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For Immediate Release
Contact: Dave Densmore, denswood@aol.com / 214-244-0008, mobile

 

TORRENCE TO SEMIFINALS AT SOUTHERN NATIONALS
Capco Contractors Dragster Remains Solidly in Title Contention

           May 19, 2014 -- Steve Torrence remained stuck in the semifinals, but the talented Texan couldn’t feel too badly about his performance in Monday’s rain-delayed completion of the 34th annual Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.

            After surviving one of only a handful of first round races completed Sunday night before NHRA officials suspended competition for safety reasons, Torrence upended six-time former world champion Tony Schumacher in Monday’s second round before falling to points leader Doug Kalitta in the semifinals.

            Although it was the 31-year-old’s third semifinal loss to Kalitta since the start of the season, this one was significantly different.  Instead of overpowering the racetrack and losing traction as it had before, his Capco Contractors dragster gave him a shot this time.  Kalitta won in 3.811 seconds; Torrence trailed in 3.830 seconds.

            It was the sixth time in seven races this year that Torrence advanced to the penultimate round and it’s the sixth time he’s come up just short.

            “I’m not too disappointed,” said the four-time tour winner who strengthened his grip on third place in the Mello Yello driver standings.  “We went A to B and didn’t beat ourselves.

            “We’ve been working really hard at trying to back the car down in certain situations and it just hasn’t responded to going slower,” explained the former Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion (2005).  “It’s just wanted to go faster and faster and faster, but I think we’re finally getting a handle on that.”

            In qualifying fourth, Torrence recorded the third quickest time of his career at 3.765 seconds.  Then, after winning ugly in the first round at 4.348 seconds, he took out Schumacher in a classic, 3.781 to 3.798.

            There will be little time to savor the moment, though, since racing resumes this week with the 26th running of the Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park-Topeka.  A week after that, Torrence will compete in Englishtown, N.J.   It’s a rapid fire schedule he believes is beneficial.

            “I like these back to back races because you stay in the “zone” the whole time,” he said, referring to a driver’s rhythm behind the wheel.  “It’s just gonna be two days and I’m right back in the car.”

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