4-Time NHRA Champ Steve Torrence Focused on Big Picture When Assessing Toyota Alliance

• One year ago this weekend, Torrence Racing announced it was joining forces with Team Toyota beginning with the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

• Toyota provides tow vehicles, engineering, technology and trackside support through Toyota Racing Development.

• Despite what seemed to be a case of the rich getting richer, it hasn't exactly worked out that way for four-time Top Fuel champ Steve Torrence.

One year ago this weekend, Steve Torrence made an announcement that in many ways rocked the NHRA's Top Fuel class.

Torrence Racing announced it was joining forces with Team Toyota beginning with the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. Toyota provides tow vehicles, engineering, technology and trackside support through Toyota Racing Development.

Torrence was already on his way to a third consecutive Top Fuel Championship, and the Toyota deal with the independent team looked like a case of the rich getting richer, the sport's strongest team getting even stronger.

Torrence did go on to win that fourth consecutive title, but this year has been a bit of an unexpected challenge, in the eyes of many. After winning 11 of 2o events last year, Torrence has just two wins in the first 19 events this season.

Heading into this week's Countdown to the Championship race at the Texas Motorplex at Ennis, Texas, Torrence finds himself second in the standings to Justin Ashley. He trails Ashley by just 14 points—less than one round win.

Torrence, who might forever be known for doing the improbable and winning all six Countdown races on his way to the 2018 championship, isn't panicking.

"I don't think we're any weaker than we've ever been," he told Autoweek in a zoom media availability earlier this week. "I spoke to Toyota about this before we we even went down this road. We were going to make some changes. We were going to try to evolve our tune-up and try to evolve our race team a little bit and it has taken time."

For Torrence, 39, there is the feeling that while the early returns with Toyota may appear to be at the very least a small step back, he believes it will lead to two steps forward.

"When you do the same thing for so long, and you don't change, you don't evolve, you'll get left behind," Torrence said. "We've spent the majority of the year, the majority of the season, trying to get to this point. And so with that being said, the alliance with Toyota has been great."

Torrence had nine race wins by this time last season. This year, he's bidding to become just the second driver in NHRA Top Fuel class history to win five consecutive championships. Eight-time champion Tony Schumacher won six title in a row from 2004-09.

Torrence is content and would give the Toyota Alliance more than passing grade.

"They've given myself and the team some opportunities to do and experience things and be part of things and meet people that we would have never had otherwise," he said. "And then they bring a lot to the table with with track data and acquisition for the race weekend. So it's been a great alliance.

"I don't think I don't think we're weak. I don't think we're any less strong than what we were and at this point (a year ago), I would say we may be stronger than we've ever been. We just haven't shown it at this point last year.

"We just need to stay focused, keep our eye on the ball, and go. "There are three races left to win the championship, and we're in familiar territory. We just need to go out and execute."