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Torrence Still Has Eye on the Prize
CHAMP AFTER THIRD STRAIGHT WIN IN MIDWEST NATIONALS
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – In drag racing, one can go from zero to hero in less time than it
takes the average person to finish reading this sentence. Of course, the reverse also is
true, a reality to which reigning Mello Yello Top Fuel Champion Steve Torrence readily
can attest.
Six weeks ago, after winning eight of nine races in one remarkable stretch,
Torrence and his Capco Contractors team were being touted as unbeatable, virtually
certain repeat champions in a category once dominated by drivers like “Big Daddy” Don
Garlits, Shirley “Cha Cha” Muldowney and “The Sarge,” Tony Schumacher.
The only real question posed by the so-called experts was whether Torrence,
who survived cancer and a heart attack to become the first driver to win NHRA series
championships in both the Alcohol and Fuel divisions, could do once again what he did
a year ago when, against the odds, he swept the six races comprising the NHRA’s
Countdown to the Championship.
After one playoff race, the answer is “no, no he can’t.” Next question, please.
When the sport’s top teams return to competition this week in the AAA Insurance
Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, a race Torrence
has won the last two seasons, the talented Texan will be racing his Capco dragster from
an unfamiliar position.
For the first time in the last 14 playoff races, he won’t start an event either first or
second in points. Is that cause for concern? Apparently, that depends upon one’s
perspective.
Torrence, crew chiefs Richard Hogan and Bobby Lagana Jr. and all those who
have been on board with the Capco crew since it first began winning races in 2012,
categorized a first round loss two weeks ago in the Countdown opener at Reading, Pa.,
as an unexpected speed bump that makes the path to their goal a bit more challenging.
For those newly aboard the bandwagon, though, it apparently has been
perceived as a complete disaster.
“It’s one race,” Torrence said. “Did we plan to go out in the first round? No. You
never plan to do that. To be honest, we got behind in qualifying and we never caught
up. We qualified eighth and instead of getting a reasonable first round (opponent), we
got the ‘Hillbilly’ (Clay Millican) and he took us out.
“I don’t know why anyone would think this was going to be easy for us or
anyone,” Torrence said. “There are bad asses top to bottom in this class. Terry
McMillen didn’t even make the playoffs and he could win any of these races.
“All we can do is what we can do,” he said. “This week we’ve got St. Louis, after
that Charlotte and Dallas and then Vegas and Pomona. There’s no going back; you just
gotta move ahead.”
Torrence has shown he has the firepower to do just that. After all, the
36-year-old champion has won 28 of the last 69 NHRA tour events (40 percent) and his
head-to-head record over that span is a phenomenal 157-41. Moreover, the last time
he lost consecutive first round races was 2016.
“There’s still a lot of racing to do,” he said. “You haven’t heard the last of these
Capco cars,” a reference to his hybrid and a second Capco Contractors dragster in
which dad Billy won two times this season on the way to qualifying for his first
Countdown as a part-time pro.
2019 NHRA MELLO YELLO POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After 1 of 6 races in the Countdown to the Championship)
1. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools dragster2180
2. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Advance Auto Parts dragster2147
3. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster2133
4. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster2127
5. Richie Crampton, Brownsburg, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster2126
6. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster2104
7. Austin Prock, Indianapolis, Ind., Montana Brand dragster2094
8. Leah Pritchett, Danville, Ind., Mopar Dodge dragster2093
9. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster2092
10. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster2032
The Champ at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway:
Last year at the AAA Insurance Midwest Nationals: racing from the No. 1 qualifying position, Steve
beat Bill Litton, Mike Salinas, Leah Pritchett and Clay Millican to win St. Louis for the second straight year.
Starts/Final Rounds/Wins/No. 1 Qualifier: 8/2/2/2
Steve’s quickest time at Gateway Motorsports Park: 3.682 seconds, Oct. 13, 2017
Steve’s fastest speed at Gateway Motorsports Park: 330.80 mph, Oct. 1, 2017
Steve’s won-lost record at Gateway Motorsports Park: 12-6
Steve’s best moment(s) at Gateway Motorsports Park: on the track on which he earned his Top
Fuel license, Steve now has won back-to-back events. In 2017, as the No. 7 qualifier, he beat Shawn
Langdon, Leah Pritchett, Antron Brown and Doug Kalitta.
Track records: 3.631 by Clay Millican, Sept. 29, 2017; 332.75 mph by Leah Pritchett, Oct. 1, 2017
CHAMP AFTER THIRD STRAIGHT WIN IN MIDWEST NATIONALS
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – In drag racing, one can go from zero to hero in less time than it
takes the average person to finish reading this sentence. Of course, the reverse also is
true, a reality to which reigning Mello Yello Top Fuel Champion Steve Torrence readily
can attest.
Six weeks ago, after winning eight of nine races in one remarkable stretch,
Torrence and his Capco Contractors team were being touted as unbeatable, virtually
certain repeat champions in a category once dominated by drivers like “Big Daddy” Don
Garlits, Shirley “Cha Cha” Muldowney and “The Sarge,” Tony Schumacher.
The only real question posed by the so-called experts was whether Torrence,
who survived cancer and a heart attack to become the first driver to win NHRA series
championships in both the Alcohol and Fuel divisions, could do once again what he did
a year ago when, against the odds, he swept the six races comprising the NHRA’s
Countdown to the Championship.
After one playoff race, the answer is “no, no he can’t.” Next question, please.
When the sport’s top teams return to competition this week in the AAA Insurance
Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, a race Torrence
has won the last two seasons, the talented Texan will be racing his Capco dragster from
an unfamiliar position.
For the first time in the last 14 playoff races, he won’t start an event either first or
second in points. Is that cause for concern? Apparently, that depends upon one’s
perspective.
Torrence, crew chiefs Richard Hogan and Bobby Lagana Jr. and all those who
have been on board with the Capco crew since it first began winning races in 2012,
categorized a first round loss two weeks ago in the Countdown opener at Reading, Pa.,
as an unexpected speed bump that makes the path to their goal a bit more challenging.
For those newly aboard the bandwagon, though, it apparently has been
perceived as a complete disaster.
“It’s one race,” Torrence said. “Did we plan to go out in the first round? No. You
never plan to do that. To be honest, we got behind in qualifying and we never caught
up. We qualified eighth and instead of getting a reasonable first round (opponent), we
got the ‘Hillbilly’ (Clay Millican) and he took us out.
“I don’t know why anyone would think this was going to be easy for us or
anyone,” Torrence said. “There are bad asses top to bottom in this class. Terry
McMillen didn’t even make the playoffs and he could win any of these races.
“All we can do is what we can do,” he said. “This week we’ve got St. Louis, after
that Charlotte and Dallas and then Vegas and Pomona. There’s no going back; you just
gotta move ahead.”
Torrence has shown he has the firepower to do just that. After all, the
36-year-old champion has won 28 of the last 69 NHRA tour events (40 percent) and his
head-to-head record over that span is a phenomenal 157-41. Moreover, the last time
he lost consecutive first round races was 2016.
“There’s still a lot of racing to do,” he said. “You haven’t heard the last of these
Capco cars,” a reference to his hybrid and a second Capco Contractors dragster in
which dad Billy won two times this season on the way to qualifying for his first
Countdown as a part-time pro.
2019 NHRA MELLO YELLO POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After 1 of 6 races in the Countdown to the Championship)
1. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools dragster2180
2. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Advance Auto Parts dragster2147
3. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster2133
4. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster2127
5. Richie Crampton, Brownsburg, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster2126
6. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster2104
7. Austin Prock, Indianapolis, Ind., Montana Brand dragster2094
8. Leah Pritchett, Danville, Ind., Mopar Dodge dragster2093
9. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster2092
10. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster2032
The Champ at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway:
Last year at the AAA Insurance Midwest Nationals: racing from the No. 1 qualifying position, Steve
beat Bill Litton, Mike Salinas, Leah Pritchett and Clay Millican to win St. Louis for the second straight year.
Starts/Final Rounds/Wins/No. 1 Qualifier: 8/2/2/2
Steve’s quickest time at Gateway Motorsports Park: 3.682 seconds, Oct. 13, 2017
Steve’s fastest speed at Gateway Motorsports Park: 330.80 mph, Oct. 1, 2017
Steve’s won-lost record at Gateway Motorsports Park: 12-6
Steve’s best moment(s) at Gateway Motorsports Park: on the track on which he earned his Top
Fuel license, Steve now has won back-to-back events. In 2017, as the No. 7 qualifier, he beat Shawn
Langdon, Leah Pritchett, Antron Brown and Doug Kalitta.
Track records: 3.631 by Clay Millican, Sept. 29, 2017; 332.75 mph by Leah Pritchett, Oct. 1, 2017
