TORRENCE AIMS FOR US NATIONALS REPEAT
Four-Time Reigning World Champ Motivated by Rival’s Recent Resurgence
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – On the eve of this week’s 68th annual U.S. Nationals, with his bid for a fifth straight NHRA Top Fuel championship threatened by current point leader Brittany Force and others, Steve Torrence has derived inspiration from a most unexpected source.
Long-time rival Tony Schumacher’s recent resurgence after several seasons as a part-time participant on tour, has re-energized the reigning series champ and his Capco Contractors team in advance of the upcoming Countdown to the Championship.
Steve at Lucas Indianapolis Raceway Park
Total appearances: 15 (12 in the US Nationals)
Final rounds: 6 (5 in the US Nationals)
Tour victories: 3 (US Nationals in 2017 and 2021)
No. 1 qualifier: 1 (in 2020 E3 Nationals)
Won-Lost record: 28-12 (22-10 in US Nationals)
Quickest time: 3.656 seconds, Aug. 31, 2019
Fastest speed: 331.12 mph, Aug. 31, 2019
Track records – 3.645 seconds by Brittany Force, Aug. 31, 2019; 334.57 mph by Brittany Force, Sept. 3, 2021.
Total appearances: 15 (12 in the US Nationals)
Final rounds: 6 (5 in the US Nationals)
Tour victories: 3 (US Nationals in 2017 and 2021)
No. 1 qualifier: 1 (in 2020 E3 Nationals)
Won-Lost record: 28-12 (22-10 in US Nationals)
Quickest time: 3.656 seconds, Aug. 31, 2019
Fastest speed: 331.12 mph, Aug. 31, 2019
Track records – 3.645 seconds by Brittany Force, Aug. 31, 2019; 334.57 mph by Brittany Force, Sept. 3, 2021.
After beating Schumacher in the final round two weeks ago at Brainerd, Minn., ending the second longest winless streak of his pro career, Torrence acknowledged the eight-time former champion’s impact.
“I enjoy racing Tony more than anyone,” he said, “(because) he makes you bring out your ‘A Game’ every time (you race him). He’s a self-proclaimed machine. He does the same thing time and time again. He’s competitive and he’s good because he’s been in big situations so many times and dealt with the pressure.
“He’s been in the money round; he’s been in the championship round,” Torrence enthused. “He’s done it all and I think he just brings out the best in me and in this team. I like to race him.”
Photos by Mark Rebilas
Steve Torrence, left, and Tony Schumacher, who between them have won 11 of the last 18 NHRA Top Fuel championships, renew their rivalry this week in the 68th NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis.
Indeed, Schumacher does seem to elevate the performance of the 39-year-old Torrence who is one of the few drivers to have forged a winning record against the 86-time tour winner. The Capco driver has prevailed in 23 of 42 career meetings, beat Schumacher for his first pro win (at Atlanta in 2012) and is 7-2 in final round matches.
Of course, Schumacher still reigns as the unquestioned “King of Indy,” having won the U.S. Nationals a record 10 times, but Torrence realistically can make a case for himself as the “new sheriff” at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
In addition to winning a year ago when he beat Force in the final round, the talented Texan has driven his Capco hybrid into the final round five times in the last nine editions of The Big Go with a win in 2017 when he also won the Traxxas Nitro Shootout, a double-up success he hopes to duplicate this year with the debut of the Pep Boys All-Star Callout.
The 39-year-old cancer survivor also won Indy in 2005 in Top Alcohol Dragster (on his way to a championship) and, in 2020, won one of the three special IRP events contested during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Because the U.S. Nationals pays one-and-a-half times as many points as other events, Torrence conceivably still could win a fifth straight regular season championship although that would require an early exit by Force, whom he will trail by 130 points when qualifying begins with a single session at 6:30 p.m., Texas time, on Friday.
Coming off a victory two weeks ago at Brainerd, Minn., Steve Torrence drives his Capco Contractors dragster in pursuit of a repeat victory this week in the 68th NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis.
Nevertheless, the regular season title is not really on his radar. The prize on which he is focused is the Camping World tour championship that would place him in the company of Schumacher, John Force and Bob Glidden as the only drivers to have won as many as five straight NHRA pro titles.
“We haven’t been the dominant car all season,” Torrence has said, “but we’re trying to see if we can be the dominant car the last six races” as they were in 2018 when they swept the six playoff races en route to a first Top Fuel championship.
After ending a season-long victory drought two weeks ago, World Champion Steve Torrence hopes to rinse and repeat his victory celebration at this week's U.S. Nationals in which he is the defending Top Fuel champion.
Regardless of what occurs in Monday’s eliminations, everyone’s points will be adjusted at the conclusion of the event so that just 10 points separate the drivers in positions two through 10. The regular season champ will start with a 20-point lead.
Among those not concerned about the points before or after their adjustment is Billy Torrence who, for the second straight event, will race alongside his son in a second Capco Contractors entry.
Making only his fifth appearance of the current season, the elder Torrence, founder and CEO of Capco Contractors, will be trying to go a step further than he did in 2019 when he lost in the final round of the U.S. Nationals to Doug Kalitta. Like his son, he also won one of the COVID special events in 2020.
There will be two nitro qualifying sessions on Saturday, the second at 5 p.m., Texas time, and two more on Sunday. Single elimination finals begin at 9 a.m., Texas time, on Monday, Labor Day. TV coverage on FS1 will include qualifying shows at 12 noon and 4:30 p.m., Texas time, Sunday, around coverage of the Top Fuel portion of the Pep Boys All-Star Callout (3-4:30 p.m.).
Race coverage starts at 11 a.m., Texas time, Monday on FS1 before moving to the FOX broadcast network for three hours starting at 1 p.m.
TORRENCE IN WEEKEND DOUBLE-UP BID
Capco Driver Among Four in Delayed Finish of Pep Boys All-Star Callout
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – On the same race weekend, only a handful of drivers have won the U.S. Nationals and one of the companion All-Star events that periodically have been contested along with it at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.Capco Driver Among Four in Delayed Finish of Pep Boys All-Star Callout
Pep Boys All-Star Callout
FIRST ROUND (at Gainesville, Fla., March 13) – Steve Torrence, Capco Contractors dragster, 3.697 seconds, 329.50 mph, def. Leah Pruett, Dodge Power Brokers dragster, 5.125, 227.34 mph; Brittany Force, Monster Energy dragster, 3.684, 337.75 mph, def. Antron Brown, Matco Tools dragster, 5.056, 168.20 mph; Mike Salinas, Pep Boys dragster, 3.709, 332.10 mph, def. Shawn Langdon, CMR Roofing dragster, no time; Justin Ashley, Phillips Connect/Vita C dragster, 3.722, 330.96 mph, def. Doug Kalitta, Mac Tools dragster, foul (3.718, 330.47 mph).
Steve Torrence was the last to double-up when he drove his Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster to victory in both the U.S. Nationals and the final Traxxas Nitro Shootout in 2017. Now the 39-year-old Texan is in position to be the first to double-up in the Pep Boys era.FIRST ROUND (at Gainesville, Fla., March 13) – Steve Torrence, Capco Contractors dragster, 3.697 seconds, 329.50 mph, def. Leah Pruett, Dodge Power Brokers dragster, 5.125, 227.34 mph; Brittany Force, Monster Energy dragster, 3.684, 337.75 mph, def. Antron Brown, Matco Tools dragster, 5.056, 168.20 mph; Mike Salinas, Pep Boys dragster, 3.709, 332.10 mph, def. Shawn Langdon, CMR Roofing dragster, no time; Justin Ashley, Phillips Connect/Vita C dragster, 3.722, 330.96 mph, def. Doug Kalitta, Mac Tools dragster, foul (3.718, 330.47 mph).
Before he defends his U.S. Nationals championship on Monday, Torrence will race Saturday in the Top Fuel portion of the Pep Boys All-Star Callout, the first all-star event for fuel cars contested on the Camping World tour since 2017.
In a unique format, he won’t know against whom he will compete until Friday when Brittany Force names her semifinal opponent, a privilege she earned as a result of posting quick time in the opening round last March at Gainesville, Fla.
Weather issues forced the postponement of the remainder of the event until this weekend when it will completed along with the entirety of the inaugural Pep Boys All-Star Funny Car Callout on Saturday.
Force, who is the current point leader on the Camping World tour, could “call out” Torrence as her semifinal opponent. Or she could select Mike Salinas or Justin Ashley. Only .038 of a second separated the winning times of those four drivers at Gainesville. The semifinal round is scheduled for 1:40 p.m., Texas Time, Saturday with the final round at 5:25 p.m.
Up for grabs is an $80,000 top prize. Television coverage of the semifinals and finals is scheduled from 3-4:30 p.m., Texas time, Sunday on FS1.
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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.
