TORRENCE STUMBLES AT PHOENIX
Capco Contractors Dragster Out In First Round

February 22, 2015 -- Trying to test one engine-and-clutch setup while racing with another one, Steve Torrence may have overextended himself Sunday in the first round of the 31st annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.

After qualifying a solid seventh at 3.760 seconds using an experimental setup, Torrence reverted to a more familiar combination on Sunday because crew chief Richard Hogan felt that it would give the team its best shot at negotiating the 1,000 foot course in first round conditions.

Unfortunately, that strategy failed to deliver the expected result.  After forging an .022 of a second starting line advantage, the Capco Contractors dragster lost traction and Torrence watched Brittany Force power away for the victory in 3.822 seconds.  Torrence trailed in 6.052 seconds at only 119 miles per hour.

“Richard just didn’t feel comfortable running the new stuff (on race day),” said the 31-year-old Texan.  “The car ran really good Saturday night, but that was in cool weather.  He felt like (the new setup) would be too aggressive Sunday morning. 

“We’re trying to make some changes on the fly,” Torrence said, “and that doesn’t always work out.  We’ll just haul everything back to the shop and get ready for Gainesville (and the 46th annual NHRA Gatornationals, March 13-15). 

“It’s good that we stayed in the Top 10,” said the four-time tour winner and former Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion (2005).  “I still feel good about the season.  I know we’ve got a car and crew that can do the job.  It’s still early but, at the same time, you can’t have too many of these days (and still contest the $500,000 Mello Yello Championship).”

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