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When Val Torres Jr. was in an accident with his '98 Pontiac Firebird at the Division 7 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event in Las Vegas in April, it looked like he was headed for a lengthy layoff.
"I just figured that I was going to have to sit out several races until I got my car repaired," said Torres. "But my good friend Ronnie Marcum kept offering me the chance to use his car. He doesn't race the regular tour on a full-time basis, so he said that he didn't really need the car, and I was welcome to it. I finally accepted his offer, and we decided to race it with my drivetrain."
The installation of Torres' engine and drivetrain went relatively smooth and was basically accomplished in one evening.
"He already had his engine and drivetrain removed, so we were just starting out with an empty body," said Torres. "The only area that really required any modification was doing some work to the hood to provide proper clearance for my carburetor and throttle stop."
Prior to the Sonoma national event, Torres competed in five races with the new combination and was able to score a runner-up finish at a Southern California Pro Gas Association event in Fontana, Calif.
"Making it to the final round was a real boost for me," said Torres, "and I went to Sonoma feeling much more confident."
In Sonoma, Torres became involved in a number of scenarios that were possible distractions.
"Not only did I start to go rounds in Super Gas but also with my Super Comp car," said Torres. "I made it to the final six cars in Super Comp before I was defeated, and this was the first national event where I had gone that deep in both categories."
The biggest development for Torres was that his father, Val Sr., was on the opposite side of the ladder, and he was winning rounds as well.