke the landspeed record for diesel trucks is a Chevy S10 retrofitted with a high-powered diesel engine. |
MAHLE Aftermarket Inc., MAHLE Motorsports Power Greenspeed Research to World Landspeed Record for
Diesel Trucks
With a powertrain consisting of MAHLE Motorsports Monotherm steel pistons, Clevite bearings and MAHLE Original gaskets, non-profit organization Greenspeed Research (GsR) broke the landspeed record for diesel trucks. Driver Dave Shenker, GsR CTO Patrick Johnson and the other GsR team members reached a speed of 219.411 mph at the 69th Annual Southern California Timing Association Speed Week, August 18, in Utah. The previous diesel speed record stood for 10 years at 215.091mph. Racing among 500 other entrants at the event, the GsR vehicle is a Chevy S10 retrofitted with a high-powered diesel engine.
Strong Support for Amateur Riders at the Motorex Challenge
After its debut at the 2016 ISDE in Navarra, Spain, the Motorex Challenge returned in the Swiss lubricant manufacturer’s centenary year with great success. Italian Moto Club Pavia dominated this year’s edition of the Club Trophy competition with 28 participating teams. They claimed victory with their “Pavia Senior” team, and also came in third with their “Pavia Junior” team. They were joined on the podium by the “KBS UAMK Team Unhost” squad from the Czech Republic. In the Motorex Challenge of the Vintage Trophy, a total of 45 riders participated aboard their vintage machines. Philippe Vellas from France came out on top with Rolf Nickolai from Germany a close second and Italian Riccardo Terranova in third. The 93rd edition of the ISDE will take place in Chile in 2018 and Motorex will return as main partner of the event and direct supporter of the amateur riders of the Club Trophy and Vintage Trophy competitions.