Except for 2018, when they made straight-line history by sweeping all six playoff races, Steve Torrence and his CAPCO Cowboys have been notoriously slow starters in the NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship.
That’s why last week’s second round exit in the Countdown opener at Reading, Pa., wasn’t a major concern for the four-time World Champion and the high-performance outlaws who put the pop in his Top Fuel Toyota.
For Torrence and crew, the second season really begins with this week’s 16th Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, the all-concrete track on which they’ve won six times since 2016.
For the record, excluding that 2018 sweep, Torrence is 11-10 in the Countdown’s opening event and 78-43 thereafter.
“These CAPCO boys are battle-tested,” Torrence said. “They’ve been through it before, and there’s nobody I’d rather have in my corner. We’ve had success at these next three races, and I feel good about where we are right now.”
Where they are is in fifth place, but only 58 points off the lead presently enjoyed by Justin Ashley and only 25 points back of reigning series champ Doug Kalitta.
“This is probably as competitive a Top Fuel field as there’s ever been,” said the 55-time tour winner. “There aren’t any easy rounds, and when you’ve been a champion or a multiple champion, you always get everybody’s best shot. So, really, you’ve gotta be perfect for four runs, or else you gotta be lucky. We’ll take either one this week.”
Although he won the Carolina Nationals back-to-back in 2018 and 2019, the 41-year-old Texas struggled a year ago when he qualified only 12th, his poorest starting position during the entire season, and lost to Kalitta in round one.
Dad Billy will be making his sixth start in the fall race after sitting out last year in the second of the CAPCO Toyotas.
Qualifying begins with nitro sessions at 4 and 6:30 p.m., Texas time, on Friday and continues with wrap-up sessions at 12:30 and 3 p.m., Texas time, on Saturday. Single elimination finals begin Sunday at 11 a.m., Texas time.
This story was originally published on September 19, 2024. 
