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THREE TWOS MAKE TORRENCE NO. 1 AGAIN
Runner-up Finish Sends Four-Time World Champ to Top of the Point Standings

April 16, 2023 -- Two for one.  Apparently, that was the deal Steve Torrence made in advance of Sunday’s fifth NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. 

A second straight runner-up finish in the spring race did little to tarnish the Texan’s reputation as the “King of the Four-Wide.”

After all, he’s been winner or runner-up in eight of the last 10 such events and his six four-wide wins are twice as many as anyone else, regardless of category.

He’ll get a chance to pad that resume in two weeks when the NHRA Camping World tour moves to ZMax Dragway outside Charlotte for the 13th running of the original four-across race, the Circle K 4Wide Nationals at which Torrence has raised the winners’ trophy in four of his last five appearances.

Although he was anything but dominant on Sunday, Torrence did what was necessary to give his Capco Contractors team a chance in the final where his quicker reaction time was just enough to hold off reigning World Champion and defending race champion Brittany Force for second place.  Force ran quicker (3.769 to 3.774) but Torrence’s starting line advantage (.054 reaction time to .064) got him home first.

At the finish, Torrence just ran out of real estate at the same time that Brown was running out of horsepower, his 331.04 mph finish line speed falling just short.

“It wasn’t a perfect day, but you’re never out of it when you’ve got these guys behind you,” Torrence said, referencing a crew led by Richard Hogan and Bobby Lagana Jr.  “We’ll celebrate my birthday and Momma Kay’s and then get ready to go hurt some feelings at Charlotte.

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