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MELLO YELLO CHAMP HOPES TO WIN THIS ONE FOR DAD
BRISTOL, Tenn. – Last week, Steve Torrence won a race against his dad. This week, he tries to win one for him on a Father’s Day weekend on which the elder Torrence is managing the family business while his son is racing solo in the 19th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.
“This is a family team supported by a family business,” Torrence said in acknowledging the support of Capco Contractors, Inc., the pipeline construction and maintenance business founded by his dad in 1995. “My dad races when he can, but this is a busy time of year for pipeliners.”
In fact, Torrence will fly home as quickly as possible Sunday to address his own responsibilities at the Henderson, Texas-based business at which he spends his weekdays bidding jobs and entertaining clients.
“We don’t make money drag racing,” Torrence said. “We do it because we love it and I think that’s what this sport was built on. What it’s all about is die-hard fans, people that want to work on their car in the garage and then bring it out to the track on weekends and race it and feel like they can relate to what we’re doing.
“That’s how my dad started,” said the 36-year-old cancer survivor. “I grew up watching him race sportsman cars (in Super Gas, Super Comp and Competition Eliminator) and that’s how I learned to love the sport. Drag racing was always something we did as a family.”
Torrence has taken the passion he inherited from his dad to new heights at the wheel of a 10,000 horsepower dragster tuned by crew chiefs Richard Hogan and Bobby Lagana Jr., a car in which he beat his dad to the finish line by a mere .008 of a second in last week’s Menard’s Heartland Nationals at Topeka, Kan. Theirs was just the second NHRA Top Fuel final between a father and his son.
That represented his fifth straight tour victory this season, his 11th in the last 16 races, and it enabled him to open up a massive lead in his bid for a second straight Mello Yello Championship.
“I’ve got a really good team; a really good group of guys,” Torrence admitted. “They are the reason for the success that we have. When you see teams that go out and do well and continually win, it’s guys that have been together for years and they just work well together. That’s what we have.
“It’s an exceptional group,” he continued, “(and) it’s been an awesome ride even if we were to quit today.”
To the dismay of rivals, though, Torrence isn’t seriously considering retirement. He’s having way too much fun.
2019 NHRA MELLO YELLO POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After 10 of 18 races leading into the Countdown to the Mello Yello Championship)
1. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 949
2. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools dragster 628
3. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Advance Auto Parts dragster 625
4. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 619
5. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 573
6. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 557
7. Leah Pritchett, Danville, Ind., Mopar Dodge dragster 529
8. Richie Crampton, Brownsburg, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 467
9. Austin Prock, Indianapolis, Ind., Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 452
10. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 440
The Champ at Bristol Dragway:
Last year at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals: As the No. 6 qualifier, Steve beat Shawn Reed and Antron Brown before losing to Tony Schumacher in the semifinals.
Starts/Final Rounds/Wins/No. 1 Qualifier: 8/1/1/2
Steve’s quickest time at Bristol Dragway: 3.745 seconds, June 17, 2016
Steve’s fastest speed at Bristol Dragway: 325.14 mph, June 19, 2016
Steve’s won-lost record at Bristol Dragway: 10-7
Steve’s best moment(s) at Bristol Dragway: After qualifying second in 2013, Steve beat Leah Pritchett, Shawn Langdon, Clay Millican and Spencer Massey for a Father’s Day victory marred only by the fact that his dad, Billy, couldn’t attend because of business responsibilities.
Track records: 3.745 seconds by Tony Schumacher, June 19, 2013; 331.04 mph by Larry Dixon, June 21, 2015.
So far, so good…. (A season summary)
Date Site Qualifying position and race detail Points
Feb. 10 Pomona, CA 1. Beat Steve Faria, bye, Mike Salinas; lost to Doug Kalitta. 2nd
Feb. 24 Phoenix, AZ 14. Lost to Antron Brown 4th
March 10 Gainesville, FL 3. Beat Dom Lagana; lost to Doug Kalitta 3rd
April 7 Las Vegas, NV 2. Lost in 2nd Quad 3rd
April 14 Houston, TX 2. Beat Kebin Kinsley, Austin Prock; lost to Antron Brown 3rd
April 28 Charlotte, NC 6. WINNER over Clay Millican (Terry McMillen, Leah Pritchett) 1st
May 5 Atlanta, GA 2. Beat Luigi Novelli, Scott Palmer, Shawn Reed 1st
and Brittany Force
May 19 Richmond, VA 4. Beat Todd Paton, Scott Palmer, Billy Torrence 1st
and Antron Brown
June 2 Chicago, IL 3. Beat Terry McMillen, Richie Crampton, Antron Brown 1st
and Mike Salinas
June 9 Topeka, KS 1. Beat Terry Totten, bye, Antron Brown and Billy Torrence 1st
Looking Ahead
June 23 13th Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Norwalk, Ohio
July 7 +7TH NHRA New England Nationals Epping, N.H.
July 21 40th Dodge Mile-High Nationals Denver, Colo.
July 28 31st NHRA Sonoma Nationals Sonoma, Caliif.
August 4 31st Cat Spot NHRA Northwest Nationals Seattle, Wash.
BRISTOL, Tenn. – Last week, Steve Torrence won a race against his dad. This week, he tries to win one for him on a Father’s Day weekend on which the elder Torrence is managing the family business while his son is racing solo in the 19th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.
“This is a family team supported by a family business,” Torrence said in acknowledging the support of Capco Contractors, Inc., the pipeline construction and maintenance business founded by his dad in 1995. “My dad races when he can, but this is a busy time of year for pipeliners.”
In fact, Torrence will fly home as quickly as possible Sunday to address his own responsibilities at the Henderson, Texas-based business at which he spends his weekdays bidding jobs and entertaining clients.
“We don’t make money drag racing,” Torrence said. “We do it because we love it and I think that’s what this sport was built on. What it’s all about is die-hard fans, people that want to work on their car in the garage and then bring it out to the track on weekends and race it and feel like they can relate to what we’re doing.
“That’s how my dad started,” said the 36-year-old cancer survivor. “I grew up watching him race sportsman cars (in Super Gas, Super Comp and Competition Eliminator) and that’s how I learned to love the sport. Drag racing was always something we did as a family.”
Torrence has taken the passion he inherited from his dad to new heights at the wheel of a 10,000 horsepower dragster tuned by crew chiefs Richard Hogan and Bobby Lagana Jr., a car in which he beat his dad to the finish line by a mere .008 of a second in last week’s Menard’s Heartland Nationals at Topeka, Kan. Theirs was just the second NHRA Top Fuel final between a father and his son.
That represented his fifth straight tour victory this season, his 11th in the last 16 races, and it enabled him to open up a massive lead in his bid for a second straight Mello Yello Championship.
“I’ve got a really good team; a really good group of guys,” Torrence admitted. “They are the reason for the success that we have. When you see teams that go out and do well and continually win, it’s guys that have been together for years and they just work well together. That’s what we have.
“It’s an exceptional group,” he continued, “(and) it’s been an awesome ride even if we were to quit today.”
To the dismay of rivals, though, Torrence isn’t seriously considering retirement. He’s having way too much fun.
2019 NHRA MELLO YELLO POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After 10 of 18 races leading into the Countdown to the Mello Yello Championship)
1. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 949
2. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools dragster 628
3. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Advance Auto Parts dragster 625
4. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 619
5. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 573
6. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 557
7. Leah Pritchett, Danville, Ind., Mopar Dodge dragster 529
8. Richie Crampton, Brownsburg, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 467
9. Austin Prock, Indianapolis, Ind., Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 452
10. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 440
The Champ at Bristol Dragway:
Last year at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals: As the No. 6 qualifier, Steve beat Shawn Reed and Antron Brown before losing to Tony Schumacher in the semifinals.
Starts/Final Rounds/Wins/No. 1 Qualifier: 8/1/1/2
Steve’s quickest time at Bristol Dragway: 3.745 seconds, June 17, 2016
Steve’s fastest speed at Bristol Dragway: 325.14 mph, June 19, 2016
Steve’s won-lost record at Bristol Dragway: 10-7
Steve’s best moment(s) at Bristol Dragway: After qualifying second in 2013, Steve beat Leah Pritchett, Shawn Langdon, Clay Millican and Spencer Massey for a Father’s Day victory marred only by the fact that his dad, Billy, couldn’t attend because of business responsibilities.
Track records: 3.745 seconds by Tony Schumacher, June 19, 2013; 331.04 mph by Larry Dixon, June 21, 2015.
So far, so good…. (A season summary)
Date Site Qualifying position and race detail Points
Feb. 10 Pomona, CA 1. Beat Steve Faria, bye, Mike Salinas; lost to Doug Kalitta. 2nd
Feb. 24 Phoenix, AZ 14. Lost to Antron Brown 4th
March 10 Gainesville, FL 3. Beat Dom Lagana; lost to Doug Kalitta 3rd
April 7 Las Vegas, NV 2. Lost in 2nd Quad 3rd
April 14 Houston, TX 2. Beat Kebin Kinsley, Austin Prock; lost to Antron Brown 3rd
April 28 Charlotte, NC 6. WINNER over Clay Millican (Terry McMillen, Leah Pritchett) 1st
May 5 Atlanta, GA 2. Beat Luigi Novelli, Scott Palmer, Shawn Reed 1st
and Brittany Force
May 19 Richmond, VA 4. Beat Todd Paton, Scott Palmer, Billy Torrence 1st
and Antron Brown
June 2 Chicago, IL 3. Beat Terry McMillen, Richie Crampton, Antron Brown 1st
and Mike Salinas
June 9 Topeka, KS 1. Beat Terry Totten, bye, Antron Brown and Billy Torrence 1st
Looking Ahead
June 23 13th Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Norwalk, Ohio
July 7 +7TH NHRA New England Nationals Epping, N.H.
July 21 40th Dodge Mile-High Nationals Denver, Colo.
July 28 31st NHRA Sonoma Nationals Sonoma, Caliif.
August 4 31st Cat Spot NHRA Northwest Nationals Seattle, Wash.
