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TORRENCE TRIES TO MAKE UP GROUND
Three-Time Reigning Champ Bids for Fifth Straight Final at St. Louis
MADISON, Ill. (St. Louis) – Victimized last Sunday by an electronic glitch that triggered a premature semifinal victory celebration, Steve Torrence goes back to work this week at World Wide Technology Raceway where, when qualifying begins Friday in the 24th NHRA Midwest Nationals, he will trail Brittany Force by a scant 21 points.
The fact that the reigning Camping World Top Fuel Champion didn’t reach the final round in either of the first two Countdown races and last week fell out of the point lead after failing for the first time this year to earn a qualifying bonus point is big news considering his level of dominance the last five seasons.
The fact that the reigning Camping World Top Fuel Champion didn’t reach the final round in either of the first two Countdown races and last week fell out of the point lead after failing for the first time this year to earn a qualifying bonus point is big news considering his level of dominance the last five seasons.
Steve Torrence and his Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster have raced in the final round the last four years at the Midwest Nationals at St. Louis. He’ll try to extend that streak this week at World Wide Technology Raceway.
However, this isn’t the first time the talented Texan has found himself in such a position. Two years ago, the last time the championship was decided in the Countdown format, Torrence also arrived at WWTR having lost the point lead following an inexplicable first round exit in the playoff opener.
He responded by taking his Capco Contractors dragster to the final round, thereby jump-starting his drive to a second consecutive title. He added a third last year when COVID-19 compelled the NHRA to determine the champion based on overall points in a shortened 11-race season.
That Torrence trails Force in the current standings is somewhat disconcerting considering the fact that three weeks ago he led the 2017 champion by a whopping 411 points. Nevertheless, a stroke of the NHRA pencil reduced that number to 20 entering the Countdown and Force has made the most of it.
When the two front-runners met last week in the semifinals of the Carolina Nationals at Charlotte, N.C., Torrence trailed by a single point but appeared to regain the lead when the electronic win light flashed in his lane in an extremely close race as both cars accelerated to near 330 miles per hour.
However, the math showed that instead of a hole shot win for the Capco driver, who forged a .020 lead at the start, Force got to the finish first by .004 of a second, a result later confirmed by FOX TV replay.
“I didn’t think that could happen,” said the only driver to have won NHRA world titles in both the Top Alcohol and Top Fuel divisions. “I saw the win light and started celebrating. Then they said I lost. As a driver, you look for that light because most of the time the races are too close to call. That win light is like a beacon in the night. Now, you don’t know whether to trust it or not.”
What Torrence does trust is the expertise of crew chief Richard Hogan and a Capco crew anchored by Bobby Lagana Jr. and clutch specialist Gary Pritchett.
He responded by taking his Capco Contractors dragster to the final round, thereby jump-starting his drive to a second consecutive title. He added a third last year when COVID-19 compelled the NHRA to determine the champion based on overall points in a shortened 11-race season.
That Torrence trails Force in the current standings is somewhat disconcerting considering the fact that three weeks ago he led the 2017 champion by a whopping 411 points. Nevertheless, a stroke of the NHRA pencil reduced that number to 20 entering the Countdown and Force has made the most of it.
When the two front-runners met last week in the semifinals of the Carolina Nationals at Charlotte, N.C., Torrence trailed by a single point but appeared to regain the lead when the electronic win light flashed in his lane in an extremely close race as both cars accelerated to near 330 miles per hour.
However, the math showed that instead of a hole shot win for the Capco driver, who forged a .020 lead at the start, Force got to the finish first by .004 of a second, a result later confirmed by FOX TV replay.
“I didn’t think that could happen,” said the only driver to have won NHRA world titles in both the Top Alcohol and Top Fuel divisions. “I saw the win light and started celebrating. Then they said I lost. As a driver, you look for that light because most of the time the races are too close to call. That win light is like a beacon in the night. Now, you don’t know whether to trust it or not.”
What Torrence does trust is the expertise of crew chief Richard Hogan and a Capco crew anchored by Bobby Lagana Jr. and clutch specialist Gary Pritchett.
Steve Torrence has dominated the Camping World tour this season, raising an NHRA Wally trophy after eight of 15 races. Nevertheless, because an NHRA point adjustment to start the Countdown, the three-time reigning Top Fuel champ still trails Brittany Force entering this week’s Midwest Nationals in St. Louis.
“These Capco Boys always give me a car that can win,” he said. “It’s up to me not to screw it up. There’s still a lot of racing ahead. We’re gonna be there for the long haul and I know Brittany and Grubby (Force crew chief David Grubnic) are gonna be there, too. Should be a fun shootout.”
Torrence, who’s won eight times this season, is just two victories shy of reaching 50 since he started contesting the Top Fuel championship in 2012. That has put him in position to become just the seventh pro driver in NHRA history to win four consecutive titles (after Don Prudhomme, Bob Glidden, Lee Shepherd, Kenny Bernstein, John Force and Tony Schumacher).
Torrence, who’s won eight times this season, is just two victories shy of reaching 50 since he started contesting the Top Fuel championship in 2012. That has put him in position to become just the seventh pro driver in NHRA history to win four consecutive titles (after Don Prudhomme, Bob Glidden, Lee Shepherd, Kenny Bernstein, John Force and Tony Schumacher).
Haven Charli Torrence, daughter of the three-time NHRA Top Fuel World Champion, gets a taste of some of her dad’s hardware, one of the 10 Wally trophies Steve Torrence has hoisted already this season. He goes for No. 11 this week in St. Louis.
Looking Back: Steve Torrence at the NHRA Midwest Nationals
Year Qualifying Position/Racing Result
2010 St. Louis 9. Lost to Doug Kalitta
2012 St. Louis 8. Beat Bob Vandergriff Jr.; lost to Antron Brown
2013 St. Louis 9. Lost to David Grubnic
2014 St. Louis 7. Beat Khalid alBalooshi, Kyle Wurtzel; lost to Antron Brown
2015 St. Louis 1. Beat Kyle Wurtzel; lost to Dave Connolly
2016 St. Louis 6. Lost to Pat Dakin
2017 St. Louis 7. Beat Shawn Langdon, Leah Pritchett, Antron Brown and Doug Kalitta
2018 St. Louis 1. Beat Bill Litton, Mike Salinas, Leah Pritchett and Clay Millican
2019 St. Louis 5. Beat Scott Palmer, Pat Dakin, Mike Salinas; lost to Billy Torrence
2020 St. Louis 6. Beat Kyle Wurtzel, Antron Brown, Billy Torrence; lost to Doug Kalitta
Steve’s quickest time: 3.675 seconds, Oct. 1, 2017, and Sept. 22, 2018
Steve’s fastest speed: 330.80 mph, Oct. 1, 2017
Track records – 3.631 seconds by Clay Millican, Sept. 29, 2017; 332.92 mph by Tony Schumacher, Oct. 3, 2020.
Steve Torrence this season
March 14/Gainesville, FL 1. Beat Joe Morrison; lost to Josh Hart.
April 18/Las Vegas, NV 2. Four-Wide WINNER over Doug Kalitta, Clay Millican and Antron Brown
May 2/Atlanta, GA 2. Beat Buddy Hull, Justin Ashley, Shawn Langdon; lost to Antron Brown
May 16/Charlotte, NC 2. Four-Wide WINNER over Brittany Force, Antron Brown and Josh Hart
May 23/Houston, TX 1. Beat Mitch King, bye, beat Clay Millican and Doug Kalitta.
June 13/Epping, N.H. 4. Beat Clay Millican, Leah Pruett; lost to Mike Salinas
June 27/Norwalk, OH 1. Beat Shawn Langdon, Leah Pruett, Austin Prock and Brittany Force
July 18/Denver, CO 2. Beat Rob Passey, bye, Mike Salinas and Joey Haas.
July 25/Sonoma, CA 2. Beat Cameron Ferre, Doug Kalitta, Antron Brown and Leah Pruett
Aug. 1/Pomona, CA 4. Lost to Antron Brown.
Aug. 15/Topeka, KS 4. Beat Leah Pruett, Justin Ashley; lost to Brittany Force
Aug. 22/Brainerd, MN 2. Beat Terry Totten, Justin Ashley, bye and Clay Millican
Sept. 5/Indianapolis, IN 2. Beat Antron Brown, Greg Carrillo, Billy Torrence and Brittany Force
Sept. 12/Reading, PA 2. Beat Joe Morrison, bye; lost to Justin Ashley.
Sept. 19/Charlotte, NC 5. Beat Doug Kalitta, Billy Torrence; lost to Brittany Force
NHRA CAMPING WORLD TOUR Championship Points
(After two of seven events in the Countdown to the Championship)
TOP FUEL
1. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Monster Energy/ FLAV-R-PAC dragster 2274
2. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 2253
3. Justin Ashley, Plainview, N.Y., Vita C Shot dragster 2200
4. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 2192
5. Leah Pruett, Avon, Ind., Okuma dragster 2146
6. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 2138
7. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 2136
8. Shawn Langdon, Indianapolis, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 2133
9. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 2126
10. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Mac Tools/Mobil 1 dragster 2064
Looking Ahead 2021 NHRA Camping World Tour Countdown to the Championship
10-10 NHRA Texas Fall Nationals Dallas, TX
10-17 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol, TN
10-31 Dodge SRT Nationals Las Vegas, NV
11-14 Auto Club Finals Pomona, CA
Year Qualifying Position/Racing Result
2010 St. Louis 9. Lost to Doug Kalitta
2012 St. Louis 8. Beat Bob Vandergriff Jr.; lost to Antron Brown
2013 St. Louis 9. Lost to David Grubnic
2014 St. Louis 7. Beat Khalid alBalooshi, Kyle Wurtzel; lost to Antron Brown
2015 St. Louis 1. Beat Kyle Wurtzel; lost to Dave Connolly
2016 St. Louis 6. Lost to Pat Dakin
2017 St. Louis 7. Beat Shawn Langdon, Leah Pritchett, Antron Brown and Doug Kalitta
2018 St. Louis 1. Beat Bill Litton, Mike Salinas, Leah Pritchett and Clay Millican
2019 St. Louis 5. Beat Scott Palmer, Pat Dakin, Mike Salinas; lost to Billy Torrence
2020 St. Louis 6. Beat Kyle Wurtzel, Antron Brown, Billy Torrence; lost to Doug Kalitta
Steve’s quickest time: 3.675 seconds, Oct. 1, 2017, and Sept. 22, 2018
Steve’s fastest speed: 330.80 mph, Oct. 1, 2017
Track records – 3.631 seconds by Clay Millican, Sept. 29, 2017; 332.92 mph by Tony Schumacher, Oct. 3, 2020.
Steve Torrence this season
March 14/Gainesville, FL 1. Beat Joe Morrison; lost to Josh Hart.
April 18/Las Vegas, NV 2. Four-Wide WINNER over Doug Kalitta, Clay Millican and Antron Brown
May 2/Atlanta, GA 2. Beat Buddy Hull, Justin Ashley, Shawn Langdon; lost to Antron Brown
May 16/Charlotte, NC 2. Four-Wide WINNER over Brittany Force, Antron Brown and Josh Hart
May 23/Houston, TX 1. Beat Mitch King, bye, beat Clay Millican and Doug Kalitta.
June 13/Epping, N.H. 4. Beat Clay Millican, Leah Pruett; lost to Mike Salinas
June 27/Norwalk, OH 1. Beat Shawn Langdon, Leah Pruett, Austin Prock and Brittany Force
July 18/Denver, CO 2. Beat Rob Passey, bye, Mike Salinas and Joey Haas.
July 25/Sonoma, CA 2. Beat Cameron Ferre, Doug Kalitta, Antron Brown and Leah Pruett
Aug. 1/Pomona, CA 4. Lost to Antron Brown.
Aug. 15/Topeka, KS 4. Beat Leah Pruett, Justin Ashley; lost to Brittany Force
Aug. 22/Brainerd, MN 2. Beat Terry Totten, Justin Ashley, bye and Clay Millican
Sept. 5/Indianapolis, IN 2. Beat Antron Brown, Greg Carrillo, Billy Torrence and Brittany Force
Sept. 12/Reading, PA 2. Beat Joe Morrison, bye; lost to Justin Ashley.
Sept. 19/Charlotte, NC 5. Beat Doug Kalitta, Billy Torrence; lost to Brittany Force
NHRA CAMPING WORLD TOUR Championship Points
(After two of seven events in the Countdown to the Championship)
TOP FUEL
1. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Monster Energy/ FLAV-R-PAC dragster 2274
2. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 2253
3. Justin Ashley, Plainview, N.Y., Vita C Shot dragster 2200
4. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 2192
5. Leah Pruett, Avon, Ind., Okuma dragster 2146
6. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 2138
7. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 2136
8. Shawn Langdon, Indianapolis, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 2133
9. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 2126
10. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Mac Tools/Mobil 1 dragster 2064
Looking Ahead 2021 NHRA Camping World Tour Countdown to the Championship
10-10 NHRA Texas Fall Nationals Dallas, TX
10-17 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol, TN
10-31 Dodge SRT Nationals Las Vegas, NV
11-14 Auto Club Finals Pomona, CA
