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TORRENCE IN NARROW LOSS TO KALITTA
Four-Time World Champ Comes Up Short by .001 at Carolina Nationals
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Steve Torrence and his CAPCO Contractors crewmates got behind in qualifying and never caught up at the 15th Betway Carolina Nationals at ZMax Dragway where a loss to Doug Kalitta in Sunday’s first round sent them tumbling out of the Top Fuel point lead after the first two of six races in the Countdown to the Championship.
An aggressive tune-up that led to a loss of traction in the critical Friday night qualifying session that usually yields the quickest times and fastest speeds put the team in a hole from which it was unable to extricate itself.
Team CAPCO Competition Capsule
From the 15th Betway Carolina Nationals at Charlotte, N.C.
STEVE TORRENCE
Qualifying position/performance: No. 12 at 3.726 seconds, 328.70 miles per hour.
Qualifying bonus points: None.
Race finish: First round.
Current points position: Second
Race detail: Lost to Doug Kalitta by .001 of a second, 3.725, 332.34 mph to 3.718, 333.16 mph with a .006 startling line advantage (.068 to .074).
Photo by Mark Rebilas
Close, but no cigar. Steve Torrence and his CAPCO Contractors Top Fuel Toyota drop a first round decision to Doug Kalitta and his MAC Tools dragster by .001 of a second in Sunday's Betway Carolina Nationals at Charlotte, N.C.
A second attempt to put a competitive number on the board in Saturday’s final session was similarly unsuccessful, leaving Torrence in the No. 12 qualifying position, his worst starting spot in 92 events dating back to 2019 at Phoenix, Ariz.From the 15th Betway Carolina Nationals at Charlotte, N.C.
STEVE TORRENCE
Qualifying position/performance: No. 12 at 3.726 seconds, 328.70 miles per hour.
Qualifying bonus points: None.
Race finish: First round.
Current points position: Second
Race detail: Lost to Doug Kalitta by .001 of a second, 3.725, 332.34 mph to 3.718, 333.16 mph with a .006 startling line advantage (.068 to .074).
Photo by Mark Rebilas
Close, but no cigar. Steve Torrence and his CAPCO Contractors Top Fuel Toyota drop a first round decision to Doug Kalitta and his MAC Tools dragster by .001 of a second in Sunday's Betway Carolina Nationals at Charlotte, N.C.
Without the lane choice option and facing the No. 2 qualifier, Torrence forged a narrow advantage at the start and made his quickest and fastest run of the weekend only to come up an almost indiscernible .001 of a second short at the finish line.
“We missed the tune-up and overpowered the track on Friday and then we tried to rotate the earth on Saturday, and I guess the earth didn’t get the message,” Torrence said, “but that’s racing. These CAPCO boys had us back in the game on Sunday. That was a helluva close drag race; it just didn’t go our way.
“We’re not out of this championship though,” said the 54-time Camping World tour winner. “It was a missed opportunity on a track that’s been good to us. Fortunately, we’re back racing this week at St. Louis (in the 27th NHRA Midwest Nationals) and that’s another opportunity.”
Despite the qualifying issues, Sunday’s early exit was surprising considering that Torrence had won six times in his last 11 starts at ZMax.
When qualifying begins Friday at World Wide Technology Raceway, Torrence will trail Kalitta by 63 points.
15th Betway Carolina Nationals
FINAL ROUND RESULTS
Top Fuel – Doug Kalitta, MAC Tools dragster, 3.696, 333.49 mph, def. Mike Salinas, Scrappers Racing dragster, 3.718, 328.46 mph.
Funny Car – Bob Tasca III, Motorcraft Ford Mustang, 3.933, 329.26 mph, def. Robert Hight, Cornwell Tools Chevy Camaro, 3.932, 326.95 mph.
Pro Stock – Greg Anderson, HendrickCars.com Chevy Camaro,6.554, 209.23 mph, def. Dallas Glenn, RAD Torque Systems Chevy Camaro, 6.590, 206.73 mph.
NHRA CAMPING WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After two of six races in the Countdown to the Championship)
1. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., MAC Tools dragster 2284
2. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, CAPCO Contractors dragster 2221
3. Justin Ashley, Farmingdale, N.Y., Phillips Connect dragster 2216
4. Leah Pruett, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Rennai America dragster 2208/
5. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 2192
6. Brittany Force, Aberdeen, N.C., Flav-R-Pac/ Monster Energy dragster 2178
7. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 2165
8. Austin Prock, Pittsboro, Ind., Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 2130
9. Tony Schumacher, SCAG Power Equipment dragster 2089
10. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 2082
11. Shawn Langdon, Kalitta Air Careers dragster 2101
12. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers dragster 2066
Next Scheduled CAMPING WORLD TOUR Event:
27th NHRA Midwest Nationals
Sept. 39-Oct. 1, 2023
World Wide Technology Raceway
Madison, Ill. (St. Louis)
FINAL ROUND RESULTS
Top Fuel – Doug Kalitta, MAC Tools dragster, 3.696, 333.49 mph, def. Mike Salinas, Scrappers Racing dragster, 3.718, 328.46 mph.
Funny Car – Bob Tasca III, Motorcraft Ford Mustang, 3.933, 329.26 mph, def. Robert Hight, Cornwell Tools Chevy Camaro, 3.932, 326.95 mph.
Pro Stock – Greg Anderson, HendrickCars.com Chevy Camaro,6.554, 209.23 mph, def. Dallas Glenn, RAD Torque Systems Chevy Camaro, 6.590, 206.73 mph.
NHRA CAMPING WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After two of six races in the Countdown to the Championship)
1. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., MAC Tools dragster 2284
2. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, CAPCO Contractors dragster 2221
3. Justin Ashley, Farmingdale, N.Y., Phillips Connect dragster 2216
4. Leah Pruett, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Rennai America dragster 2208/
5. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 2192
6. Brittany Force, Aberdeen, N.C., Flav-R-Pac/ Monster Energy dragster 2178
7. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 2165
8. Austin Prock, Pittsboro, Ind., Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 2130
9. Tony Schumacher, SCAG Power Equipment dragster 2089
10. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 2082
11. Shawn Langdon, Kalitta Air Careers dragster 2101
12. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers dragster 2066
Next Scheduled CAMPING WORLD TOUR Event:
27th NHRA Midwest Nationals
Sept. 39-Oct. 1, 2023
World Wide Technology Raceway
Madison, Ill. (St. Louis)
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius hybrid and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota and Lexus brands, and directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America (more than 49,000 of them in the U.S.). Over the past 65 years, Toyota has assembled nearly 45 million cars and trucks in North America at the company’s 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, the company’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
Through our more than 1,800 North American dealerships (including nearly 1,500 in the U.S.), Toyota sold more than 2.4 million cars and trucks (more than 2.1 million in the U.S.) in 2022, of which, nearly one quarter were electrified vehicles (full battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell).
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.
