Torrence to Semis in Season Opener

In less-than-ideal conditions at rain-soaked Gainesville Raceway, four-time before Top Fuel World Champion Steve Torrence took his CAPCO Contractors Toyota to the semifinals of the 56th annual NHRA Gatornationals Sunday dropping a narrow decision to close friend, reigning series champion and eventual race winner Antron Brown.

Brown won in 3.754 seconds at 324.36 miles per hour.  Torrence trailed at 3.773 and 329.10 mph.  Both showed world championship form at the starting line with reaction times of .032 and .044.

“We bring out the best in each other,” Torrence said of his latest duel with Brown.  

“I’m proud of these CAPCO boys,” said the 55-time Mission Foods tour winner.  “It was a tough weekend all around with the weather.  We were kinda in survival mode, so to come out of here in third place in points and come as close as we did to getting a win, that’s a pretty good weekend and a pretty good start.”

After qualifying fifth at 3.694 seconds, the 40-year-old Texan beat Doug Foley in round one and Doug Kalitta in the quarterfinals.   

Rain washed out the entire Saturday qualifying program, both sessions, and with it the scheduled Right Trailers All-Star Callout for which Torrence was the No. 1 qualifier.

As a result, his bid for a second victory in the NHRA bonus race will have to wait until March 29 when the Mission Foods tour moves to In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in California for the 65th annual Lucas Oil Winternationals.  

His chosen first round opponent will be motorsports Hall of Famer Tony Stewart.