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BILLY TORRENCE WINS PHOENIX
Follows Son Steve to the Winners’ Circle at Arizona Nationals
PHOENIX, Ariz. – With son Steve on the sidelines after a rare first round loss, Billy Torrence showed why he is the best part-time driver on the NHRA drag racing circuit Sunday as he guided the second of the Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragsters to a wire-to-wire victory in the 35th annual Magic Dry Organic Absorbent Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.
It was an historic triumph for the 60-year-old founder and CEO of Capco Contractors, a Texas-based company specializing in oil and gas pipeline construction and maintenance, because it propelled him into the Mello Yello point lead for the first time in his career.
Not only was it the second win in six months for the elder Torrence (he won his first Top Fuel race last August when he prevailed in the Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd, Minn.), it was the eighth win for the father-and-son tandem in the last 10 races.
In addition to his recent Top Fuel success, Billy Torrence also is a national event winner in the Lucas Oil series at the wheel of a far less powerful Super Comp dragster. He was the Super Comp champion at the fall race at Las Vegas in 2011 before winning most recently in the Arby’s Southern Nationals at Atlanta, Ga. (2016).
This was just the 33rd Top Fuel event for Texas businessman. He raced a career high 11 times a year ago after not competing the two previous seasons because of business responsibilities.
“It’s so humbling to be able to come out here and race with my family,” Torrence said. “It’s top of the world, really, top of the world! And I can’t say enough about the guys that put this car together. We are really blessed as a family to be able to do this and have some success at it and I give God all the glory.”
While Billy was keeping his record perfect as a No. 1 qualifier (two No. 1s, two wins), Steve was enduring one of his most frustrating weekends as a professional. His No. 14 starting spot was his worst since 2013 and his early exit at the hands of close friend Antron Brown was just his 10th first round loss in the last 73 events.
“When you have weather that limits the qualifying, there’s no margin for error out there,” he explained. “We were just too aggressive on our first (qualifying) run and that put us behind everyone. We just never got a handle on it. Thanks to my dad, though, the Capco Boys are back in the points lead.”
CAPCO CONTRACTORS race summary:
35th annual Magic Dry Organic Absorbent Arizona Nationals:
Qualify – Steve Torrence, No. 14 at 5.682 seconds, 261.88 mph.
Round 1 – S. Torrence, 3.930 seconds, 256.50 mph, lost to Antron Brown, 3.728, 330.63 mph.
Qualify – Billy Torrence, No. 1 at 3.667 seconds, 328.46 mph.
Round 1 – B. Torrence, 3.736 seconds, 329.42 mph, def. Terry Totten, 5.038, 153.79 mph.
Round 2 – B. Torrence, 3.687 seconds, 329.58 mph, def. Mike Salinas, 3.848, 275.17 mph.
Semifinals – B. Torrence, 3.709 seconds, 328.70 mph, def. Jordan Vandergriff, 9.920, 84.65 mph.
FINAL – B. Torrence, 3.965 seconds, 326.40 miles per hour, def. Leah Pritchett, 9.568
seconds, 75.68 mph.
* * * *
2019 NHRA MELLO YELLO POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After 2 of 18 races leading into the Countdown to the Mello Yello Championship)
1. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 178
2. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools dragster 172
3. Leah Pritchett, Danville, Ind., Mopar/Pennzoil dragster 165
4. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 137
4. Terry McMillen, Elkhart, Ind., Amalie Oil Intimigator dragster 132
6. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 122
7. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 115
8. Austin Prock, Indianapolis, Ind., Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 106
9. Jordan Vandergriff, Brea, Calif., DA Lubricants dragster 77
10. Scott Palmer, Cassville, Mo., Magic Dry Organic dragster 69
13. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Advance Auto Parts dragster 57.
* * * *
NEXT RACE:
50th annual Amalie Gatornationals
March 15-17, 2019
Gainesville Raceway
Gainesville, Fla.
Follows Son Steve to the Winners’ Circle at Arizona Nationals
PHOENIX, Ariz. – With son Steve on the sidelines after a rare first round loss, Billy Torrence showed why he is the best part-time driver on the NHRA drag racing circuit Sunday as he guided the second of the Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragsters to a wire-to-wire victory in the 35th annual Magic Dry Organic Absorbent Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.
It was an historic triumph for the 60-year-old founder and CEO of Capco Contractors, a Texas-based company specializing in oil and gas pipeline construction and maintenance, because it propelled him into the Mello Yello point lead for the first time in his career.
Not only was it the second win in six months for the elder Torrence (he won his first Top Fuel race last August when he prevailed in the Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd, Minn.), it was the eighth win for the father-and-son tandem in the last 10 races.
In addition to his recent Top Fuel success, Billy Torrence also is a national event winner in the Lucas Oil series at the wheel of a far less powerful Super Comp dragster. He was the Super Comp champion at the fall race at Las Vegas in 2011 before winning most recently in the Arby’s Southern Nationals at Atlanta, Ga. (2016).
This was just the 33rd Top Fuel event for Texas businessman. He raced a career high 11 times a year ago after not competing the two previous seasons because of business responsibilities.
“It’s so humbling to be able to come out here and race with my family,” Torrence said. “It’s top of the world, really, top of the world! And I can’t say enough about the guys that put this car together. We are really blessed as a family to be able to do this and have some success at it and I give God all the glory.”
While Billy was keeping his record perfect as a No. 1 qualifier (two No. 1s, two wins), Steve was enduring one of his most frustrating weekends as a professional. His No. 14 starting spot was his worst since 2013 and his early exit at the hands of close friend Antron Brown was just his 10th first round loss in the last 73 events.
“When you have weather that limits the qualifying, there’s no margin for error out there,” he explained. “We were just too aggressive on our first (qualifying) run and that put us behind everyone. We just never got a handle on it. Thanks to my dad, though, the Capco Boys are back in the points lead.”
CAPCO CONTRACTORS race summary:
35th annual Magic Dry Organic Absorbent Arizona Nationals:
Qualify – Steve Torrence, No. 14 at 5.682 seconds, 261.88 mph.
Round 1 – S. Torrence, 3.930 seconds, 256.50 mph, lost to Antron Brown, 3.728, 330.63 mph.
Qualify – Billy Torrence, No. 1 at 3.667 seconds, 328.46 mph.
Round 1 – B. Torrence, 3.736 seconds, 329.42 mph, def. Terry Totten, 5.038, 153.79 mph.
Round 2 – B. Torrence, 3.687 seconds, 329.58 mph, def. Mike Salinas, 3.848, 275.17 mph.
Semifinals – B. Torrence, 3.709 seconds, 328.70 mph, def. Jordan Vandergriff, 9.920, 84.65 mph.
FINAL – B. Torrence, 3.965 seconds, 326.40 miles per hour, def. Leah Pritchett, 9.568
seconds, 75.68 mph.
* * * *
2019 NHRA MELLO YELLO POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After 2 of 18 races leading into the Countdown to the Mello Yello Championship)
1. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 178
2. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools dragster 172
3. Leah Pritchett, Danville, Ind., Mopar/Pennzoil dragster 165
4. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 137
4. Terry McMillen, Elkhart, Ind., Amalie Oil Intimigator dragster 132
6. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 122
7. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 115
8. Austin Prock, Indianapolis, Ind., Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 106
9. Jordan Vandergriff, Brea, Calif., DA Lubricants dragster 77
10. Scott Palmer, Cassville, Mo., Magic Dry Organic dragster 69
13. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Advance Auto Parts dragster 57.
* * * *
NEXT RACE:
50th annual Amalie Gatornationals
March 15-17, 2019
Gainesville Raceway
Gainesville, Fla.
