TORRENCE FACES BRISTOL CHALLENGE (1 Viewer)

TORRENCE IN ‘BEAST MODE’ AT BRISTOL
World Champ Adopts ‘Hulk’ Personna in Pursuit of Fourth Straight Title
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BRISTOL, Tenn. – The insertion of the Thunder Valley Nationals into this year’s NHRA Countdown, expanding the NHRA playoffs from six races to seven, may prove troublesome for reigning Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence as he pursues his fourth straight Camping World title at the wheel of his Capco Contractors dragster.
That’s because while the 38-year-old cancer survivor has won 41 tour events over the last five seasons and celebrated at least one victory at every host track in the series, it’s been eight long years since he was a perfect 4-and-0 at Bristol Dragway.
For the 49-time tour winner, that must seem like an eternity considering the fact that, since that lone victory, he’s won races on 20 other tracks, most recently hoisting the trophy Sept. 26th at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis.
Nevertheless, the only driver in NHRA history to win championships in both the Top Alcohol and Top Fuel divisions has a secret weapon at his disposal this week that has helped set him apart from his peers. It’s a superpower, of sorts, for which he credits retired former Top Fuel rival and eight-time series champion Tony Schumacher.

Photos by Mark Rebilas
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“Tony told me that when I get in this car to do my job, I have to convince myself that I am bulletproof and the baddest man there ever was,” Torrence said. “You’ve gotta convince yourself, he said, because if me and you don’t believe we’re the baddest ones out there, ain’t nobody else gonna believe it.
“I’m five foot seven,” Torrence said. “I’m not a big guy. But when I put that helmet on and the adrenaline starts to flow, I turn green, my clothes rip off and I think I’m ‘The Hulk.’ That’s what you have to do because whoever’s in the other lane is trying to take away what you’ve worked so hard for.”

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Not that the Texan has exactly struggled at the Tennessee track. After all, he went to the finals in 2019, the last time the race was contested, but compared to what he has done elsewhere, his 13-8 record at Thunder Valley is pretty mundane.
Coming off a runner-up finish in last week’s Texas Fall Nationals on the all-concrete Texas Motorplex track he calls home, Torrence will roll his hot rod to the line for Friday’s qualifying session leading second place Brittany Force by 52 points and fast-closing 2020 rookie-of-the-year Justin Ashley by 121.
“Nothing different,” Torrence said of his team’s strategy. “I trust these Capco boys to give me a car that can win and they trust me to get it to the other end first. They don’t want to disappoint me; I don’t want to disappoint them. It’s a great partnership.”

Looking Back
Steve Torrence at the Thunder Valley Nationals
Year Qualifying Position/Racing Result
2010 Bristol 10. Beat David Grubnic; lost to Cory McClenathan
2012 Bristol 6. Lost to Clay Millican
2013 Bristol 2. Beat Leah Pritchett, Shawn Langdon, Clay Millican and Spencer Massey.
2014 Bristol 6. Lost to Bob Vandergriff Jr.
2015 Bristol 10. Lost to Dave Connolly
2016 Bristol 1. Beat Terry Haddock; lost to Tony Schumacher
2017 Bristol 1. Beat Chris Karamesines, Mike Salinas; lost to Clay Millican.
2018 Bristol 6. Beat Shawn Reed, Antron Brown; lost to Tony Schumacher
2019 Bristol 3. Beat Pat Dakin, Clay Millican, Dom Lagana; lost to Mike Salinas
Steve’s quickest time: 3.745 seconds, June 17, 2016
Steve’s fastest speed: 326.00 mph, June 14, 2019
Track records – 3.745 seconds by Tony Schumacher, June 19, 2013; 331.04 mph by Larry Dixon, June 21, 2015

NHRA CAMPING WORLD TOUR Championship Points
(After four of seven events in the Countdown to the Championship)
TOP FUEL
1. Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 2473
2. Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., FLAV-R-PAC/ Monster Energy dragster 2421
3. Justin Ashley, Plainview, N.Y., Smart Sanitizer/Vita C-Shot dragster 2352
4. Mike Salinas, San Jose, Calif., Scrappers Racing dragster 2305
5. Billy Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco Contractors dragster 2301
6. Leah Pruett, Avon, Ind., Mopar/Pennzoil dragster 2255
7. Antron Brown, Pittsboro, Ind., Matco Tools dragster 2221
8. Clay Millican, Drummonds, Tenn., Parts Plus dragster 2212
9. Shawn Langdon, Indianapolis, Ind., DHL/Kalitta Air dragster 2196
10. Doug Kalitta, Ann Arbor, Mich., Mac Tools/Mobil 1 dragster 2148

Steve Torrence this season
March 14/Gainesville, FL 1. Beat Joe Morrison; lost to Josh Hart.
April 18/Las Vegas, NV 2. Four-Wide WINNER over Doug Kalitta
May 2/Atlanta, GA 2. Beat Buddy Hull, Justin Ashley, Shawn Langdon; lost to Antron Brown
May 16/Charlotte, NC 2. Four-Wide WINNER over Brittany Force.
May 23/Houston, TX 1. Beat Mitch King, bye, beat Clay Millican and Doug Kalitta.
June 13/Epping, N.H. 4. Beat Clay Millican, Leah Pruett; lost to Mike Salinas
June 27/Norwalk, OH 1. Beat Shawn Langdon, Leah Pruett, Austin Prock and Brittany Force
July 18/Denver, CO 2. Beat Rob Passey, bye, Mike Salinas and Joey Haas.
July 25/Sonoma, CA 2. Beat Cameron Ferre, Doug Kalitta, Antron Brown and Leah Pruett
Aug. 1/Pomona, CA 4. Lost to Antron Brown.
Aug. 15/Topeka, KS 4. Beat Leah Pruett, Justin Ashley; lost to Brittany Force
Aug. 22/Brainerd, MN 2. Beat Terry Totten, Justin Ashley, bye and Clay Millican
Sept. 5/Indianapolis, IN 2. Beat Antron Brown, Greg Carrillo, Billy Torrence and Brittany Force
Sept. 12/Reading, PA 2. Beat Joe Morrison, bye; lost to Justin Ashley.
Sept. 19/Charlotte, NC 5. Beat Doug Kalitta, Billy Torrence; lost to Brittany Force
Sept. 26 at St. Louis 3. Beat Shawn Langdon, Antron Brown, Josh Hart and Mike Salinas
Oct. 10/Dallas, TX 2. Beat Buddy Hull, Doug Kalitta, Josh Hart; lost to Justin Ashley

Looking Ahead
2021 NHRA Camping World Tour
Countdown to the Championship
10-31 Dodge SRT Nationals Las Vegas, NV
11-14 Auto Club Finals Pomona, CA

2022 NHRA Camping World Tour
2-20 Lucas Oil Winternationals Pomona, CA
2-27 NHRA Arizona Nationals Phoenix, AZ
3-13 Amalie Oil Gatornationals Gainesville, FL