Top Fuel Champion Seeks First 2022 Win in Capco Contractors Dragster
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On a track that has proven challenging even for him and his accomplished crew of “Capco Boys,” Steve Torrence tries to channel his inner “Big Daddy” this week when he sends his Capco Contractors dragster after the Top Fuel championship in the 53rd annual Amalie Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.
Two years ago, in recognition of the drag racing career and contributions of Florida legend “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, Torrence’s Capco crew fabricated a car that mimicked the basic design and livery of “Swamp Rat 14,” the Garlits’ dragster that in 1971 revolutionized the sport by validating the advantage of rear engine power.
Steve at Gainesville Raceway
Total appearances: 12
Final rounds: 1
Tour victories: 1 (2020)
No. 1 qualifier: 1
Won-Lost record: 13-11
Quickest time: 3.680, March 17, 2019
Fastest speed: 329.91 mph, March 17, 2019
Track records – 3.680 seconds by Brittany Force, March 15, 2019; 331.94 mph by Brittany Force, March 14, 2021
Energized by the project and by Garlits’ reaction to it, the 38-year-old Torrence beat former champ Tony Schumacher, among others, en route to a victory that ended 10 years of Gatornationals frustration during which he failed to reach a single final round and actually lost more rounds than he won (8-10).Total appearances: 12
Final rounds: 1
Tour victories: 1 (2020)
No. 1 qualifier: 1
Won-Lost record: 13-11
Quickest time: 3.680, March 17, 2019
Fastest speed: 329.91 mph, March 17, 2019
Track records – 3.680 seconds by Brittany Force, March 15, 2019; 331.94 mph by Brittany Force, March 14, 2021
This week, he’ll try to recapture that “Swamp Rat” magic in a race that serves as a homecoming for crew chief Richard Hogan, who grew up in Florida, who worked on Garlits’ crew and whose dad, the late Charlie “the King” Hogan, was one of “Big Daddy’s” fiercest rivals early in his career.
“There’s a longstanding history between ‘Hoagie’ and ‘Big,’” Torrence said, “so that win was a surreal experience, for sure. It’s one of the memories I will always cherish but, like I keep saying, this is a ‘what have you done for me lately’ sport. We won that race but now we have to prove we can win without the ‘Big Daddy’ influence.”
Seeking to become just the fourth pro driver in NHRA history to win as many as five consecutive series championships, Torrence will start Gatornationals qualifying in third place in Camping World points behind Justin Ashley and Mike Salinas.
“The longer you’re on top, the harder it is to stay on top,” Torrence said of his latest title bid, “so we know we’ve got our work cut out for us this year. We know we’ve got a target on our backs every time we roll up to the line but, with this crew and extra help this year from Red Line Oil and Toyota, I feel really good about our chances.”
Ousted in the semifinals at the season’s first two races after closing 2021 with a pair of victories, the talented Texan is trying to extend a streak spanning three seasons during which he has not gone more than two consecutive races without a victory.
The event’s unique format gives the top-seeded drivers the option of choosing their first-round opponent. As the No. 1 seed, Torrence will “call out” whomever he wishes to race in Saturday’s first
round set for a 10:45 a.m., Texas time, start. Second round is slated for 12:30 p.m. and the final for 1:45 p.m., Texas time.
A cancer survivor who prepped for his Top Fuel career by winning the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster World Championship in 2005, Torrence has dominated the Camping World tour the last five seasons, winning 43 of his last 99 starts, more than twice as many races as any other pro driver.
FOX broadcast network will provide coverage of the All-Star Call Out starting at 1 p.m., Texas time, on Saturday. FS1 will handle race coverage with qualifying shows at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., CST, on Saturday and final eliminations at 6 p.m., CST, Sunday.
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Looking Back
Steve Torrence at the Gatornationals
Year Qualifying Position/Racing Result
2010 Gainesville 8. Beat Morgan Lucas; lost to Antron Brown
2011 Gainesville 5. Beat Morgan Lucas; lost to Larry Dixon
2012 Gainesville 6. Lost to Bob Vandergriff Jr.
2013 Gainesville 10. Beat Morgan Lucas; lost to Antron Brown
2014 Gainesville 8. Beat Khalid alBalooshi, J.R. Todd; lost to Doug Kalitta
2015 Gainesville 9. Lost to Richie Crampton
2016 Gainesville 7. Lost to J.R. Todd
2017 Gainesville 5. Beat Shawn Reed, Brittany Force; lost to Tony Schumacher
2018 Gainesville 2. Lost to Mike Salinas
2019 Gainesville 3. Beat Dom Lagana; lost to Doug Kalitta
2020 Gainesville 4. Beat Tony Schumacher, Doug Foley, Leah Pruett and Billy Torrence
2021 Gainesville 1. Beat Joe Morrison; lost to Josh Hart.
Steve Torrence’s 2022 results
Event Qualifying Position/Racing Result
Pomona1 6. Beat Doug Foley, Mike Salinas; lost to Justin Ashley
Phoenix 3. Beat Doug Foley, Brittany Force; lost to Mike Salinas
NHRA CAMPING WORLD TOUR Championship Points
(After 2 of 16 events leading into the Countdown to the Championship)
TOP FUEL
1. Mike Salinas, San Martin, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 181
2. Justin Ashley, Farmingdale, N.Y., Phillips Connect/Vita C dragster 159
3. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 152
4. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., FLAV-R-PAC/Monster Energy dragster 139
5. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers/Technet dragster 125
6. Austin Prock, Pittsboro, Ind., Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster 123
7. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 122
8. Tony Schumacher, Lakeway, Texas, Maynard Family/SCAG/Okuma dragster 104
9. Shawn Langdon, Danville, Ind., DHL/CMR Roofing/Toyota dragster 86
10. Doug Kalitta, Saline, Mich., Mac Tools/Toyota dragster 76
Steve Torrence in previous Top Fuel all-star races:
2012 Traxxas Shootout Beat Doug Kalitta, Brandon Bernstein; lost to Spencer Massey.
2013 Traxxas Shootout Beat Tony Schumacher, Spencer Massey; lost to Shawn Langdon
2015 Traxxas Shootout Lost to Richie Crampton
2016 Traxxas Shootout Lost to Shawn Langdon
2017 Traxxas Shootout Beat Clay Millican, Doug Kalitta and Tony Schumacher
Looking Ahead
2022 NHRA Camping World Tour
4-3 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Las Vegas, NV
4-24 NHRA Spring Nationals Houston, TX
5-1 NHRA 4Wide Nationals Charlotte, NC
5-15 NHRA Virginia Nationals Richmond, VA
6-5 NHRA New England Nationals Epping, NH
6-19 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol, TN
6-26 Summit Racing Equipment Nationals Norwalk, OH
7-17 Dodge Mile-High Nationals Denver, CO
7-24 NHRA Sonoma Nationals Sonoma, CA
7-31 FLAV-R-PAC Nationals Seattle, WA
8-14 Menard’s Nationals Topeka, KS
8-21 Lucas Oil Nationals Brainerd, MN
9-5 Dodge U.S. Nationals Indianapolis, IN
Countdown to the Championship
9-18 Pep Boy Nationals Reading, PA
9-25 NHRA Carolina Nationals Charlotte, NC
10-2 NHRA Midwest Nationals St. Louis, MO
10-16 NHRA Texas Fall Nationals Dallas, TX
10-30 Dodge Nationals Las Vegas, NV
11-13 Auto Club Finals Pomona, CA
BILLY’S BACK AT GATORNATIONALS
Champ’s Dad Makes First Season Appearance in Second Capco Dragster
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – After sitting out the season’s first two Camping World tour events to focus on the demands of the family business, Top Fuel drag racing’s most dynamic part-timer returns to competition this week at the 53rd annual Amalie Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.Champ’s Dad Makes First Season Appearance in Second Capco Dragster
Billy Torrence, founder of Capco Contractors, Inc., Top Fuel runner-up at the 2020 Gatornationals and father of the reigning Top Fuel World Champion, this weekend will make his first competitive runs of the season in the second of the 11,000 horsepower Team Capco dragsters.
Although the demands of a oil and gas pipeline construction and maintenance business have limited his opportunities, the elder Torrence has finished in the Top 5 in points each of the last three years. Moreover, only his son has won more tour events since 2017.
The Torrences made history in 2019 when they raced one another in two Top Fuel final rounds; Steve winning first in Topeka, Kansas before Billy reciprocated at St. Louis, Mo. The subsequently opposed one another in two more finals, both won by Steve including the 2020 Gatornationals.
Despite his Top Fuel success, Billy still takes every opportunity to return to his Sportsman roots as driver of a Capco-backed Super Comp dragster in which he has won two NHRA national events and in which he prevailed in a Lucas Oil Series event last year at Topeka.
About Capco Contractors Inc.:
Capco Contractors, Inc. is a family owned-and-operated construction company specializing in the oil and gas industries. A proud American company based in Texas with clients around the world, Capco was founded in 1995 by Billy Torrence and initially operated from a small office and one job-site trailer with a staff of only 12 employees. From those humble beginnings, Capco Contactors, Inc. has developed into a full-service pipeline company, capable of all aspects of pipeline work including site work, creation of compressor stations, mainline pipeline construction and pipeline integrity projects. It employs more than 200 people with main offices in Henderson, Texas.
