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Torrence Focused on Heartland
CHAMP BIDS FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT TOUR VICTORY
TOPEKA, Kan. – For a track that played such a pivotal role in his drive to the NHRA’s Top Alcohol Dragster championship back in 2005, Heartland Park has been less than kind to Steve Torrence since he turned pro and began rewriting the Mello Yello record book in his Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster.
In fact, the last time Torrence won the Menard’s Heartland Nationals, contested this week for the 31st time, George W. Bush was just starting his second term as POTUS, Hurricane Katrina had not yet struck the Gulf Coast, Pluto still had the same astronomical status as Venus and Mars and the car he was driving was not his own.
Since he founded Torrence Racing in 2012, the 36-year-old phenom has made nine trips to Kansas and not one of them has ended with his hoisting the winner’s trophy. That’s a frustration he hopes to address this week when he goes after his fifth straight victory, his 11th in the last 16 stops on the NHRA tour.
A cancer and heart attack survivor who still holds down a day job at Capco, the Texas-based oil and pipeline construction company founded by his dad, Billy, Torrence not only has established himself as the new gold standard of performance on the pro tour, he also has emerged as a refreshing alternative to rampant political correctness.
"In my opinion, one thing this sport really needs are personalities,” he said, “people that are genuine and real. That’s what I try to be. I know some people don’t like it, but when you come over to this camp, you gotta know that we wear our hearts on our sleeves.
“We’re just a good ‘ol family-run race team from East Texas,” he said. “We’re pipeliners who say what we think. Truth is, we don’t make money drag racing. We do it because we love it and I think that’s what this sport was built on and what it’s all about.”
A graduate of Kilgore College in his hometown, Torrence has carved out his own niche as a pro, creating a legend that was greatly magnified last season when he swept the six races in the NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship playoffs. He’s the only driver in any category to have accomplished that feat just like he is the only driver to have won series championships in both the Top Alcohol and Top Fuel divisions.
None of that will mean anything, however, when he rolls his 330 mile-an-hour hybrid to the starting line for Friday’s first qualifying session.
“That’s what’s great about drag racing,” he said. “It’s a ‘what have you done for me lately’ sport and lately Heartland Park has just been kicking our butt.”
2019 NHRA MELLO YELLO POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After 9 of 18 races leading into the Countdown to the Mello Yello Championship)
1. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 820
2. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools dragster 574
3. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 573
4. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Advance Auto Parts dragster 572
5. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 544
6. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 523
7. Leah Pritchett, Danville, Ind., Mopar Dodge dragster 497
8. Richie Crampton, Brownsburg, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 410
9. Terry McMillen, Elkhart, Ind., Amalie Intimigator dragster 383
10. Austin Prock, Indianapolis, Ind., Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 375
12. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 337
The Champ at Heartland Park:
Last year at the Menard’s Heartland Nationals: From the No. 2 qualifying position, Steve beat Terry Haddock and Brittany Force before losing to Terry McMillen.
Starts/Final Rounds/Wins/No. 1 Qualifier: 8/1/0/0
Steve’s quickest time at Heartland Park: 3.677 seconds, May 20, 2017
Steve’s fastest speed at Heartland Park: 334.24 mph, May 20, 2018
Steve’s won-lost record at Heartland Park: 9-8
Steve’s best moment(s) at Heartland Park: In 2017, after qualifying fifth, Steve beat Mike Salinas, Brittany Force and Clay Millican before losing in the final round to close friend Antron Brown; In 2005, en route to the Lucas Oil Series Top Alcohol Dragster championship, Steve won both Topeka races, the national event and a West Central Division race.
Track records: 3.660 seconds by Tony Schumacher, May 20, 2017; 334.90 mph by Clay Millican, May 21, 2018.
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, Ill. 3. Beat Terry McMillen, Richie Crampton, Antron Brown 1st
and Mike Salinas
Looking Ahead
June 16 19th NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol, Tenn.
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.
+Indicates events won by Steve Torrence in 2018
CHAMP BIDS FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT TOUR VICTORY
TOPEKA, Kan. – For a track that played such a pivotal role in his drive to the NHRA’s Top Alcohol Dragster championship back in 2005, Heartland Park has been less than kind to Steve Torrence since he turned pro and began rewriting the Mello Yello record book in his Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster.
In fact, the last time Torrence won the Menard’s Heartland Nationals, contested this week for the 31st time, George W. Bush was just starting his second term as POTUS, Hurricane Katrina had not yet struck the Gulf Coast, Pluto still had the same astronomical status as Venus and Mars and the car he was driving was not his own.
Since he founded Torrence Racing in 2012, the 36-year-old phenom has made nine trips to Kansas and not one of them has ended with his hoisting the winner’s trophy. That’s a frustration he hopes to address this week when he goes after his fifth straight victory, his 11th in the last 16 stops on the NHRA tour.
A cancer and heart attack survivor who still holds down a day job at Capco, the Texas-based oil and pipeline construction company founded by his dad, Billy, Torrence not only has established himself as the new gold standard of performance on the pro tour, he also has emerged as a refreshing alternative to rampant political correctness.
"In my opinion, one thing this sport really needs are personalities,” he said, “people that are genuine and real. That’s what I try to be. I know some people don’t like it, but when you come over to this camp, you gotta know that we wear our hearts on our sleeves.
“We’re just a good ‘ol family-run race team from East Texas,” he said. “We’re pipeliners who say what we think. Truth is, we don’t make money drag racing. We do it because we love it and I think that’s what this sport was built on and what it’s all about.”
A graduate of Kilgore College in his hometown, Torrence has carved out his own niche as a pro, creating a legend that was greatly magnified last season when he swept the six races in the NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship playoffs. He’s the only driver in any category to have accomplished that feat just like he is the only driver to have won series championships in both the Top Alcohol and Top Fuel divisions.
None of that will mean anything, however, when he rolls his 330 mile-an-hour hybrid to the starting line for Friday’s first qualifying session.
“That’s what’s great about drag racing,” he said. “It’s a ‘what have you done for me lately’ sport and lately Heartland Park has just been kicking our butt.”
2019 NHRA MELLO YELLO POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After 9 of 18 races leading into the Countdown to the Mello Yello Championship)
1. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 820
2. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools dragster 574
3. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 573
4. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Advance Auto Parts dragster 572
5. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 544
6. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 523
7. Leah Pritchett, Danville, Ind., Mopar Dodge dragster 497
8. Richie Crampton, Brownsburg, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 410
9. Terry McMillen, Elkhart, Ind., Amalie Intimigator dragster 383
10. Austin Prock, Indianapolis, Ind., Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 375
12. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 337
The Champ at Heartland Park:
Last year at the Menard’s Heartland Nationals: From the No. 2 qualifying position, Steve beat Terry Haddock and Brittany Force before losing to Terry McMillen.
Starts/Final Rounds/Wins/No. 1 Qualifier: 8/1/0/0
Steve’s quickest time at Heartland Park: 3.677 seconds, May 20, 2017
Steve’s fastest speed at Heartland Park: 334.24 mph, May 20, 2018
Steve’s won-lost record at Heartland Park: 9-8
Steve’s best moment(s) at Heartland Park: In 2017, after qualifying fifth, Steve beat Mike Salinas, Brittany Force and Clay Millican before losing in the final round to close friend Antron Brown; In 2005, en route to the Lucas Oil Series Top Alcohol Dragster championship, Steve won both Topeka races, the national event and a West Central Division race.
Track records: 3.660 seconds by Tony Schumacher, May 20, 2017; 334.90 mph by Clay Millican, May 21, 2018.
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, Ill. 3. Beat Terry McMillen, Richie Crampton, Antron Brown 1st
and Mike Salinas
Looking Ahead
June 16 19th NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol, Tenn.
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.
+Indicates events won by Steve Torrence in 2018
