Three-Time Reigning World Champ Secures Eighth Win of the Season
“This is Indy,” gushed an emotional Torrence after winning for the 40th time in his last 90 starts on the NHRA Camping World tour. “It’s the ultimate for a drag racer and to just have the opportunity to race at the top levels of this sport is such a privilege.
That’s a great team Brittany has over there,” Torrence said, “and when you beat them, you know you’ve really accomplished something. I want to thank everybody who’s been such a big part of our success, especially Mac Tools, Red Line Oil and everybody at Capco Contractors who works so hard to make it possible for us to stay out here and do what we do.
FINAL ROUND RESULTS
Top Fuel – Steve Torrence, Capco Contractors dragster, 3.749 seconds, 324.44 mph, def. Brittany Force, Monster Energy dragster, 13.165 seconds, 24.39 mph.
Funny Car –Tim Wilkerson, Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford, 3.912 seconds, 326.36 mph, def. Ron Capps, NAPA Dodge, 3.946 seconds, 326.63 mph.
Pro Stock – Erica Enders, Melling Chevrolet, 6.626 seconds, 206.01 mph, def. Kyle Koretsky, Lucas Oil Camaro, 6.613 seconds, 206.35 mph.
Photos by Mark Rebilas
FAMILY AFFAIR. Steve Torrence, near lane, drives his black-on-red Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster past the red-on-black twin driven by dad Billy en route to victory Sunday in the 67th annual NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis.
“And I want to give a shout out to all the service men and women and all the first responders,” he continued. “Thank you for all you do. We appreciate it. Some people don’t, but we sure do.”Top Fuel – Steve Torrence, Capco Contractors dragster, 3.749 seconds, 324.44 mph, def. Brittany Force, Monster Energy dragster, 13.165 seconds, 24.39 mph.
Funny Car –Tim Wilkerson, Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford, 3.912 seconds, 326.36 mph, def. Ron Capps, NAPA Dodge, 3.946 seconds, 326.63 mph.
Pro Stock – Erica Enders, Melling Chevrolet, 6.626 seconds, 206.01 mph, def. Kyle Koretsky, Lucas Oil Camaro, 6.613 seconds, 206.35 mph.
Photos by Mark Rebilas
FAMILY AFFAIR. Steve Torrence, near lane, drives his black-on-red Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster past the red-on-black twin driven by dad Billy en route to victory Sunday in the 67th annual NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis.
It was the eighth win of the season for the 38-year-old Texan who this week will start the playoffs from the spot he has occupied for most of the last five seasons: No. 1. The three-time reigning series champion has led the points after 69 of the last 85 races contested including 12 of 13 so far this season.
Steve Torrence celebrates Sunday after winning drag racing’s biggest event, the Dodge SRT U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, for the third time in his career and for the second time in the Top Fuel class.
Such is life in the era of pencil parity.
“It won’t change the way we do things,” Torrence said of the adjustment. “We go out and try to win every race. That’s what we’ve always done and I can’t wait to get started again. When you have these Capco boys behind you, you know you’re gonna have a car that can win every week and the challenge is for me not to mess it up.”
Three-time reigning world champion Steve Torrence, still decked out in helmet and race gear, celebrates from the cockpit of his Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster after winning Sunday’s 67th annual NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis.
On Sunday, he beat close friend, former World Champion and U.S. Nationals champion Antron Brown in round one, dispatched Greg Carrillo in the second and won a family feud with his dad in the semifinals that would prove to be the closest race he had all day long (3.744 to 3.792).
Against Force, he grabbed a .020 starting line advantage that proved unnecessary when her Monster Energy dragster lost traction and then suffered an engine explosion. It was another workmanlike performance for the sport’s No. 1 team. Torrence’s times didn’t vary by more than .033 of a second and averaged 3.737.
With U.S. Nationals titles in 2017 and 2021 along with a Top Alcohol Dragster win in 2005, Torrence now moves on to the next challenge which is joining the list of six pro racers who have won as many as four consecutive series titles: Tony Schumacher in Top Fuel, John Force, Kenny Bernstein and Don Prudhomme in Funny Car; Bob Glidden and Lee Shepherd in Pro Stock.
CAPCO CONTRACTORS race summary67th Dodge SRT U.S. Nationals
Qualifying – Steve Torrence, No. 2 at 3.688 seconds, 329.50 miles per hour
Qualifying bonus points – 3 for second quick time in Q1.
Round 1 – S. Torrence, 3.716, 325.37 mph, def. Antron Brown, 8.442, 72.76 mph.
Round 2 – S. Torrence, 3.744, 323.35 mph, def. Greg Carrillo, 3.948, 278.75 mph.
Semifinals – S. Torrence, 3.744, 325.14 mph, def. Billy Torrence, 3.792, 323.04 mph.
FINAL – Steve Torrence, 3.749, 324.44 mph, def. Brittany Force, 13.165, 24.39 mph.
Qualifying – Billy Torrence, No. 6 at 3.756 seconds, 324.75 miles per hour
Qualifying bonus points – None.
Round 1 – B. Torrence, 3.741, 326.95 mph, def. Tripp Tatum, 5.288, 131.72 mph.
Round 2 – B. Torrence, 6.641, 217.70 mph, def. Doug Kalitta, 6.840, 168.18 mph.
Semifinals – B. Torrence, 3.792, 323.04 mph, lost to Steve Torrence.
NHRA CAMPING WORLD TOUR Championship Points
TOP FUEL
Regular Season/Final Standings
1. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 1389
2. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Monster Energy dragster 978
3. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 839
4. Leah Pruett, Avon, Ind., Sparkling Ice Spiked Seltzer dragster 712
5. Shawn Langdon, Indianapolis, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 668
6. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 646
7. Justin Ashley, Plainview, N.Y., Strutmasters/GuardLab dragster 627
8. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 621
9. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 594
10. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Mac Tools/Mobil 1 dragster 588
Next Scheduled CAMPING WORLD TOUR Event:
36th Mopar Express Lane Nationals
Sept. 12, 2021
Maple Grove Raceway
Reading, Pa.
