Torrence Wins 2Fast / 2Tasty Challenge

Energized by a steak-extending victory two weeks ago at Bristol, Tenn., four-time Top Fuel World Champion Steve Torrence raced back into the winners’ circle Saturday at Virginia Motorsports Park where he claimed the Mission Foods 2Fast/2Tasty Challenge, a prelude to Sunday’s American Rebel Light Beer Virginia Nationals.

The 42-year-old Texan drove his CAPCO Contractors Top Fuel Toyota to a time of 3.877 seconds at 324.28 miles per hour to turn back Shawn Langdon’s 3.927 at 325.45 mph in Saturday’s final round to win his first 2Fast/2Tasty event since June 1, 2024, when he prevailed at Epping, N.H.  

The win was Torrence’s fifth overall in the three-year-old bonus program that pairs up the most recent semifinalists, in this case those who advanced to the semifinals of the Super Grip Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol.  Those most successful in the bonus competition earn cash and point applied to the Countdown to the Championship.

"The points we get here (in the 2Fast/2Tasty) will help after the Countdown resets,” Torrence said.  “That that's something that could be a huge benefit.  We're going to try to gain as many points as possible after skipping the race at Phoenix and not doing well at the first of the year, which has kind of put us far back in points."

Showcasing the consistency he and his team have been chasing for much of the last three seasons, Torrence qualified No. 3 for Sunday’s feature with times of 3.883, 3.888 and the aforementioned 3.877 seconds, earning seven qualifying bonus points, the most he has amassed at a single event since March, 2024, when he earned nine at the Amalie Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla.  It’s the first time he’s earned points in every qualifying session since the 2022 DENSO Nationals at Sonoma, Calif.

“We're just going to keep on doing what we're doing,” said the man who has won at least one NHRA tour event for the last 11 seasons. “The consistency of the car has not been there, and so we need to work on that. That's been the main focus for the last few years, and we've lost that, and it seems to be coming back around right now, with three good runs on a very tricky racetrack.”

As the No. 3 starter, the 56-time tour winner will oppose Josh Hart in Sunday’s first round with a potential second round showdown with Justin Ashley, who he defeated in the Bristol final.   

FOX TV coverage of qualifying and the 2Fast/2Tasty Challenge will air at 1 p.m., Texas time, Sunday on FS1 as the lead-in to three hours of Virginia Nationals racing beginning at 3 p.m., Texas time.