DINWIDDIE, Va. — Steve Torrence and his High Gasoline group showcased championship potential simply greater than every week in the past in Bristol, because the four-time world champion picked up his first win in practically a yr.
Heading into this weekend’s fifth annual American Insurgent Mild Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park, Torrence want to suppose it’s the beginning of a powerful run that was on show when he gained 4 straight world titles from 2018-2021.
Consistency on the earth of 12,000-horsepower, 330-plus mph High Gasoline dragsters is all the time a troublesome matter, however Torrence hopes his group has regained its championship contact in his Capco Contractors dragster.
There’s earlier success in Virginia – together with back-to-back wins in 2018 and 2019 – and the four-time champ is keen to maintain pushing ahead throughout a busy June, this time throughout an exciting two-day race weekend at VMP.
“We’ve had a whole lot of success,” Torrence stated. “You might take that without any consideration, nevertheless it does put it into perspective that that is way more troublesome than what it appears from the surface, particularly automobiles which can be successful 4-5 races or extra. It exhibits the arduous work that goes into it, however you additionally want some breaks alongside the best way. The final couple years the automotive has been inconsistent and I’ve been inconsistent as a driver. It looks like the weekends I used to be good, the automotive was not, and the weekend the automotive was good, I used to be not. All of it has to come back collectively.”
For the second straight yr, the trek to VMP includes a distinctive two-day race format within the skilled courses, with followers getting an unbelievable probability to see three qualifying periods from the 330-mph, 12,000-horsepower nitro machines on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday.
Torrence can even compete within the Mission #2Fast2Tasty specialty race, which takes place through the last two qualifying periods on Saturday. He’ll tackle factors chief and racing legend Tony Stewart in a Bristol semifinal rematch, whereas the opposite matchup options Justin Ashley and Shawn Langdon, who’s second in factors.
As thrilling as successful his first race of 2025 was, Torrence was simply as excited with the group attending to make 4 laps on Sunday. The group has picked up steam – minus a first-round loss in Epping – and will make one other massive transfer in Richmond.
To take action, he’ll additionally need to get previous Kalitta, Epping winner Brittany Drive, Clay Millican, reigning world champ Antron Brown and Josh Hart, however Torrence believes his group is shifting in the proper course, with constant runs once more the secret this weekend in Richmond.
“We’ve modified a whole lot of stuff and are working at it very diligently, however you want to have laps,” Torrence stated. “You want extra info and the extra info that backs up and solidifies what you thought, you may make modifications extra accordingly. If this factor goes out and goes 3.63 one lap, and also you set the world on hearth, and also you don’t make it down the observe the opposite three runs, you actually didn’t accomplish something. So, consistency is a serious key to achieve success.”
