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

 

TORRENCE BIDDING FOR FIRST WIN AT BRAINERD
Capco Contractors Dragster Racing for Starting Berth in Countdown

August 14, 2014 -- One of the primary sources of frustration this season for Steve Torrence, driver of the Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster, is the fact that while he has earned qualifying bonus points in more events than anyone else in the category, while he has started from the No. 1 and while he has been both quickest and fasted during eliminations, he has yet to race in a single final round.

          The four-time tour winner is hoping the pendulum finally will swing his way this week when he sends his 10,000 horsepower hybrid back into competition in the 33rd annual Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. 

          If it does, the 31-year-old Texan can virtually assure himself of his best starting spot in a Countdown to the Championship that provides the top 10 drivers with a shot at a $500,000 top prize in a drama-packed six-race playoff.

          That he virtually assured of making his third straight playoff start is remarkable considering that he is the only driver in the current Top 10 who has NOT appearing in a final round and is one of only two who hasn’t won.  The four drivers immediately ahead of him all have multiple victories.

          “It hasn’t been just one thing,” Torrence said of his race day struggles.  “We’ve just found a lot of ways to lose and a lot of it has been being in the wrong place at the wrong time against the wrong guy.  But that’s part of racing.   You just have to believe that it all evens out in the long run.”

          If that’s true, the former Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion (2005) can expect a lot of payback in the playoffs.

          Qualifying bonus points are awarded to the three quickest times posted in each pro qualifying session.  Torrence has earned at least one of those points in 14 of the 16 races contested thus far and his point total (50) is second only to that of overall point leader Doug Kalitta.

          “We’ve got a bad ass hot rod,” Torrence said, “but there are a lot of fast cars out there.  There are no easy rounds and we just have to keep putting ourselves in a position to win and finally it’ll happen.  It always has.”

          If he is going to break through this weekend, though, the cancer survivor will have to do so on a track on which he has enjoyed only marginal success and on which he never has won.

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