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For Immediate Release
Contact: Joe Sherk, jlsherk@aol.com/360-981-4806, mobile

 

TORRENCE TEAM READY FOR START OF ‘TRIATHLON OF DRAG RACING’

July 18, 2012 -- In the 12 previous NHRA Full Throttle series events, Steve Torrence and his stunningly successful Torrence Racing/Capco Contractors Inc. Top Fuel team haven’t flinched when it comes to matching their competitive skills against the sport’s reigning stars. 

The first-year crew already has won twice in four final rounds over the last six events as Torrence’s on-track exploits showed this group of guys is talented enough to finish in the top five when the championship is decided on November 11th.  He’s already fourth in points (877), trails Antron Brown by 64 and holds a 148-point advantage over fifth-place Morgan Lucas (729). 

Just five more events remain before the top 10 drivers begin vying for the championship in the six-race Countdown to 1 playoff, and the next three will be rolled out in successive weekends in the traditional Western Swing.  It begins in Denver Friday with the Mopar Mile-High Nationals, moves to Sonoma, Calif. July 27-29 and concludes in Seattle Aug. 3-5.

Torrence admits the success his team experienced “has been a little surreal up to this point,” he commented.  “We started this as a good, family-run team that was competitive.  We had every hope and dream of running with big the guys.  I don’t think anyone would have predicted the success we’ve had in such a short period of time . . . including myself.

“The Western Swing is the triathlon of drag racing. You have so many different variables.  We go to Denver and it is hot and dry and in high altitude.  I know I have trouble breathing there.  Then we go to Sonoma and Seattle, and it’s totally different.  Seattle has tons of oxygen in the air . . . there’s a lot of trees there.

“It is a true test of your race team and your parts. You’ve got to be prepared for it, but we only race at Denver once a year.  We’ll save all our tune-up and race data in our log books and use them next year.”

Crew chief Richard Hogan is the one who must adjust the engine and tune-up to the lack of oxygen in the mile-high altitude. 

“Richard has raced at Denver and knows what it takes to make the car run well,” said Torrence.  “We want to maintain our momentum.  I know he will give me a good race car this weekend.”

Torrence was runner-up at the last two races (Chicago and Norwalk, Ohio). His wins came at Atlanta and Englishtown, N.J.

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