TORRENCE IN NARROW LOSS TO KALITTA
Four-Time World Champ Second in Points as Tour Moves to Ohio
BRISTOL, Tenn. – Steve Torrence had a car that could beat newly-minted point leader Justin Ashley in Sunday’s 22nd NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. He just didn’t have the opportunity.
Team CAPCO Competition Capsule
From the 22nd NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, Tenn.
STEVE TORRENCE
Qualifying position/performance: No. 3 at 3.753 seconds, 329.10 miles per hour.
Qualifying bonus points: Three; one for third quick time in Q2, two for second quick time in Q4..
Mission 2Fast/2Tasty Challenge points (event/season): 0/1
Race finish: Second round
Current points position: Second
Race detail: Beat Shawn Langdon, 3.691, 330.55 mph, to 3.779, 325.85 mph; lost to Doug Kalitta, 3.745, 329.10 mph, to 3.733, 329.34 mph.
From the 22nd NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, Tenn.
STEVE TORRENCE
Qualifying position/performance: No. 3 at 3.753 seconds, 329.10 miles per hour.
Qualifying bonus points: Three; one for third quick time in Q2, two for second quick time in Q4..
Mission 2Fast/2Tasty Challenge points (event/season): 0/1
Race finish: Second round
Current points position: Second
Race detail: Beat Shawn Langdon, 3.691, 330.55 mph, to 3.779, 325.85 mph; lost to Doug Kalitta, 3.745, 329.10 mph, to 3.733, 329.34 mph.
After guiding his CAPCO Contractors Top Fuel Toyota to the quickest time of the entire weekend in an opening win over Shawn Langdon (3.691 seconds), Torrence ran afoul of a surging Doug Kalitta, whose 3.733 was just good enough to cover an ever-so-close 3.745.
As a result, the 40-year-old Texan could do nothing but sit and watch as Ashley extended his point lead with his fourth win of the year.
When the sport’s touring pros reconvene June 23-25 in Norwalk, Ohio for the 16th Summit Racing Equipment Nationals, the ninth event on the 2023 Camping World tour, Torrence will trail Ashley by 64 points, roughly the equivalent of three racing rounds.
“It was just a matter of time before Doug started making noise,” Torrence said of Kalitta, widely considered the best racer never to have won the championship. “I just wish he hadn’t made it against us.
“The big thing is we’ve got our race car back,” said the 53-time tour winner. “We qualified solid (3.753, good for the No. 3 spot), we were the only car in the ‘60s and, in that second round, we ran exactly what we wanted to run. We thought it would be good enough. Credit Doug and A.J. (crew chief Alan Johnson) on that one.”
Torrence and company now will turn their attention to Summit Motorsports Park, a track on which they don’t own any records but have had a lot of success.
“I can’t wait to get to Norwalk,” said the four-time World Champion. “It’s another track where these CAPCO boys have done a little showing off (three wins in the last five races). Losing the point lead to Justin? I’ve gotta admit, that stung a little bit but, like I’ve said before, the only time it’s really important to be No. 1 is in November after the last run at the In-N-Out Finals. We’ll just keep doing what we do.”
FINAL ROUND RESULTS
Top Fuel – Justin Ashley, Phillips Connect dragster, 3.718, 336.49 mph, def. Antron Brown, Matco Tools dragster, 6.148, 109.79 mph.
Funny Car – Ron Capps, NAPA Toyota Supra, 3.998, 325.45 mph, def. Alexis DeJoria, Bandero Tequila Toyota Supra, 3.999, 326.48 mph.
Pro Stock – Erica Enders, Melling Performance Chevy Camaro, 6.680, 204.08 mph, def. Deric Kramer, Get Biofuel Chevy Camaro, 6.727, 197.05 mph.
NHRA CAMPING WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After eight of 15 events leading up to the Countdown to the Championship)
1. Justin Ashley, Farmingdale, N.Y., Phillips Connect dragster 633
2. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, CAPCO Contractors dragster 569
3. Brittany Force, Aberdeen, N.C., Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac dragster 511
4. Leah Pruett, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Rush Truck Centers dragster 504
5. Austin Prock, Pittsboro, Ind., Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 506
6. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 499
7. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 448
8. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers dragster 433
9. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., MAC Tools/Toyota dragster 404
10. Shawn Langdon, Danville, Ind., CMR Roofing/Toyota dragster 367
11. Tony Schumacher, Lakeway, Texas, SCAG Equipment dragster 357
12. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 341
Top Fuel – Justin Ashley, Phillips Connect dragster, 3.718, 336.49 mph, def. Antron Brown, Matco Tools dragster, 6.148, 109.79 mph.
Funny Car – Ron Capps, NAPA Toyota Supra, 3.998, 325.45 mph, def. Alexis DeJoria, Bandero Tequila Toyota Supra, 3.999, 326.48 mph.
Pro Stock – Erica Enders, Melling Performance Chevy Camaro, 6.680, 204.08 mph, def. Deric Kramer, Get Biofuel Chevy Camaro, 6.727, 197.05 mph.
NHRA CAMPING WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After eight of 15 events leading up to the Countdown to the Championship)
1. Justin Ashley, Farmingdale, N.Y., Phillips Connect dragster 633
2. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, CAPCO Contractors dragster 569
3. Brittany Force, Aberdeen, N.C., Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac dragster 511
4. Leah Pruett, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Rush Truck Centers dragster 504
5. Austin Prock, Pittsboro, Ind., Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 506
6. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 499
7. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 448
8. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers dragster 433
9. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., MAC Tools/Toyota dragster 404
10. Shawn Langdon, Danville, Ind., CMR Roofing/Toyota dragster 367
11. Tony Schumacher, Lakeway, Texas, SCAG Equipment dragster 357
12. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 341
Photos by Mark Rebilas
Left photo: Steve Torrence executes a burnout in his CAPCO Contractors dragster before posting quick time of the event in Sunday’s Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, Tenn.
Right photo: Four-time world champion Steve Torrence gets some TLC from daughter Haven Charli after a close loss in Sunday’s Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, Tenn.
Next Scheduled CAMPING WORLD TOUR Event:
16th Summit Racing Equipment Nationals
June 23-25, 2023
Summit Motorsports Park
Norwalk, Ohio
Left photo: Steve Torrence executes a burnout in his CAPCO Contractors dragster before posting quick time of the event in Sunday’s Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, Tenn.
Right photo: Four-time world champion Steve Torrence gets some TLC from daughter Haven Charli after a close loss in Sunday’s Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, Tenn.
Next Scheduled CAMPING WORLD TOUR Event:
16th Summit Racing Equipment Nationals
June 23-25, 2023
Summit Motorsports Park
Norwalk, Ohio
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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.
