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

 

TORRENCE OPENS BRAINERD QUALIFYING IN 10TH SPOT

August 17, 2012 -- Unwanted tire smoke and engine cylinders that didn’t want to work like they should slowed Steve Torrence, but it didn’t prevent him from posting the 10th quickest elapsed time during Friday’s opening qualifying rounds for Sunday’s Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.

“That wasn’t the way we wanted to start things,” Torrence said of the performance of his Torrence Racing/Capco Contractors Inc. Top Fuel dragster.  “We still have two more runs on Saturday to kick out the kinks in the tune-up.  I’m confident Richard Hogan and the crew will have things figured out.  We should be able to move up the qualifying ladder.”

Torrence’s second run of 3.896 seconds at 308.99 mph was his best, but “it really wasn’t pretty,” he commented.  “It dropped a cylinder at the hit (of the throttle) and lost a few more by the time I hit the finish line.”

He shut off early in the opening round when the tires lost traction about 400 feet into the 1,000-foot lap and coasted to the line in 5.543 seconds at 116.69 mph.

Torrence, who is coming off an Aug. 5 victory at Seattle, is contending with Tony Schumacher for third place in Full Throttle Series action.  Torrence closed to within one point of Schumacher (1,009-1,008) with the victory.

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