Four-Time Top Fuel Champ Falls to Brown in Second Round of 68th U.S. Nationals
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Steve Torrence’s bid to double-up for a second time at Indianapolis Raceway Park ended in a cloud of tire smoke Monday as the four-time reigning Camping World Top Fuel Champion was ousted in the second round of the 68th NHRA U.S. Nationals by close friend Antron Brown.
After beating point leader Brittany Force to win the Pep Boys All-Star Call Out on Saturday, Torrence was hoping to duplicate a 2017 performance in which he won both the Traxxas Shootout and span.
Photos by Mark Rebilas
FINAL ROUND RESULTS
Top Fuel – Antron Brown, Matco Tools dragster, 3.706, 321.65 mph, def. Brittany Force, Monster Energy dragster, 3.714, 333.00 mph.
Funny Car – Ron Capps, NAPA Toyota Supra, 3.913, 327.98 mph, def. Robert Hight, Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro, 7.649, 85.73 mph.
Pro Stock – Greg Anderson, HendrickCars.com Chevy Camaro, 6.587, 208.07 mph, def. Dallas Glenn, RAD Torque Systems Chevy Camaro, foul.
Pep Boys Top Fuel Call Out – Steve Torrence, Capco Contractors dragster, 3.692 seconds, 329.02 mph, def. Brittany Force, Monster Energy dragster, 3.704, 330.31 mph.
Pep Boys Funny Car Call Out – Ron Caops, NAPA Toyota Supra, 3.936, 330.47 mph, def. Matt Hagan, Dodge Power Brokers Charger, 3.900, 328.86 mph.
This time, though, it was not to be. After sending third generation drag racer Austin Prock to the sidelines with a solid 3.693 second effort in round one, his Capco Contractors dragster lost traction against Brown and slowed to 6.419 at little more than 100 miles per hour.
That also ended his bid to repeat as Top Fuel champion in drag racing’s biggest single event and sends him into the Countdown to the Championship in fourth place behind Force, Mike Salinas and Justin Ashley. After the points are adjusted for the playoffs, he will start 50 points behind Force.
“I have tons of respect for Brittany Force and that team because they've been bad to the bone this year,” Torrence said, “but these Capco Boys have been bad to the bone for five years and I think we’ll have something for the Countdown.
Steve Torrence and his Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster fell short in their bid to repeat in Sunday 's U.S. Nationals, losing to eventual race winner Antron Brown in round two.
“We haven’t had a year where we dominated like in the past,” acknowledged the 52-time tour winner, “but we didn’t forget how to win. We go into the Countdown coming off a win at Brainerd (Minn., on Aug. 21) and a win in the Pep Boys Call Out, so we’ve got some momentum. We’ll just do what we do and let the chips fall.
Dad and teammate Billy Torrence also had an early day in the second Capco entry, losing to Ashley after dispatching Leah Pruett in round one.
Steve Torrence and his Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster fell short in their bid to repeat in Sunday 's U.S. Nationals, losing to eventual race winner Antron Brown in round two.
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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.
