>>BACK

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

 

TORRENCE VERSUS SCHUMACHER NOT WHAT YOU THINK
Saturday Showdown Will Have Countdown to the Championship Implications at Dallas

September 18, 2014 -- Steve Torrence’s Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster just couldn’t handle a 137 degree racetrack Saturday, ending the 31-year-old Texan’s bid to win the relocated seventh annual Pep Boys Carolina Nationals completed Saturday at the Texas Motorplex.

            Nevertheless, by reaching the semifinals in an event that began six days ago 1,000 miles away from the Motorplex, the Kilgore native will start Sunday’s 29th annual AAA Texas Fall Nationals in third place in Mello Yello points behind only new leader and Saturday race winner Tony Schumacher and veteran Doug Kalitta.

            After dispatching Leah Prewitt Saturday in the second round, Torrence ran afoul of Khalid alBalooshi in the semis.  Although he grabbed a .018 of a second advantage at the start, Torrence’s title hopes evaporated in a cloud of tire smoke just beyond the 330 foot mark.

            Torrence will get a rematch with alBalooshi in Sunday’s first round.

“There’s no margin for error when it gets that hot out there,” Torrence said of track temperatures that went as high as 145.  “We’ve got a bad ass race car and a lot of fans and Sunday’s a new day.  We’ll regroup, get a good night’s sleep and get back after it.”

            Capco founder Billy Torrence, who won his first round of the season when the Carolina Nationals began last week at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, lost to Schumacher on Saturday and will line up Sunday for a first round meeting with three-time world champion Larry Dixon.

            Even though he is running an abbreviated schedule in the second of the Capco Contractors dragsters, Billy Torrence has moved into the Top 20 in points. 

            “We’re definitely in a position to race for this championship,” said the younger Torrence.  “I’ll put my guys and (crew chief) Richard Hogan up against anyone else out there.  We’re a family race team but to be racing for a championship with the big guys, that’s very gratifying.”

 

# # #