NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Steve Torrence collected the $100,000 payday for winning the 6th annual Traxxas Nitro Shootout for Top Fuel drivers, a companion feature of the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals. Torrence blasted to a 3.673 at 329.50 mph to fend off Schumacher’s 3.680 at 330.31.

The final was a battle between the two most successful drivers in Shootout history. Schumacher, the defending champ, is also the only driver to win it more than once, taking the top prize also in 2014. Torrence was the only other driver to reach more than one Shootout final, scoring runner-ups at the first two Shootouts.

Steve Torrence collected the $100,000 payday for winning the 6th annual Traxxas Nitro Shootout for Top Fuel drivers, a companion feature of the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals. Torrence blasted to a 3.673 at 329.50 mph to fend off Schumacher’s 3.680 at 330.31.

The final was a battle between the two most successful drivers in Shootout history. Schumacher, the defending champ, is also the only driver to win it more than once, taking the top prize also in 2014. Torrence was the only other driver to reach more than one Shootout final, scoring runner-ups at the first two Shootouts.

“All year long, [crew chief Richard] Hogan has gotten a little more confident every lap,” said Torrence, who earned his berth in the Shootout by winning the Charlotte event earlier this season. “I saw him come back before the final and he had a little smirk in his eye and he told [the crew] to speed that thing up and made a [supercharger] pulley change. I knew it was going to go or blow, but when you’re racing Mike Green and Tony Schumacher you have to do everything you can. He turned the wick on it and went down there and dismantled ‘The Machine.’ 

“I want to thank Mike Jenkins and all of the guys at Traxxas who put this on. It’s a big deal to come out here and race for 100 grand and the competition is at it’s best because these guys are the baddest of the bad. You have to bring your A game every lap. To win the Traxxas Shootout is huge; it's been on my bucket list for a while. I'm come out on the L side of the final enough times; it was good to come out on the W side.”

Torrence, runner-up to Spencer Massey in 2012 and Shawn Langdon in 2013, hadn’t been to the final round since then and even failed to make the 2014 Shootout field. This year he raced past Clay Millican in round one, 3.72 to 3.73, then improved to a 3.71 in the semifinals to trailer Doug Kalitta’s 3.74.

Schumacher, who has taken part in all six Shootouts, defeated Brittany Force on a first-round holeshot in a tight battle in which both drivers ran 3.747, then bested Terry McMillen, who entered the Shootout as the winner of the fan vote/lotter process. McMillen had upset points leader Antron Brown in round one, 3.77 to 3.80.

Torrence, runner-up to Spencer Massey in 2012 and Shawn Langdon in 2013, hadn’t been to the final round since then and even failed to make the 2014 Shootout field. This year he raced past Clay Millican in round one, 3.72 to 3.73, then improved to a 3.71 in the semifinals to trailer Doug Kalitta’s 3.74.

Schumacher, who has taken part in all six Shootouts, defeated Brittany Force on a first-round holeshot in a tight battle in which both drivers ran 3.747, then bested Terry McMillen, who entered the Shootout as the winner of the fan vote/lotter process. McMillen had upset points leader Antron Brown in round one, 3.77 to 3.80.