NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Four-time and reigning NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Top Fuel champ Steve Torrence is winless through the first three events of 2022, but if ever there was a place and format primed for him to break through, it’s at this weekend’s NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

After all, the guy that the team has jokingly named “Captain Cuatro” and the “King of Quad” has won six out of the last seven four-wide events contested both in Las Vegas and at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte.

Other than a miss at the 2019 Las Vegas four-wide, where he was unexpectedly knocked out of competition in the semifinals, finishing third behind Doug Kalitta and Brittany Force, his record is unblemished since his first four-wide victory in Charlotte in 2017, where he finished ahead of Tony Schumacher, Leah Pruett, and Terry McMillen.

“I didn’t like it at all,” Torrence admitted, “mainly because it took us out of our usual routine and kinda out of our comfort zone. But when it was obvious that it was here to stay, we did what we had to do to master it. Then we started having success, and well, that’ll change how you think pretty quickly. I became a really big fan.” 

The following April, he outdueled Schumacher, Kalitta, and Antron Brown in Las Vegas, then completed his 2018 four-wide sweep by ousting Kalitta, McMillen, and Clay Millican in Charlotte. After the 2019 Vegas toe-stub, he again won in Charlotte, finishing ahead of Millican, McMillen, and Pruett.

After the NHRA tour skipped both four-wide events during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, Torrence showed no rust in Las Vegas in 2021, racing to a final-round victory ahead of Kalitta, Millican, and Brown, then tacked on a win a few weeks later in Charlotte, capping his day by beating Force, Brown, and Josh Hart to the win stripe.

“These Capco Boys are unbelievable,” Torrence said, acknowledging crew chiefs Richard Hogan and Bobby Lagana Jr. “They’re the best. Absolutely. No matter how many four-wides or how many other races I wind up winning, it won’t be because of anything I’ve done. The Capco Boys do all the work, and I’m just the guy who’s lucky enough to drive the best race car out there.”

Other than Torrence, only Antron Brown and Spencer Massey have more than one four-wide Top Fuel win. The list is a little longer in Funny Car, where John Force, Jack Beckman, Robert Hight, and J.R. Todd each own two wins.

In Pro Stock, only Greg Anderson, Erica Enders, and retired champ Mike Edwards have more than one win. Andrew Hines, who is not riding this season, is the second most prolific four-wide winner behind Torrence with four victories – all in Charlotte – with Hector Arana Jr. the only other multitime winner.