Four-Time NHRA Top Fuel Champ Steve Torrence Done With Season After Sunday

[none]

The welfare system is not paying off for Steve

To be fair, Steve has voiced that he is not a fan of the countdown even when it benifitted him greatly.

Alan

 

[ironpony]

To be fair, Steve has voiced that he is not a fan of the countdown even when it benifitted him greatly.

Alan

I am surprised that no one is realizing that, "thanks to the welfare system" was a comment Steve made when Brittany won one year after the points reset.

 

[Nitro Fiend]

steve torrence finds himself 228 points back in 4th place with two races to go, yet there
is no desire, or monetary reward to continue fighting for, for this former multi-time top fuel champion.
sad.

This is sad. If he would attend the last two races he would have a legitimate chance to finish 2nd in the points.

 

[J]

I am surprised that no one is realizing that, "thanks to the welfare system" was a comment Steve made when Brittany won one year after the points reset.

Think his dad said that

 

[J]

This is sad. If he would attend the last two races he would have a legitimate chance to finish 2nd in the points.

What does no 2 in points pay? Prob around 100k or less,so yea wouldnt be worth it. Do nitro teams still get 500k to win cship?

 

[ironpony]

Think his dad said that

A frightening-looking crash in Race No. 22 of 24 destroyed the Top Fuel dragster that had carried Steve Torrence to eight victories in 11 final rounds in 2017. He couldn’t coax any more magic from his backup car in the final two races, and Brittany Force completed a march from sixth place to the championship.

Torrence at that time said the NHRA Mello Yello Series' six-race Countdown to the Championship is a “welfare points system” and “just a crock of crap” and expressed contempt for what he called “this bull**** points system.”



Not super clarifying but this is the statement

 

[T.Smith]

A frightening-looking crash in Race No. 22 of 24 destroyed the Top Fuel dragster that had carried Steve Torrence to eight victories in 11 final rounds in 2017. He couldn’t coax any more magic from his backup car in the final two races, and Brittany Force completed a march from sixth place to the championship.

Torrence at that time said the NHRA Mello Yello Series' six-race Countdown to the Championship is a “welfare points system” and “just a crock of crap” and expressed contempt for what he called “this bullshit points system.”



Not super clarifying but this is the statement

They voiced their displeasure for the points system even before that crash. The crash is just where the narrative starts for some fans.

 

[sammi]

I really don't understand the business/tax advantages-liabilities when it comes to self funding a top fuel car. I do understand the Torrance's may have spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million over the course of their time with NHRA and its easy to see that someone in that organization may have looked at the balance sheet and said "holy %$(!!!!!, do we really need to do this?

I was saddened to see, with all the promotional razz-ma-tazz Billy Meyer threw at the Fall Nationals, he still couldn't fill the grandstands. Hell, he even had the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile and a heard of cattle there. Someone is trying to tell us something here.

Maybe its time for the one-day national event. I went to the PDA race at OCIR back in the day. They figured our how to qualify and run a 64 car TF field in one day.

 

[T.Smith]

I really don't understand the business/tax advantages-liabilities when it comes to self funding a top fuel car. I do understand the Torrance's may have spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million over the course of their time with NHRA and its easy to see that someone in that organization may have looked at the balance sheet and said "holy %$(!!!!!, do we really need to do this?

I was saddened to see, with all the promotional razz-ma-tazz Billy Meyer threw at the Fall Nationals, he still couldn't fill the grandstands. Hell, he even had the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile and a heard of cattle there. Someone is trying to tell us something here.

Maybe its time for the one-day national event. I went to the PDA race at OCIR back in the day. They figured our how to qualify and run a 64 car TF field in one day.

Very few people have the stomach to race top fuel dragsters and nitro funny cars.

 

[robinjackson]

I was saddened to see, with all the promotional razz-ma-tazz Billy Meyer threw at the Fall Nationals, he still couldn't fill the grandstands. Hell, he even had the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile and a heard of cattle there. Someone is trying to tell us something here.

By way of comparison, did you see Clay's YouTube video last week of his visit with RWR's NASCAR team to the Charlotte Roval race? When Clay was talking from the pit lane, I couldn't help noticing an awful lot of empty grandstand seats behind him.

 

[Axman]

Very few people have the stomach to race top fuel dragsters and nitro funny cars.

Very few people have the money to race t/f or f/c

 

[T.Smith]

Very few people have the money to race t/f or f/c

All high level racing takes money. It doesn't guarantee success or staying power.

 

[Nunz]

I really don't understand the business/tax advantages-liabilities when it comes to self funding a top fuel car. I do understand the Torrance's may have spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million over the course of their time with NHRA and its easy to see that someone in that organization may have looked at the balance sheet and said "holy %$(!!!!!, do we really need to do this?

I was saddened to see, with all the promotional razz-ma-tazz Billy Meyer threw at the Fall Nationals, he still couldn't fill the grandstands. Hell, he even had the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile and a heard of cattle there. Someone is trying to tell us something here.

Maybe its time for the one-day national event. I went to the PDA race at OCIR back in the day. They figured our how to qualify and run a 64 car TF field in one day.

Considering the Stampede was roughly a week long, I think it was successful. There were times that the stands were pretty full on both sides. There was a lot of carnage unfortunately, and people head to the pits when there's downtime.

 

[yoda]

You couldn't pay me enough to go to an F1 race. I have casually followed F1 for years. I stand by my statement that it has been horrible racing for way too long, and the recent resurgence of interest in F1 in America has nothing to do with the racing, but rather with the American obsession with fads and doing the "In" thing. Good for F1. The "races" are nothing more than a technology parade, with all too often the pole winner "winning" the race. It is a bore-fest, and has been way over-hyped for years. I'm glad you seem to like their show. I am not at all impressed with it. To each their own.

Your crystal ball must be working overtime, Jon... Seems that F1 HAS jumped the shark as reported today on CNBC during an interview with the head of the new Cadillac F1 team.

Apple has purchased the U.S. broadcast rights for 5 years.

ONLY the U.S. broadcasts.

For One Hundred Forty Million Dollars.

Per year.

Whew... that's some hella sellout moola...

 

[J. S.]

Your crystal ball must be working overtime, Jon... Seems that F1 HAS jumped the shark as reported today on CNBC during an interview with the head of the new Cadillac F1 team.

Apple has purchased the U.S. broadcast rights for 5 years.

ONLY the U.S. broadcasts.

For One Hundred Forty Million Dollars.

Per year.

Whew... that's some hella sellout moola...

Good for them. I don't deny that for whatever strange reason, F1 has a strong worldwide following. I just don't get the attraction, as I think it is a very poor on-track product. As I said, to each their own. Much like soccer, I just don't get it.

I doubt that this Apple Investment will get a good return, but time will tell. I will stick with my favorites, Drag Racing and IndyCar.

By the way, not trying to argue with you here - just expressing my 2 cents re F1. We are both big drag racing fans - that's the important thing.

 

[stitcherbob]

I was saddened to see, with all the promotional razz-ma-tazz Billy Meyer threw at the Fall Nationals, he still couldn't fill the grandstands. Hell, he even had the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile and a heard of cattle there. Someone is trying to tell us something here.

Captured them on the way home from Texas after the race.... I'm sure it was just a "pit stop"

Missouri , that is.....

 

[LasVegas87]

It's the family dime(s) and I respect their decision to step back and hope it isn't a step away. I have seen a change in Steve the last few years where it didn't seem like it was a much fun as it was previously, but that's purely an observation. We've seen the ladies have families and it change their priorities, it's possible that having little ones is changing his perspective and direction. Some of his comments made me cringe at times, but that can be said for many greats of the sport. He and his team are/were great for the sport. Hopefully things change that can bring him back into the full-time mix.

 

[Nunz]

It's the family dime(s) and I respect their decision to step back and hope it isn't a step away. I have seen a change in Steve the last few years where it didn't seem like it was a much fun as it was previously, but that's purely an observation. We've seen the ladies have families and it change their priorities, it's possible that having little ones is changing his perspective and direction. Some of his comments made me cringe at times, but that can be said for many greats of the sport. He and his team are/were great for the sport. Hopefully things change that can bring him back into the full-time mix.

He's already said he's not done, just done for the season. Not really that big of a deal at this point.

 

[mick]

aside from being a father x2, am wondering if he's doing the same thing morgan lucas did. time to get serious about coming in behind dad.

 

[SS140]

I have seen a change in Steve the last few years where it didn't seem like it was a much fun as it was previously, but that's purely an observation.

I'm sure it isn't as much fun to go from winning four straight championships to only winning a race once or twice a year since then...