TORRENCE WINS THIRD STRAIGHT (1 Viewer)

TORRENCE REPEATS AT RICHMOND
Reigning Champion Beats Brown in Final; Extends Top Fuel Point Lead

RICHMOND, Va. – Steady Steve Torrence repeated as Top Fuel champion at the NHRA Virginia Nationals Sunday and, in so doing, became just the ninth driver in history to win as many as 30 tour events in drag racing’s premier division.

The 36-year-old Texan beat his dad, Billy, in the semifinals before edging close friend and arch rival Antron Brown in a classic final to extend his current tour winning streak to three straight. As a result, when racing resumes with the 22nd annual NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Chicago, May 30-June 2, he will lead Brittany Force by a whopping 160 points.

Sunday, Torrence drove his Capco Contractors dragster through the 1,000-foot course in 3.881 seconds at a finish line speed of 319.22 miles per hour to win for the 22 time in the last 50 tour events. Brown, who has beaten the reigning series champion more often than anyone else in the category, trailed in 3.899 seconds at 309.49 mph.

Although Brown owns a big career advantage, Sunday’s final round win was Torrence’s fifth straight. Brown has a 29-10 overall edge but the two now are 5-5 in final round duels.

“That guy has kicked my butt over and over and over,” Torrence said of Brown. “To say that you can go head-to-head with a guy like that. A.B. is, in my estimation, the best out here. (So), to say we’re neck and neck, I’m honored and really just proud to say that (because) he’s the baddest guy on the block.”

The No. 4 qualifier, Torrence took down Canadian Todd Paton in round one and Scott Palmer in round two before beating his dad for the fifth time in has many meetings and for the second time in the semifinal round. Once again, though, he credited the “Capco boys” who make up his crew for delivering in difficult conditions.

“They gave me the best race car of the day,” he said. “We were the guys that went down the racetrack four times in a row. All I had to do was not run over anything or anybody. They gave me the best car. Richard Hogan, Bobby Lagana, they make the right calls when the pressure’s on, when the heat is on. The racetrack was 140 degrees at one time but we found a way to get down through there.

“To be the driver of a car like that is just an honor. It just makes you a better driver when you go up there knowing that you’ve got a car that can win regardless of what they throw at you.”

Now that he’s won 30 times in Top Fuel, the man who swept last year’s six-race Countdown to the Championship can focus on moving up on the all-time wins list. He is four career victories shy of tying Cory McClenathan for eighth place in Top Fuel, five shy of tying racing legend Don Garlits and nine shy of equaling the Top Fuel victory total of Kenny Bernstein.


2019 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 701
2. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Advance Auto Parts dragster 541
3. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools dragster 498
4. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 489
5. Leah Pritchett, Danville, Ind., Mopar Dodge dragster 469
6. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 467
7. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 466
8. Richie Crampton, Brownsburg, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 363
9. Terry McMillen, Elkhart, Ind., Amalie Intimigator dragster 352
10. Austin Prock, Indianapolis, Ind., Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 341

12. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 337


* * * *
NEXT RACE:


22nd annual NHRA Route 66 Nationals
May 30-June 2, 2019
Route 66 Raceway at Chicagoland Speedway
Chicago, Ill.
 
Ways To Support Nitromater

Users who are viewing this thread


Back
Top