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For Immediate Release
Contact: Joe Sherk, jlsherk@aol.com/360-981-4806, mobile

 

TORRENCE PLEASED WITH CAR’S PERFORMANCE; SETS SIGHTS ON FIRST WIN

April 10, 2012 -- When Bruton Smith built z-Max Dragway, not far from NASCAR’s Charlotte Motor Speedway, he doubled the number of racing lanes from the traditional two to four.  It definitely created a different approach for the straight-line sport.
Steve Torrence has embraced it and now, two years later, he’s eagerly anticipating Friday’s first Top Fuel qualifying attempt in the third annual 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway, Friday through Sunday. 

“Our car really ran well at Las Vegas two weeks ago,” said Torrence, who advanced to the semifinals in the Torrence Racing/Capco Contractors Inc. dragster.  “The crew did its job and I drove well.  The more we race, the more comfortable I’m getting in the car.  I’m also getting more confident as a driver. 

“We are all excited about the way the car is running and we want to carry that momentum into the 4-Wide race this weekend. 

He moved from ninth into seventh in Full Throttle Series points after four of 17 races leading to the Countdown to 1 six-race finale.

Torrence explained the different starting-line challenges the drivers encounter when they line up with three cars instead of one.

“As drivers,” he said, “we are programmed to race one car beside us, and there’s only one Christmas tree.  This changes the mix and the whole thought process.  The driver wants to react (to the lights) in the staging process and now we have to wait for two more drivers to stage . . . and that takes away our focus.”

He finished second in the first 4-Wide round last year and advanced to the second of three rounds.

“I’m hungry for our first win – as a team and a team owner,” Torrence added.  “It would really be something if we did it at the 4-Wide.  I think we’re ready for it.”

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