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TORRENCE FINALLY GETS A ‘HOME GAME’
CAPCO Driver a Title Threat at Texas Motorplex

October 14, 2015 -- After a frustrating first round loss two weeks ago in the rain-plagued Keystone Nationals at Reading, Pa., it might take divine intervention to get Steve Torrence back into contention for the Mello Yello Top Fuel Championship, but that doesn’t mean the talented Texan can’t play a major role in determining who winds up $500,000 richer at the end of the NHRA’s Countdown.

Backed by a large contingent of family and friends at this week’s 30th annual AAA Texas Fall Nationals and buoyed by Alan Johnson’s continued input as a consultant to crew chief Richard Hogan, Torrence has high expectations for his Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster in its return to the all-concrete surface at the Texas Motorplex.

“It’s always good to race in front of family and friends,” Torrence said.  “This is a home game for us and that always raises expectations.  Not only are there going to be a lot of employees and friends from Capco but we’ll have a lot of people from the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation, too.  It’s gonna be fun.”

Torrence will have a fresh chassis beneath him for the fourth of six playoff events on a track on which he won twice in 2005 en route to an NHRA World Championship in the Top Alcohol Dragster class.  Now, he’s trying to become the first driver to win titles in both Top Fuel and Top Alcohol.

“We haven’t given up on this championship,” Torrence said.  “We’re only two rounds out of fifth place and four out of third, but we know we’re going to have to do some damage this week (to stay alive).”

Nevertheless, even if Torrence can’t fight his way back into contention, he still will present a major problem to those currently at the top.  His car has been one of the most potent and consistent all season long and last month recorded its all-time quickest 1,000 foot time at 3.718 seconds.

The 32-year-old cancer survivor is hoping to ride that kind of performance to his second win of the current season and sixth of his pro career.  He won last July at Denver, Colo., beating reigning World Champion and defending Fall Nationals champ Tony Schumacher in the final round.

He will further benefit this week from the presence of a second Capco Contractors dragster driven by his dad, Billy.

Although the elder Torrence is an infrequent participant in Top Fuel, he has qualified as high as No. 2 this year and last month reached the semifinals at St. Louis with quality wins over Schumacher and Larry Dixon, drivers who between them have won 11 NHRA series championships and who are in contention again.

Billy Torrence, the founder and CEO of Texas-based Capco Contractors, an international specialist in pipeline construction and maintenance, also will compete in Super Comp, a category in which he has reached the final round three times at the national level with a 2011 victory in Las Vegas.

 

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