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For Immediate Release
Contact: Dave Densmore, denswood@aol.com / 214-244-0008, mobile

 

IT’S TORRENCE-TIMES-TWO AT THUNDER VALLEY
Billy Torrence Joins His Son for a Fathers’ Day Double-Team

           June 12, 2014 -- Whether it’s racing carbureted, gas-burning 750 horsepower Super Comp dragsters at 170 miles-an-hour or supercharged, nitromethane-burning, 10,000 horsepower Top Fuel dragsters at 330, Billy Torrence and son Steve share a passion for fast cars.

            On Fathers’ Day, that shared interest will manifest itself at the 14th annual Ford Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway where the elder Torrence will drive a second Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster in support of his son’s ongoing bid for the NHRA Mello Yello championship.

            “You know, I’m gonna be the test dummy for a couple of deals they’re doing,” Torrence said of his contribution to the team owned by his son.  “That’s really the only reason for me to be out here (racing) other than it’s just fun.”

            Although his responsibilities as the owner of Capco limits the number of times he can compete each season, Billy Torrence was determined not to miss Bristol – one,  because he wanted to spend Father’s Day with his son, and two, because Steve is the defending Top Fuel champion.

            “It’s a special relationship we have and we enjoy racing together,” Torrence said.  “I always love to go and race with Steve.  That little stint of racing I did with him last year (the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis followed by the six races comprising NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship), I had a great time.  I hope I can get out there and do some good for the team.”

            The 56-year-old Torrence, who grew up in Longview, Texas, but now lives in nearby Kilgore, actually has been racing for almost 20 years.  He and his son raced Super Comp cars together before Steve  moved up in classification, first to Top Alcohol, in which he won a World Championship in 2005, and then to Top Fuel.

            Billy, meanwhile, was skilled enough to have taken his Super Comp car to the final round of the 2009 Mid-South Nationals at Memphis, Tenn., where he lost to Luke Bogacki, the current Super Comp World Champion, on a .001 of a second foul start.

            “I’m just an old drag racer,” Torrence acknowledged.  “We had three dragstrips within 45 minutes of the house and we had ol’ street cars.  We’d work on ‘em all week and tear ‘em up again on Saturday night.”

 

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