Heat helps Friday’s marks stand

The early morning rain at Royal Purple Raceway cleared out and made way for mostly sunny conditions that sent track temperatures soaring for Saturday’s two qualifying sessions.

As a result, the third qualifying round was a study in hazed tires and frustration, with few cars making full runs as all three pro classes struggled with track temperatures that were nearly 40 degrees higher than Friday night’s second round qualifying session.

With the track temperature hovering at about 130 degrees, the fourth and final session was marginally better, but there was little doubt that Friday’s track records would stand.

Steve Torrence set the elapsed-time mark in Top Fuel with a run of 3.72 seconds at 329.4 mph. In Funny Car, Tim Wilkerson set the ET record with a 3.89-second pass at 327.59 mph, while Del Worsham, the defending Funny Car series champion, set a track speed record with a run of 328.06 mph and 3.923 seconds.

For Torrence, this marks the fourth race this season that he will start from the No. 1 spot for the third consecutive event — the first time a Top Fuel driver has done that since Shawn Langdon in 2012.

“To come here to Houston and run well in front of my friends and family who have supported me throughout my career is icing on the cake,” Torrence said.

Torrence won the season-opening race at Pomona for his lone win this season.

Pro Mod driver has arm surgery

Sidnei Frigo, a Pro Modified driver from Sao Paulo, Brazil, underwent surgery at Memorial Hermann Hospital after suffering a broken arm in a frightening accident during Friday night’s second qualifying session.

Frigo, 44, lost control of his Corvette near the finish line, resulting in the car flipping and tumbling over the retaining wall.