TORRENCE AGAIN DENIED 50TH PRO WIN (1 Viewer)

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TORRENCE AGAIN DENIED 50TH PRO WIN
Remains Top Fuel Point Leader Despite Final Round Disappointment at Bristol
BRISTOL, Tenn. – Steve Torrence couldn’t capitalize on a track record-setting qualifying performance, but the three-time reigning Top Fuel World Champion still managed to leave Bristol Dragway with the point lead Sunday after a runner-up finish in the 20th NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
For the second straight week, Torrence was denied a milestone 50th Top Fuel victory, this time by California businessman Mike Salinas, who got a virtually free ride to his third career triumph when Torrence’s usually flawless Capco Contractors dragster overpowered the track before crossing the finish line at a pedestrian 81 miles per hour.
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Despite that result, when qualifying begins Oct. 29th in the 21st annual Dodge SRT Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Torrence will lead second place Brittany Force by 73 points, third place Justin Ashley by 147 and Salinas by 150 in his quest to become just the seventh driver in NHRA pro drag racing history to win as many as four series championships.
“Mike has really stepped up his game this year,” Torrence said the man who ruined his otherwise perfect weekend. “I’m proud of him. I’m happy for him and for Alexis (DeJoria, whose Sunday Funny Car win was her first since 2017). They’re both great people and those are both independent teams.
“It’s tough out there,” he said. “These Capco boys are the best in the business, but it’s not easy to win these races. You got Mike, Clay Millican, Brittany, Justin Ashley, Josh Hart, Antron (Brown), Leah (Pruett), Shawn Langdon and Doug Kalitta all out there every week trying to hurt your feelings. And sometimes they do.
“Fortunately, we went rounds again today,” he said. “Richard Hogan and Bobby Lagana, they worked their magic and got us to another final round, so we’ll just move on to Vegas and get ready for another street fight. This thing’s going right to the end (and the season-ending Auto Club Finals at Pomona, Calif.).”
Torrence began the day with an easy win over Cameron Ferre and followed with a solid 3.680 second, 333 mph effort on a bye run that set up a semifinal showdown with second year pro Ashley, who beat him last week in the final round at Dallas. This time, though, it was all-Capco, starting with a .049 of a second starting line advantage.

NHRA CAMPING WORLD TOUR Championship Points
TOP FUEL

(After five of seven races in the 2021 Countdown to the Championship)
1. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 2575
2. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., FLAV-R-PAC/ Monster Energy dragster 2502
3. Justin Ashley, Plainview, N.Y., Smart Sanitizer/Vita C-Shot dragster 2428
4. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 2425
5. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 2357
6. Leah Pruett, Avon, Ind., Mopar/Pennzoil dragster 2291
7. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 2265
8. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 2252
9. Shawn Langdon, Indianapolis, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 2228
10. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Mac Tools/Mobil 1 dragster 2180

CAPCO CONTRACTORS race summary
20th NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals

Qualifying – Steve Torrence, No. 1 at 3.667 seconds, 331.28 miles per hour.
Qualifying bonus points – 4. 1 for third quick time in Q1; 3 for quick time in Q3
Round 1 – S. Torrence, 3.729, 328.38 mph, def. Cameron Ferre, 4.438, 176.81 mph.
Round 2 – S. Torrence, 3.680, 333.00 mph, advanced on earned bye run.
Semifinals – S. Torrence, 3.677, 331.67 mph, def. Justin Ashley, 3.691, 334.15 mph

FINAL – Steve Torrence, 10.316, 81.57 mph, lost to Mike Salinas, 3.854, 245.05 mph.
Qualifying – Billy Torrence, No. 4 at 3.672 seconds, 329.58 miles per hour.
Qualifying bonus points – 1 for third quick time in Q3.
Round 1 – B. Torrence, 4.120, 201.34 mph, def. Doug Kalitta, 5.236, 133.63 mph.
Round 2 – B. Torrence, 3.705, 327.27 mph, lost to Justin Ashley, 3.708, 333.33 mph.

Next Scheduled CAMPING WORLD TOUR Event:
21st annual Dodge SRT Nationals
Oct. 31, 2021
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas, Nev.
 
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