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

 

TORRENCE SLIPS TO 13TH AS QUALIFYING CONCLUDES IN BRAINERD

August 18, 2012 -- Steve Torrence definitely has his work cut out for him Sunday if he is to claim a second consecutive NHRA Top Fuel victory.

Dogged by traction issues and dropped cylinders during qualifying rounds Friday and Saturday, Torrence wound up 13th on the final qualifying ladder – his lowest start of the season in his Torrence Racing/Capco Contractors Inc. Top Fuel dragster.  That puts him up against Morgan Lucas (No. 4, 3.800 seconds at 322.81 mph) in Sunday’s opening round of the Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.

Torrence’s quickest time of 3.896 seconds at 308.99 mph came in Friday’s final 1,000-foot effort.  His best time Saturday was 3.982 at 303.91. 

“We had a cylinder out during that run,” said Torrence, “and I kept my foot in the throttle hoping it would clear up, but it didn’t.”

Torrence, the winner two weeks ago at Seattle, is fighting seven-time Full Throttle series champion Tony Schumacher for third place going into the Countdown to One championship series.   Schumacher, however, already increased what was once a one-point margin by picking up bonus points in qualifying.  

“We obviously have some problems that haven’t been solved yet,” commented Torrence.  “I know Richard (Hogan, crew chief) will be working hard to get the car running better for eliminations.  

“No one ever said drag racing was easy.”

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