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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Steve Torrence and his veteran crew did all they could Monday to overcome a series of unanticipated obstacles and get their CAPCO Contractors Top Fuel dragster back into the winners’ circle at the 69th Dodge Power Brokers U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Team CAPCO Competition Capsule
From the 69th U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, Ind.
STEVE TORRENCE
Qualifying position/performance: No. 1 at 3.708 seconds, 329.42 miles per hour.
Qualifying bonus points: Nine total, 4 for quickest time in Q1; 2 for third quick time in Q2; 3 for second quick time in Q3.
Race finish: Runner-Up
Regular season points finish: Second
Mission Foods/US 2Fast/2Tasty points: 11
Race detail: Beat Will Smith, 3.716, 333.08 mph, to 3.830, 309.42 mph
Shawn Langdon, 4.086, 230.61 mph to 4.255, 297.55 mph
Doug Kalitta, 4.158, 255.15 mph, to 8.290, 90.78 mph
lost to Antron Brown, 3.870, 327.43 mph, to 3,779, 328.54 mph.
In the end, after damaging the chassis that had propelled Torrence to his first No. 1 start in drag racing’s biggest event and after an improbable double-engine swap between the second and third rounds, the four-time Top Fuel World Champions came up .093 of a second short in a final round won by Antron Brown.From the 69th U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, Ind.
STEVE TORRENCE
Qualifying position/performance: No. 1 at 3.708 seconds, 329.42 miles per hour.
Qualifying bonus points: Nine total, 4 for quickest time in Q1; 2 for third quick time in Q2; 3 for second quick time in Q3.
Race finish: Runner-Up
Regular season points finish: Second
Mission Foods/US 2Fast/2Tasty points: 11
Race detail: Beat Will Smith, 3.716, 333.08 mph, to 3.830, 309.42 mph
Shawn Langdon, 4.086, 230.61 mph to 4.255, 297.55 mph
Doug Kalitta, 4.158, 255.15 mph, to 8.290, 90.78 mph
lost to Antron Brown, 3.870, 327.43 mph, to 3,779, 328.54 mph.
After a dead-even start (.040 to .042), Brown won “The Big Go” for the second straight year in 3.779 seconds at 328.54 miles per hour. Torrence trailed at 3.870, 327.43 mph.
Of the disappointment of coming so close and not being able to close the deal, the 40-year-old Texan said “it’s hard, but I’ve never been prouder of my guys. They swapped two engines in one round, the last one in just 21 minutes. That’s probably not possible, but they did it. There’s no one I’d rather go into this Countdown with than these guys. They’re just bad-to-the-bone.”
It was the sixth Indy final in the last 11 years for Torrence and his CAPCO boys who now will move into the Countdown to the Championship in the No. 2 position, 30 points down to regular season champion Justin Ashley.
“The real racing starts now,” Torrence said. “We’re down a little more than a round, but now Antron’s right there, too. And you never know who might jump up and make a run. From here, it’s just whoever can put things together for six straight races and, in that kind of scenario, I’ll take my guys any day.”
Torrence’s Labor Day began against 16th qualifier Will Smith, whom he dispatched easily with a 3.716 second effort. Things began to unravel in round two, however, when the 54-time tour winner beat Shawn Langdon with an engine-damaging time of 4.086 seconds at only 230.61 mph.
69th Dodge U.S. Nationals
FINAL ROUND RESULTS
Top Fuel – Antron Brown, Matco Tools dragster, 3.779, 328.54 mph, def. Steve Torrence, CAPCO Contractors dragster, 3.870, 327.43 mph.
Funny Car – Ron Capps, NAPA Toyota Supra, 3.986, 323.27 mph, def. J.R. Todd, DHL Toyota Supra, 4.131, 288.09 mph.
Pro Stock – Matt Hartford, Total Seal Chevy Camaro, 6.624, 206.57 mph, def, Fernando Cuadra Jr., Corral Boots, Chevy Camaro, 7.099, 178.87 mph.
Photos by Mark Rebilas
Left photo: Steve Torrence puts his CAPCO Contractors Top Fuel Toyota through its pace at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park during Monday's 69th U.S. Nationals. Torrence was runner-up to Antron Brown.Top Fuel – Antron Brown, Matco Tools dragster, 3.779, 328.54 mph, def. Steve Torrence, CAPCO Contractors dragster, 3.870, 327.43 mph.
Funny Car – Ron Capps, NAPA Toyota Supra, 3.986, 323.27 mph, def. J.R. Todd, DHL Toyota Supra, 4.131, 288.09 mph.
Pro Stock – Matt Hartford, Total Seal Chevy Camaro, 6.624, 206.57 mph, def, Fernando Cuadra Jr., Corral Boots, Chevy Camaro, 7.099, 178.87 mph.
Photos by Mark Rebilas
Right photo: Steve Torrence and daughter Haven Charli soak up the atmosphere at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park Monday during the 69th annual NHRA U.S. Nationals. Torrence was the Top Fuel runner-up.
NHRA CAMPING WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
TOP FUEL
(Regular Season FINAL after 15 races)
1. Justin Ashley, Farmingdale, N.Y., Phillips Connect dragster 1250
2. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, CAPCO Contractors dragster 1186
3. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 1066
4. Leah Pruett, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Dodge Direct Connection dragster 954
5. Brittany Force, Aberdeen, N.C., Flav-R-Pac/ Monster Energy dragster 948
6. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., MAC Tools/Toyota dragster 867
7. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 855
8. Austin Prock, Pittsboro, Ind., Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 838
9. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 799
10. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers dragster 768
11. Shawn Langdon, Danville, Ind., Kalitta Air Careers dragster 733
12. Tony Schumacher, Lakeway, Texas, SCAG Power Equipment dragster 602
TOP FUEL
(Adjusted starting points for the Countdown including Mission 2Fast/2Tasty bonus points)
1. Justin Ashley, Farmingdale, N.Y., Phillips Connect dragster 2121
2. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, CAPCO Contractors dragster 2081
3. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 2077
4. Leah Pruett, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Dodge Direct Connection dragster 2063
5. Brittany Force, Aberdeen, N.C., Flav-R-Pac/ Monster Energy dragster 2053
6. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., MAC Tools/Toyota dragster 2046
7. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 2033
8. Austin Prock, Pittsboro, Ind., Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 2025
9. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 2013
10. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers dragster 2000
11. Shawn Langdon, Danville, Ind., CMR Roofing/Toyota dragster 1992
12. Tony Schumacher, Lakeway, Texas, SCAG Power Equipment dragster 1982
Next Scheduled CAMPING WORLD TOUR Event:
38th Pep Boys Nationals
Sept. 15-17, 2023
Maple Grove Raceway
Reading, Pa.
TOP FUEL
(Regular Season FINAL after 15 races)
1. Justin Ashley, Farmingdale, N.Y., Phillips Connect dragster 1250
2. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, CAPCO Contractors dragster 1186
3. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 1066
4. Leah Pruett, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Dodge Direct Connection dragster 954
5. Brittany Force, Aberdeen, N.C., Flav-R-Pac/ Monster Energy dragster 948
6. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., MAC Tools/Toyota dragster 867
7. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 855
8. Austin Prock, Pittsboro, Ind., Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 838
9. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 799
10. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers dragster 768
11. Shawn Langdon, Danville, Ind., Kalitta Air Careers dragster 733
12. Tony Schumacher, Lakeway, Texas, SCAG Power Equipment dragster 602
TOP FUEL
(Adjusted starting points for the Countdown including Mission 2Fast/2Tasty bonus points)
1. Justin Ashley, Farmingdale, N.Y., Phillips Connect dragster 2121
2. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, CAPCO Contractors dragster 2081
3. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 2077
4. Leah Pruett, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Dodge Direct Connection dragster 2063
5. Brittany Force, Aberdeen, N.C., Flav-R-Pac/ Monster Energy dragster 2053
6. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., MAC Tools/Toyota dragster 2046
7. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 2033
8. Austin Prock, Pittsboro, Ind., Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 2025
9. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 2013
10. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers dragster 2000
11. Shawn Langdon, Danville, Ind., CMR Roofing/Toyota dragster 1992
12. Tony Schumacher, Lakeway, Texas, SCAG Power Equipment dragster 1982
Next Scheduled CAMPING WORLD TOUR Event:
38th Pep Boys Nationals
Sept. 15-17, 2023
Maple Grove Raceway
Reading, Pa.
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