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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORRENCE SUCCESS SET IN CONCRETE
Reigning World Champ Seeks Fifth Straight Win at ZMax Dragway
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – There are a couple of good reasons why three-time reigning World Champion Steve Torrence and his Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster are favored to win this week’s NGK/NTK 4Wide Nationals for a fourth straight time.
One is Torrence’s mastery of the nuances of competing in a four-wide format he once despised; the other is the ability of crew chiefs Richard Hogan and Bobby Lagana Jr. to tune the race car to its maximum potential on all-concrete racing surfaces like that at ZMax Dragway.
Torrence’s four-wide success is well documented. The 38-year-old Texan has won five of the last six races contested four across, most recently prevailing April 18 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
How good is that? Well, no one else in any racing category has won more than two four-wide titles and only one other driver (Pro Stock World Champion Erica Enders) has hoisted the trophy at both of the tracks that currently host such events.
“I used to hate four-wides,” Torrence admitted, “but we’ve had so much success the last few years that now I can’t wait to get one started. We didn’t run four-wide last year at all (because of the COVID-19 pandemic) and, to tell the truth, I missed it.”
The 41-time tour winner went from zero to hero in four-wide racing by learning to block out distractions and maintain his focus.
“It can be confusing,” he said of the unusual configuration, “especially if you’re in one of the inside lanes. It’s easiest, I think, if you’re able to put yourself in one of the two outside lanes because your view is more like a normal two-car race.
“Of course, you can’t always get the lane you want, so when you’re not in one of the preferred lanes you just have to double-up on your concentration. No matter where you are, 1, 2, 3 or 4, you still have to do your job.
“A few years ago, I was in in Lane 3 but I was looking at the wrong (set of starting lights),” he recalled. “I was sitting in pre-stage (having illuminated the first of two bulbs in the starting sequence) but I thought I was already staged. I was thinking someone else needed to light another bulb so we could get on with it and all the time it was me.”
Needless to say, the cancer survivor and dad to month-old daughter Charli has managed to avoid that kind of confusion during his current streak.
It’s a little more difficult to break down the advantage the team enjoys on the tour’s four all-concrete tracks – Zmax, the Texas Motorplex outside Dallas, Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa., and New England Dragway in Epping, N.H.
Nevertheless, the numbers are similarly impressive. Of the last 11 Camping World tour events contested on those tracks, Torrence has won nine. His dad, Billy, driver of a second Capco Contractors entry, won another.
That means that Team Capco has won all but one of the NHRA races run on concrete tracks since the start of the 2018 season and Steve has won five of the last six at ZMax including four in succession.
Torrence’s latest four-wide assault begins with a single nitro qualifying session at 6:45 p.m. (Texas time) on Friday. Qualifying will conclude with sessions at 1 and 4:30 p.m. (Texas time) on Saturday. Eliminations start at 11 a.m. (Texas time) Sunday.
NHRA CAMPING WORLD TOUR Championship Points
(After three of 21 scheduled events)
TOP FUEL
1. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 286
2. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 258
3. Shawn Langdon, Indianapolis, DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 221
4. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 179
5. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif. Monster Energy/FLAV-R-PAC dragster 173
6. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., Burnyzz/Technet dragster 168
7. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Mac Tools dragster 160
8. Justin Ashley, Plainview, N.Y., Strutmasters/GuardLab dragster 158
9. Leah Pruett, Avon, Ind., Whisps Cheese Crisps dragster 139
10. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 137
Looking Back
Steve Torrence at the NGK/NTK 4Wide Nationals
YearQualifying Position/Racing Result
2010 Charlotte1 7. Lost in first quad
2011 Charlotte1 7. Won first quad; lost in 2nd
2012 Charlotte1 1. Won first quad; lost in 2nd
2013 Charlotte1 6. Lost in first quad.
2014 Charlotte1 8. Lost in first quad.
2015 Charlotte1 12. Runner-Up to Antron Brown
2016 Charlotte1 1. Won first quad; lost in 2nd
2017 Charlotte1 4. WINNER over Tony Schumacher, Leah Pruett and Terry McMillen
2018 Charlotte1 4. WINNER over Doug Kalitta, Terry McMillen and Clay Millican
2019 Charlotte1 6. WINNER over Clay Millican, Terry McMillen and Leah Pruett
Steve’s quickest time: 3.709 seconds, April 29, 2018
Steve’s fastest speed: 331.53 mph, April 29, 2018
Track records – 3.687 seconds by Mike Salinas, April 26, 2019; 332.18 mph by Spencer Massey, April 15, 2012.
Steve Torrence at the Carolina Nationals (fall race)
YearQualifying Position/Racing Result
2010 Charlotte2 11. Beat T.J. Zizzo; lost to Brandon Bernstein
2011 Charlotte2 Did Not Compete
2012 Charlotte2 9. Lost to Bob Vandergriff Jr.
2013 Charlotte2 5. Lost to Pat Dakin
2014 Charlotte2 2. Beat Richie Crampton, Leah Pruett; lost to Khalid alBalooshi
2015 Charlotte2 3. Beat Richie Crampton; lost to Antron Brown
2016 Charlotte2 4. Beat Scott Palmer; lost to Wayne Newby
2017 Charlotte2 2. Beat Terry Haddock; lost to Richie Crampton
2018 Charlotte2 2. Beat Chris Karamesines, Leah Pruett, Schumacher and Brittany Force
2019 Charlotte2 1. Beat Lex Joon, Clay Millican, Justin Ashley and Doug Kalitta
Steve’s quickest time: 3.703 seconds, Oct. 14, 2018
Steve’s fastest speed: 331.53 mph, Oct. 12, 2018
Steve Torrence in the last six NHRA four-wide races
April 30, 2017 Charlotte4. WINNER over Tony Schumacher, Leah Pruett and Terry McMillen
April 8, 2018 Las Vegas5. WINNER over Tony Schumacher, Doug Kalitta and Antron Brown
April 29, 2018 Charlotte4. WINNER over Doug Kalitta, Terry McMillen and Clay Millican
April 7, 2019 Las Vegas2. Won first quad; lost in 2nd to Brittany Force and Doug Kalitta
April 28, 2019 Charlotte6. WINNER over Clay Millican, Terry McMillen and Leah Pruett
April 18, 2021 Las Vegas2. WINNER over Doug Kalitta, Clay Millican and Antron Brown
Steve Torrence in the last 11 races run on all-concrete tracks
April 29, 2018 Charlotte14. WINNER over Doug Kalitta, Terry McMillen and Clay Millican
July 8, 2018 Epping3. Beat Dan Mercier, Shawn Reed, Tony Schumacher and Antron
Brown Sept. 16, 2018 Reading4. Beat Bill Litton, Mike Salinas, Clay Millican and Tony
Schumacher
Oct. 7, 2018 Dallas2. Beat Bill Litton, Blake Alexander, Tony Schumacher and Terry
McMillen
Oct. 14, 2018 Charlotte22. Beat Chris Karamesines, Leah Pruett, Schumacher and Brittany
Force
April 28, 2019 Charlotte16. WINNER over Clay Millican, Terry McMillen and Leah Pruett
July 7, 2019 Epping9. Beat Austin Prock, Terry McMillen, Richie Crampton and Scott
Palmer
Sept. 15, 2019 Reading8. Lost to Clay Millican
Oct. 3-4, 2019 Charlotte21. Beat Lex Joon, Clay Millican, Justin Ashley and Doug Kalitta
#Oct. 20, 2019 Dallas4. Lost to Shawn Reed
Oct. 18, 2020 Dallas1. Beat Cameron Ferre, bye, Shawn Langdon and Billy Torrence
#Race won by Billy Torrence
Steve Torrence this season
March 14 at Gainesville, FL1. Beat Joe Morrison; lost to Josh Hart.
April 18 at Las Vegas, NV2. WINNER over Doug Kalitta, (Clay Millican and Antron Brown)
May 2 at Atlanta, GA2. Beat Buddy Hull, Justin Ashley, Shawn Langdon; lost to Antron Brown
* * * *
Looking Ahead
2021 NHRA Camping World Tour
4-23 Mopar Express Lane Spring Nationals Houston, TX
6-13 NHRA New England Nationals Epping, NH
6-27 Summit Equipment Nationals Norwalk, OH
7-18 Dodge Mile-High Nationals Denver, CO
7-25 NHRA Sonoma Nationals Sonoma, CA
8-01 FLAV-R-PAC Northwest Nationals Seattle, WA
TORRENCE SUCCESS SET IN CONCRETE
Reigning World Champ Seeks Fifth Straight Win at ZMax Dragway
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – There are a couple of good reasons why three-time reigning World Champion Steve Torrence and his Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster are favored to win this week’s NGK/NTK 4Wide Nationals for a fourth straight time.
One is Torrence’s mastery of the nuances of competing in a four-wide format he once despised; the other is the ability of crew chiefs Richard Hogan and Bobby Lagana Jr. to tune the race car to its maximum potential on all-concrete racing surfaces like that at ZMax Dragway.
Torrence’s four-wide success is well documented. The 38-year-old Texan has won five of the last six races contested four across, most recently prevailing April 18 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
How good is that? Well, no one else in any racing category has won more than two four-wide titles and only one other driver (Pro Stock World Champion Erica Enders) has hoisted the trophy at both of the tracks that currently host such events.
“I used to hate four-wides,” Torrence admitted, “but we’ve had so much success the last few years that now I can’t wait to get one started. We didn’t run four-wide last year at all (because of the COVID-19 pandemic) and, to tell the truth, I missed it.”
The 41-time tour winner went from zero to hero in four-wide racing by learning to block out distractions and maintain his focus.
“It can be confusing,” he said of the unusual configuration, “especially if you’re in one of the inside lanes. It’s easiest, I think, if you’re able to put yourself in one of the two outside lanes because your view is more like a normal two-car race.
“Of course, you can’t always get the lane you want, so when you’re not in one of the preferred lanes you just have to double-up on your concentration. No matter where you are, 1, 2, 3 or 4, you still have to do your job.
“A few years ago, I was in in Lane 3 but I was looking at the wrong (set of starting lights),” he recalled. “I was sitting in pre-stage (having illuminated the first of two bulbs in the starting sequence) but I thought I was already staged. I was thinking someone else needed to light another bulb so we could get on with it and all the time it was me.”
Needless to say, the cancer survivor and dad to month-old daughter Charli has managed to avoid that kind of confusion during his current streak.
It’s a little more difficult to break down the advantage the team enjoys on the tour’s four all-concrete tracks – Zmax, the Texas Motorplex outside Dallas, Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa., and New England Dragway in Epping, N.H.
Nevertheless, the numbers are similarly impressive. Of the last 11 Camping World tour events contested on those tracks, Torrence has won nine. His dad, Billy, driver of a second Capco Contractors entry, won another.
That means that Team Capco has won all but one of the NHRA races run on concrete tracks since the start of the 2018 season and Steve has won five of the last six at ZMax including four in succession.
Torrence’s latest four-wide assault begins with a single nitro qualifying session at 6:45 p.m. (Texas time) on Friday. Qualifying will conclude with sessions at 1 and 4:30 p.m. (Texas time) on Saturday. Eliminations start at 11 a.m. (Texas time) Sunday.
NHRA CAMPING WORLD TOUR Championship Points
(After three of 21 scheduled events)
TOP FUEL
1. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 286
2. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 258
3. Shawn Langdon, Indianapolis, DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 221
4. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 179
5. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif. Monster Energy/FLAV-R-PAC dragster 173
6. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., Burnyzz/Technet dragster 168
7. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Mac Tools dragster 160
8. Justin Ashley, Plainview, N.Y., Strutmasters/GuardLab dragster 158
9. Leah Pruett, Avon, Ind., Whisps Cheese Crisps dragster 139
10. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 137
Looking Back
Steve Torrence at the NGK/NTK 4Wide Nationals
YearQualifying Position/Racing Result
2010 Charlotte1 7. Lost in first quad
2011 Charlotte1 7. Won first quad; lost in 2nd
2012 Charlotte1 1. Won first quad; lost in 2nd
2013 Charlotte1 6. Lost in first quad.
2014 Charlotte1 8. Lost in first quad.
2015 Charlotte1 12. Runner-Up to Antron Brown
2016 Charlotte1 1. Won first quad; lost in 2nd
2017 Charlotte1 4. WINNER over Tony Schumacher, Leah Pruett and Terry McMillen
2018 Charlotte1 4. WINNER over Doug Kalitta, Terry McMillen and Clay Millican
2019 Charlotte1 6. WINNER over Clay Millican, Terry McMillen and Leah Pruett
Steve’s quickest time: 3.709 seconds, April 29, 2018
Steve’s fastest speed: 331.53 mph, April 29, 2018
Track records – 3.687 seconds by Mike Salinas, April 26, 2019; 332.18 mph by Spencer Massey, April 15, 2012.
Steve Torrence at the Carolina Nationals (fall race)
YearQualifying Position/Racing Result
2010 Charlotte2 11. Beat T.J. Zizzo; lost to Brandon Bernstein
2011 Charlotte2 Did Not Compete
2012 Charlotte2 9. Lost to Bob Vandergriff Jr.
2013 Charlotte2 5. Lost to Pat Dakin
2014 Charlotte2 2. Beat Richie Crampton, Leah Pruett; lost to Khalid alBalooshi
2015 Charlotte2 3. Beat Richie Crampton; lost to Antron Brown
2016 Charlotte2 4. Beat Scott Palmer; lost to Wayne Newby
2017 Charlotte2 2. Beat Terry Haddock; lost to Richie Crampton
2018 Charlotte2 2. Beat Chris Karamesines, Leah Pruett, Schumacher and Brittany Force
2019 Charlotte2 1. Beat Lex Joon, Clay Millican, Justin Ashley and Doug Kalitta
Steve’s quickest time: 3.703 seconds, Oct. 14, 2018
Steve’s fastest speed: 331.53 mph, Oct. 12, 2018
Steve Torrence in the last six NHRA four-wide races
April 30, 2017 Charlotte4. WINNER over Tony Schumacher, Leah Pruett and Terry McMillen
April 8, 2018 Las Vegas5. WINNER over Tony Schumacher, Doug Kalitta and Antron Brown
April 29, 2018 Charlotte4. WINNER over Doug Kalitta, Terry McMillen and Clay Millican
April 7, 2019 Las Vegas2. Won first quad; lost in 2nd to Brittany Force and Doug Kalitta
April 28, 2019 Charlotte6. WINNER over Clay Millican, Terry McMillen and Leah Pruett
April 18, 2021 Las Vegas2. WINNER over Doug Kalitta, Clay Millican and Antron Brown
Steve Torrence in the last 11 races run on all-concrete tracks
April 29, 2018 Charlotte14. WINNER over Doug Kalitta, Terry McMillen and Clay Millican
July 8, 2018 Epping3. Beat Dan Mercier, Shawn Reed, Tony Schumacher and Antron
Brown Sept. 16, 2018 Reading4. Beat Bill Litton, Mike Salinas, Clay Millican and Tony
Schumacher
Oct. 7, 2018 Dallas2. Beat Bill Litton, Blake Alexander, Tony Schumacher and Terry
McMillen
Oct. 14, 2018 Charlotte22. Beat Chris Karamesines, Leah Pruett, Schumacher and Brittany
Force
April 28, 2019 Charlotte16. WINNER over Clay Millican, Terry McMillen and Leah Pruett
July 7, 2019 Epping9. Beat Austin Prock, Terry McMillen, Richie Crampton and Scott
Palmer
Sept. 15, 2019 Reading8. Lost to Clay Millican
Oct. 3-4, 2019 Charlotte21. Beat Lex Joon, Clay Millican, Justin Ashley and Doug Kalitta
#Oct. 20, 2019 Dallas4. Lost to Shawn Reed
Oct. 18, 2020 Dallas1. Beat Cameron Ferre, bye, Shawn Langdon and Billy Torrence
#Race won by Billy Torrence
Steve Torrence this season
March 14 at Gainesville, FL1. Beat Joe Morrison; lost to Josh Hart.
April 18 at Las Vegas, NV2. WINNER over Doug Kalitta, (Clay Millican and Antron Brown)
May 2 at Atlanta, GA2. Beat Buddy Hull, Justin Ashley, Shawn Langdon; lost to Antron Brown
* * * *
Looking Ahead
2021 NHRA Camping World Tour
4-23 Mopar Express Lane Spring Nationals Houston, TX
6-13 NHRA New England Nationals Epping, NH
6-27 Summit Equipment Nationals Norwalk, OH
7-18 Dodge Mile-High Nationals Denver, CO
7-25 NHRA Sonoma Nationals Sonoma, CA
8-01 FLAV-R-PAC Northwest Nationals Seattle, WA
