TORRENCE EXITS IN TOPEKA SEMIS
Capco Driver Retains Point Lead Despite Monday Disappointment
TOPEKA, Kansas – When you’re the Mello Yello point leader, you get everyone’s best shot. That reality hit home with Steve Torrence Monday when he was upended by Terry McMillen in the semifinals of the rain-lengthened 30th annual Menard’s Heartland Nationals at Heartland Motorsports Park.
“We ran good; they ran better,” was Torrence’s terse synopsis after McMillen’s 3.758 second effort got him to the finish line just ahead of the 35-year-old Texan who trailed in 3.784 seconds after pushing his Capco Contractors dragster to a time of 3.684 seconds in the previous round.
Rain delayed the start of the race for eight hours Sunday and, following a second round in which Torrence dispatched reigning world champion Brittany Force with comparative ease, NHRA officials opted to suspend racing because of the late hour.
If there was an upside to the delay and the disappointing Monday result, it was that Torrence retained a comfortable lead in the race for the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Championship. When racing resumes in two weeks at Route 66 Raceway outside Chicago, he will lead Topeka race winner Clay Millican by 95 points, roughly the equivalent of five competitive rounds. Eight-time series champ Tony Schumacher will start 30 points further back.
Until the weather turned, it looked like there might be another celebration like the one that took place earlier this year in Phoenix when the younger Torrence nipped his dad at the finish in a spectacular semifinal race before going on to hoist the trophy.
The two were set up for just such a rematch at Topeka after qualifying 2-3 behind Millican and the fact that both won their first round races with identical 3.734 second times only served to heighten the anticipation. Unfortunately, McMillen managed to ruin the party, beating Billy Torrence in round two and Steve in the semis.
“It’s always fun racing with my dad,” he said. “We’re about as competitive as you can get. Wish we could have gone at it again this week but I guess Terry had other ideas. Good for those guys, though.”
30th annual Menard’s Heartland Nationals:
style='background:white'> style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Nirmala UI",sans-serif'>Qualify – Steve Torrence, No. 2 at 3.747, 328.30 mph.
Round 1 – S. Torrence, 3.734, 333.25 mph, def. Terry Haddock, 9.583, 71.99 mph.
Round 2 – S. Torrence, 3.684, 334.24 mph, def. Brittany Force, 8.715, 78.72 mph.
Semifinals – S. Torrence, 3.784, 320.51 mph, lost to Terry McMillen, 3.758, 326.48 mph.
FINAL – Clay Millican, 3.727, 332.59 mph, def. Terry McMillen, 6.169, 104.47 mph.
Qualify – Billy Torrence, No. 3 at 3.762, 331.36 mph.
Round 1 – B. Torrence, 3.734, 329.75 mph, def. Kebin Kinsley, 4.333, 196.59 mph.
Round 2 – B. Torrence, 4.714, 175.64 mph, lost to Terry McMillen, 3.781, 319.14 mph.
2018 NHRA MELLO YELLO POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After 8 of 18 races leading into the Countdown to the Mello Yello Championship)
1. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 664
2. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 569
3. Tony Schumacher, Lakeway, Texas, U.S. Army dragster 539
4. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools dragster 497
5. Leah Pritchett, Danville, Ind., Mopar Dodge dragster 489
6. Terry McMillen, Elkhart, Ind., Amalie Oil dragster 432
7. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Monster Energy dragster 428
8. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 423
9. Richie Crampton, Brownsburg, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 312
10. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers dragster 308
12. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 221
Capco Driver Retains Point Lead Despite Monday Disappointment
TOPEKA, Kansas – When you’re the Mello Yello point leader, you get everyone’s best shot. That reality hit home with Steve Torrence Monday when he was upended by Terry McMillen in the semifinals of the rain-lengthened 30th annual Menard’s Heartland Nationals at Heartland Motorsports Park.
“We ran good; they ran better,” was Torrence’s terse synopsis after McMillen’s 3.758 second effort got him to the finish line just ahead of the 35-year-old Texan who trailed in 3.784 seconds after pushing his Capco Contractors dragster to a time of 3.684 seconds in the previous round.
Rain delayed the start of the race for eight hours Sunday and, following a second round in which Torrence dispatched reigning world champion Brittany Force with comparative ease, NHRA officials opted to suspend racing because of the late hour.
If there was an upside to the delay and the disappointing Monday result, it was that Torrence retained a comfortable lead in the race for the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Championship. When racing resumes in two weeks at Route 66 Raceway outside Chicago, he will lead Topeka race winner Clay Millican by 95 points, roughly the equivalent of five competitive rounds. Eight-time series champ Tony Schumacher will start 30 points further back.
Until the weather turned, it looked like there might be another celebration like the one that took place earlier this year in Phoenix when the younger Torrence nipped his dad at the finish in a spectacular semifinal race before going on to hoist the trophy.
The two were set up for just such a rematch at Topeka after qualifying 2-3 behind Millican and the fact that both won their first round races with identical 3.734 second times only served to heighten the anticipation. Unfortunately, McMillen managed to ruin the party, beating Billy Torrence in round two and Steve in the semis.
“It’s always fun racing with my dad,” he said. “We’re about as competitive as you can get. Wish we could have gone at it again this week but I guess Terry had other ideas. Good for those guys, though.”
CAPCO CONTRACTORS race summary:30th annual Menard’s Heartland Nationals:
style='background:white'> style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Nirmala UI",sans-serif'>Qualify – Steve Torrence, No. 2 at 3.747, 328.30 mph.
Round 1 – S. Torrence, 3.734, 333.25 mph, def. Terry Haddock, 9.583, 71.99 mph.
Round 2 – S. Torrence, 3.684, 334.24 mph, def. Brittany Force, 8.715, 78.72 mph.
Semifinals – S. Torrence, 3.784, 320.51 mph, lost to Terry McMillen, 3.758, 326.48 mph.
FINAL – Clay Millican, 3.727, 332.59 mph, def. Terry McMillen, 6.169, 104.47 mph.
Qualify – Billy Torrence, No. 3 at 3.762, 331.36 mph.
Round 1 – B. Torrence, 3.734, 329.75 mph, def. Kebin Kinsley, 4.333, 196.59 mph.
Round 2 – B. Torrence, 4.714, 175.64 mph, lost to Terry McMillen, 3.781, 319.14 mph.
* * * *
2018 NHRA MELLO YELLO POINTS
TOP FUEL
(After 8 of 18 races leading into the Countdown to the Mello Yello Championship)
1. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 664
2. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 569
3. Tony Schumacher, Lakeway, Texas, U.S. Army dragster 539
4. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools dragster 497
5. Leah Pritchett, Danville, Ind., Mopar Dodge dragster 489
6. Terry McMillen, Elkhart, Ind., Amalie Oil dragster 432
7. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Monster Energy dragster 428
8. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 423
9. Richie Crampton, Brownsburg, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 312
10. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers dragster 308
12. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 221
