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TORRENCE HOPING TO EXTEND THE MAGIC
‘Mr. Four-Wide’ Aims for Seventh Win in Non-Traditional Racing Format
LAS VEGAS, Nevada. – Upended in the second round of the Lucas Oil Winternationals two weeks ago at Pomona, Calif., a misstep that cost him the points lead, Steve Torrence tries to make amends this week when sends his CAPCO Contractors dragster after the Top Fuel championship in the fifth NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Although one would expect the four-time Camping World champion to get healthy this weekend based on his history in four-across racing, recent bouts of inconsistency have increased his vulnerability amid what has been characterized as the most competitive field in Top Fuel history.
Indeed, no matter the quality of the competition, Torrence is certain to be the betting favorite this week, a status he owes to six wins in the very non-traditional four-wide format of which he initially was so critical.
“Yeah, I used to hate four-wides,” said the soon-to-be 40-year-old Texan (April 17). “It can be confusing looking at all those bulbs across four lanes (two times as many as usual). I remember, one of my first four-wide races, I was in Lane 3 looking at the wrong bulb, thinking someone needed to stage (to activate the Christmas Tree starting system), and the whole time it was me.
“But the thing is, you get more comfortable, you develop a routine and then, when you have the kind of success we’ve had (twice as many wins in four-wide races as anyone else), opinions change. Now, I wish we had more than just two.”
Since 2016, Torrence and his CAPCO Boys not only have taken their Top Fuel Toyota to six four-wide wins including two in four tries at LVMS (2018, 2021), they also were runners-up at the Vegas race a year ago (to the Brittany Force team) and have posted an overall 21-3 record in four-wide events the last six seasons.
This week, racing for the first time since celebrating daughter Haven Charli’s second birthday, Torrence will be trying to win his first race of the season, the 54th of his career. That process starts with qualifying sessions at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Texas time, on Friday. Pros will qualify at the same times on Saturday in advance of a 2 p.m., Texas time, start on race day.
Photos by Mark Rebilas
Right photo: Four-time World Champion Steve Torrence will drive his CAPCO Contractors Top Fuel Toyota in pursuit of another four-wide win this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius hybrid and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota and Lexus brands, and directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America (more than 39,000 of them in the U.S.). Over the past 65 years, Toyota has assembled nearly 45 million cars and trucks in North America at the company’s 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, the company’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
Through our more than 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.), Toyota sold more than 2.4 million cars and trucks (more than 2.1 million in the U.S.) in 2022, of which, nearly one quarter were electrified vehicles (full battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell).
About CAPCO Contractors Inc.
Capco Contractors, Inc. is a family owned-and-operated construction company specializing in the oil and gas industries. A proud American company based in Texas with clients around the world, Capco was founded in 1995 by Billy Torrence and initially operated from a small office and one job-site trailer with a staff of only 12 employees. From those humble beginnings, Capco Contactors, Inc. has developed into a full-service pipeline company, capable of all aspects of pipeline work including site work, creation of compressor stations, mainline pipeline construction and pipeline integrity projects. It employs more than 200 people with main offices in Henderson, Texas.
