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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FATHER-SON RIVALRY RESUMES AT INDY
Capco Contractors Dragsters Focus Firepower on Lucas Oil Summernationals
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – A week after his dad beat him in the semifinals of the E3 Spark Plugs Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway, reigning world champion Steve Torrence returns to the same track with a chance to restore the balance of family power and, at the same time, close the gap on current point leader Doug Kalitta.
Last week’s result and Kalitta’s 111-point advantage notwithstanding, it would be difficult to consider anyone other than the younger Torrence the Top Fuel favorite in Sunday’s Lucas Oil Summernationals, one of two special tour events created in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After all, the 37-year-old cancer survivor has won 10 of his last 21 starts at the wheel of an all-conquering Capco Contractors dragster and is coming off a stellar weekend performance in which he qualified No. 1 and posted the quickest time of eliminations (3.756 seconds) before running afoul of dad Billy in the latest chapter of what is becoming one of the sport’s most celebrated rivalries.
The fact is, over the last two years, the elder Torrence is the only driver among the 25 who have opposed his son who doesn’t have a losing record against him. The two are 3-3 during that span and each has a final round victory over the other. Steve beat Billy last year at Topeka, Kan. before Billy turned the tables last fall in St. Louis.
Significantly, they are just the second father-and-son finalists in NHRA Top Fuel history (after the late Scott Kalitta and dad Connie, who raced for the championship at the 1994 NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla.) and the first to oppose one another more than once.
“We’re both really competitive,” Torrence said of his dad, the founder and CEO of Capco Contractors, a Texas-based oil-and-gas pipeline construction business that also is an active sponsor of drag racers and drag racing at the professional, sportsman and Jr. Dragster levels. “He wants to beat me as bad as I want to beat him.
“It’s really fun because (he) taught me how to drag race when I was a kid,” said the 37-time pro winner. “I grew up racing Super Comp and Super Gas with my mom (Kay) and dad. That’s what we did. Then a couple years ago, I had the opportunity to teach him how to drive a Top Fuel car – and here we are.
“I’m probably not a very good teacher, but when you have a really good student, somebody who listens when you say do it this way, even if you can’t explain why, it makes a big difference,” said the champ. “I’m really proud of him and I’ll tell you one thing, neither one of us is out here trying to get a participation trophy.”
Lucas Oil Summernationals
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Between them, the Torrences have won 35 times in just the last three-plus seasons – and that’s with Billy not running all the events. Nevertheless, despite his success, the elder Torrence is perfectly content racing an abbreviated schedule.
“My car is right there with Steve's,” he said, “but he's certainly the better driver. I take a lot of tutoring from all the guys, but to come out here and compete at this level, it’s always gratifying (and) if you can’t have fun doing this, you can’t have fun doing anything.”
Two Saturday qualifying runs will set the fields for Sunday eliminations covered by FOX broadcast network beginning at 2 p.m., Texas time. Qualifying coverage will air on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 9:30 p.m., Texas time, on Saturday.
Looking Back
Mello Yello Championship Points (after three 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 dragster 131
Steve Torrence 2020 Race Results
Points
DateSiteQualifyCompetition DetailPosition
2/9Pomona, CANA Did Not Participate NA
2/23Phoenix, AZ 2ndBeat Jim Maroney, Shawn Langdon, Billy Torrence5th and Doug Kalitta
7/12Indianapolis, IN 1stBeat Luigi Novelli, Shawn Langdon; lost Billy Torrence 2nd
Looking Ahead
2020 NHRA Mello Yello Series
Aug. 9Dodge Mile-High Nationals Denver, Colo.
Aug. 16Lucas Oil Nationals Brainerd, Minn.
Aug. 23Menard’s Heartland Nationals Topeka, Kan.
Aug. 30NHRA Southern Nationals Atlanta, Ga.
Sept. 6Denso U.S. Nationals Indianapolis, Ind.
Sept. 13Mopar Express Lane Nationals Reading, Pa.
Sept. 20NGK Spark Plugs 4Wide Nationals Charlotte, N.C.
Sept. 27Amalie Gatornationals Gainesville, Fla.
Oct. 4AAA Insurance Midwest Nationals St. Louis, Mo.
Oct. 11NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol, Tenn.
Oct. 18AAA Texas FallNationals Dallas, Texas
Oct. 25Mopar Express Lane SpringNationals Houston, Texas
Nov. 1Dodge Nationals Las Vegas, Nev.
Nov. 15Auto Club Finals Pomona, Calif.
Steve Torrence at Lucas Oil Raceway
Total number starts: 16 (10 in the U.S. Nationals; 5 in the Traxxas Nitro Shootout; 1 in the E3 Spark Plugs Nationals)
No. 1 qualifier: 1 (E3 Spark Plugs Nationals in 2020)
Final rounds: 7 (U.S. Nationals in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017; Traxxas Nitro Shootout in 2012, 2013 and 2017)
Race wins: 2 (U.S. Nationals in 2017; Traxxas Nitro Shootout in 2017)
Won-Lost Record: 18-10
NOTE: Also won the 2005 U.S. Nationals in the Top Alcohol Dragster class en route to a Lucas Oil World
Championship.
* * * *
Track Records Steve’s Best at Lucas Oil Raceway
3.645 seconds by Brittany Force, Aug. 31, 20193.656 seconds, Aug. 31, 2019
333.33 mph by Billy Torrence, Aug. 31, 2019331.12 mph, Aug. 31, 2019
FATHER-SON RIVALRY RESUMES AT INDY
Capco Contractors Dragsters Focus Firepower on Lucas Oil Summernationals
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – A week after his dad beat him in the semifinals of the E3 Spark Plugs Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway, reigning world champion Steve Torrence returns to the same track with a chance to restore the balance of family power and, at the same time, close the gap on current point leader Doug Kalitta.
Last week’s result and Kalitta’s 111-point advantage notwithstanding, it would be difficult to consider anyone other than the younger Torrence the Top Fuel favorite in Sunday’s Lucas Oil Summernationals, one of two special tour events created in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After all, the 37-year-old cancer survivor has won 10 of his last 21 starts at the wheel of an all-conquering Capco Contractors dragster and is coming off a stellar weekend performance in which he qualified No. 1 and posted the quickest time of eliminations (3.756 seconds) before running afoul of dad Billy in the latest chapter of what is becoming one of the sport’s most celebrated rivalries.
The fact is, over the last two years, the elder Torrence is the only driver among the 25 who have opposed his son who doesn’t have a losing record against him. The two are 3-3 during that span and each has a final round victory over the other. Steve beat Billy last year at Topeka, Kan. before Billy turned the tables last fall in St. Louis.
Significantly, they are just the second father-and-son finalists in NHRA Top Fuel history (after the late Scott Kalitta and dad Connie, who raced for the championship at the 1994 NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla.) and the first to oppose one another more than once.
“We’re both really competitive,” Torrence said of his dad, the founder and CEO of Capco Contractors, a Texas-based oil-and-gas pipeline construction business that also is an active sponsor of drag racers and drag racing at the professional, sportsman and Jr. Dragster levels. “He wants to beat me as bad as I want to beat him.
“It’s really fun because (he) taught me how to drag race when I was a kid,” said the 37-time pro winner. “I grew up racing Super Comp and Super Gas with my mom (Kay) and dad. That’s what we did. Then a couple years ago, I had the opportunity to teach him how to drive a Top Fuel car – and here we are.
“I’m probably not a very good teacher, but when you have a really good student, somebody who listens when you say do it this way, even if you can’t explain why, it makes a big difference,” said the champ. “I’m really proud of him and I’ll tell you one thing, neither one of us is out here trying to get a participation trophy.”
Lucas Oil Summernationals
2222
Between them, the Torrences have won 35 times in just the last three-plus seasons – and that’s with Billy not running all the events. Nevertheless, despite his success, the elder Torrence is perfectly content racing an abbreviated schedule.
“My car is right there with Steve's,” he said, “but he's certainly the better driver. I take a lot of tutoring from all the guys, but to come out here and compete at this level, it’s always gratifying (and) if you can’t have fun doing this, you can’t have fun doing anything.”
Two Saturday qualifying runs will set the fields for Sunday eliminations covered by FOX broadcast network beginning at 2 p.m., Texas time. Qualifying coverage will air on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 9:30 p.m., Texas time, on Saturday.
Looking Back
Mello Yello Championship Points (after three 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 dragster 131
Steve Torrence 2020 Race Results
Points
DateSiteQualifyCompetition DetailPosition
2/9Pomona, CANA Did Not Participate NA
2/23Phoenix, AZ 2ndBeat Jim Maroney, Shawn Langdon, Billy Torrence5th and Doug Kalitta
7/12Indianapolis, IN 1stBeat Luigi Novelli, Shawn Langdon; lost Billy Torrence 2nd
Looking Ahead
2020 NHRA Mello Yello Series
Aug. 9Dodge Mile-High Nationals Denver, Colo.
Aug. 16Lucas Oil Nationals Brainerd, Minn.
Aug. 23Menard’s Heartland Nationals Topeka, Kan.
Aug. 30NHRA Southern Nationals Atlanta, Ga.
Sept. 6Denso U.S. Nationals Indianapolis, Ind.
Sept. 13Mopar Express Lane Nationals Reading, Pa.
Sept. 20NGK Spark Plugs 4Wide Nationals Charlotte, N.C.
Sept. 27Amalie Gatornationals Gainesville, Fla.
Oct. 4AAA Insurance Midwest Nationals St. Louis, Mo.
Oct. 11NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol, Tenn.
Oct. 18AAA Texas FallNationals Dallas, Texas
Oct. 25Mopar Express Lane SpringNationals Houston, Texas
Nov. 1Dodge Nationals Las Vegas, Nev.
Nov. 15Auto Club Finals Pomona, Calif.
Steve Torrence at Lucas Oil Raceway
Total number starts: 16 (10 in the U.S. Nationals; 5 in the Traxxas Nitro Shootout; 1 in the E3 Spark Plugs Nationals)
No. 1 qualifier: 1 (E3 Spark Plugs Nationals in 2020)
Final rounds: 7 (U.S. Nationals in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017; Traxxas Nitro Shootout in 2012, 2013 and 2017)
Race wins: 2 (U.S. Nationals in 2017; Traxxas Nitro Shootout in 2017)
Won-Lost Record: 18-10
NOTE: Also won the 2005 U.S. Nationals in the Top Alcohol Dragster class en route to a Lucas Oil World
Championship.
* * * *
Track Records Steve’s Best at Lucas Oil Raceway
3.645 seconds by Brittany Force, Aug. 31, 20193.656 seconds, Aug. 31, 2019
333.33 mph by Billy Torrence, Aug. 31, 2019331.12 mph, Aug. 31, 2019
