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BILLY TORRENCE WINS AT INDY
Beats Son Steve in all-Capco Semifinal at E3 Spark Plugs Nationals
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Billy Torrence beat son Steve in an all-Capco Contractors semifinal and then took out point leader Doug Kalitta in the money round Sunday to win the E3 Spark Plugs Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway, the first NHRA Mello Yello tour event in more than four months.
The win reversed the order of finish from last September’s NHRA U.S. Nationals contested on the same racetrack and propelled the elder Torrence into third place in the Top Fuel point standings. He now trails his son by nine points and Kalitta by 120.
For the younger Torrence, who is bidding for his third consecutive series title, the final round result eased some of the sting of the semifinal loss in which his Capco dragster, which had performed flawlessly through qualifying and the first two rounds, lost traction near mid-track. It was the two-time reigning champion’s third loss to his dad in their last four meetings, all of them in the semifinals or finals.
“I was really proud of him. He did a great job,” Torrence said of his dad, the founder and CEO of Capco Contractors, a Texas-based oil-and-gas pipeline construction and maintenance business that is active in drag racing sponsorship at the professional, sportsman and Jr. Dragster levels.
“Overall, it was a good day for the Capco Boys,” Torrence continued. “We moved up to second in points and my dad moved up to third, but I know when we get back to work tomorrow, I’m gonna get some grief. The guys (who work at Capco) just love it when he beats me.”
A 37-time tour winner who has hoisted the iconic Wally trophy in almost 40 percent of his starts over the last three-plus years (30 of his last 76), Torrence qualified his No. 1 on Saturday and posted the quickest time in each of the first two rounds.
Between them, the two Capco drivers have won 35 of the 75 races contested since the start of the 2017 season.
MELLO YELLO CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after two of 18 regular season events)
1. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools dragster 310
2. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 199
3. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 190
4. Leah Pruett, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., MOPAR dragster 189
5. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 174
6. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Monster/Flav-R-Pak dragster 153
7. Shawn Langdon, Danville, Ind., Global Electronic Technology dragster 144
8. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 142
9. Justin Ashley, Plainview, N.Y., Strutmasters dragster 140
10. Austin Prock, Avon, Ind., Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster131
CAPCO CONTRACTORS race summary:
E3 Spark Plugs Nationals:
Qualify – Steve Torrence, No. 1 at 3.779 seconds, 321.19 mph.
Qualifying bonus points – None awarded in Q2 because session was not completed due to rain.
Round 1 – S. Torrence, 3.758 seconds, 325.92 mph, def. Luigi Novelli, 11.809, 66.62 mph.
Round 2 – S. Torrence, 3.760 seconds, 324.75 mph, def. Shawn Langdon, 3.828, 316.38 mph.
Semifinals – S. Torrence, 4.216 seconds, 210.24 mph, lost to Billy Torrence, 3.801, 322.42 mph.
Qualify – Billy Torrence, No. 4 at 3.859 seconds, 316.08 mph.
Round 1 – B. Torrence, 3.768 seconds, 326.32 mph, def. Terry Totten, no time.
Round 2 – B. Torrence, 3.774 seconds, 324.75 mph, def. T.J. Zizzo, 3.822, 319.14 mph.
Semifinals – B. Torrence, 3.801 seconds, 322.42 mph, def. Steve Torrence, 4.216, 210.24 mph.
FINAL – Billy Torrence, 3.802 seconds, 322.34 mph, def. Doug Kalitta, 3.852, 307.86 mph.
NEXT RACE:
Lucas Oil Summernationals
July 17-19
Lucas Oil Raceway
Indianapolis, Ind.
Beats Son Steve in all-Capco Semifinal at E3 Spark Plugs Nationals
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Billy Torrence beat son Steve in an all-Capco Contractors semifinal and then took out point leader Doug Kalitta in the money round Sunday to win the E3 Spark Plugs Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway, the first NHRA Mello Yello tour event in more than four months.
The win reversed the order of finish from last September’s NHRA U.S. Nationals contested on the same racetrack and propelled the elder Torrence into third place in the Top Fuel point standings. He now trails his son by nine points and Kalitta by 120.
For the younger Torrence, who is bidding for his third consecutive series title, the final round result eased some of the sting of the semifinal loss in which his Capco dragster, which had performed flawlessly through qualifying and the first two rounds, lost traction near mid-track. It was the two-time reigning champion’s third loss to his dad in their last four meetings, all of them in the semifinals or finals.
“I was really proud of him. He did a great job,” Torrence said of his dad, the founder and CEO of Capco Contractors, a Texas-based oil-and-gas pipeline construction and maintenance business that is active in drag racing sponsorship at the professional, sportsman and Jr. Dragster levels.
“Overall, it was a good day for the Capco Boys,” Torrence continued. “We moved up to second in points and my dad moved up to third, but I know when we get back to work tomorrow, I’m gonna get some grief. The guys (who work at Capco) just love it when he beats me.”
A 37-time tour winner who has hoisted the iconic Wally trophy in almost 40 percent of his starts over the last three-plus years (30 of his last 76), Torrence qualified his No. 1 on Saturday and posted the quickest time in each of the first two rounds.
Between them, the two Capco drivers have won 35 of the 75 races contested since the start of the 2017 season.
MELLO YELLO CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after two of 18 regular season events)
1. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools dragster 310
2. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 199
3. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 190
4. Leah Pruett, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., MOPAR dragster 189
5. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 174
6. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Monster/Flav-R-Pak dragster 153
7. Shawn Langdon, Danville, Ind., Global Electronic Technology dragster 144
8. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 142
9. Justin Ashley, Plainview, N.Y., Strutmasters dragster 140
10. Austin Prock, Avon, Ind., Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster131
CAPCO CONTRACTORS race summary:
E3 Spark Plugs Nationals:
Qualify – Steve Torrence, No. 1 at 3.779 seconds, 321.19 mph.
Qualifying bonus points – None awarded in Q2 because session was not completed due to rain.
Round 1 – S. Torrence, 3.758 seconds, 325.92 mph, def. Luigi Novelli, 11.809, 66.62 mph.
Round 2 – S. Torrence, 3.760 seconds, 324.75 mph, def. Shawn Langdon, 3.828, 316.38 mph.
Semifinals – S. Torrence, 4.216 seconds, 210.24 mph, lost to Billy Torrence, 3.801, 322.42 mph.
Qualify – Billy Torrence, No. 4 at 3.859 seconds, 316.08 mph.
Round 1 – B. Torrence, 3.768 seconds, 326.32 mph, def. Terry Totten, no time.
Round 2 – B. Torrence, 3.774 seconds, 324.75 mph, def. T.J. Zizzo, 3.822, 319.14 mph.
Semifinals – B. Torrence, 3.801 seconds, 322.42 mph, def. Steve Torrence, 4.216, 210.24 mph.
FINAL – Billy Torrence, 3.802 seconds, 322.34 mph, def. Doug Kalitta, 3.852, 307.86 mph.
NEXT RACE:
Lucas Oil Summernationals
July 17-19
Lucas Oil Raceway
Indianapolis, Ind.
