Dirt
The Queen of Nitro
Drag Racing: Mama Kay
The glue that holds Capco Racing
together prefers the starting
line to the driver’s seat
By Allyson Johnson
K
“I went down the track one time in a Trans Am,”
she says. “I made one lap, but it wasn’t for me. I’d
rather be on the side, saying a prayer for my boys.”
And she’s been supporting her boys most of her
life, most recently seeing her son win two world
championships (2018 and 2019) in Top Fuel.
“I’m very grateful to be able to watch his
dreams come true,” she says. “I can’t say enough
about how proud I am, and thankful that the
good Lord has allowed his dream to come true.”
Mama Kay says race day is fun, but it’s defi-
nitely stressful.
“You want them to win so bad,” Torrence says.
“I usually have my morning prayer ritual, then go
say another prayer for them before each round.
It’s a very stressful day. You’re out there to win
every round. But my favorite part of the day is
when it’s over, and we’re in the Winner’s Circle!”
Torrence says they enjoy racing as a family,
and it’s something that’s always kept her family
together. But when it comes to who she’s cheer-
ing for when Steve and Billy line up against each
other, it’s no surprise that she’s probably rooting
for Steve to get the win.
“I’m always going to root for my baby boy,”
Kay admits. “That’s a mom. I’m not going to root
against my husband, but I think as a mother
you’re gonna always root for your baby boy.”
As for her nickname, “Mama Kay,” that ac-
tually was started more than 20 years ago by
Dave Connolly – yes, that Dave Connolly. The
KB Racing crew chief and former Pro Stock
wheelman grew up racing with the Torrence
family. He started calling her “Mama Kay,” and
it stuck. Not only is she Steve’s mom, but she
takes on that role for just about every crew guy
on the Capco Racing teams.
When she is on the starting line, you’ll notice
she almost always has a handkerchief tied around
her face on the starting line, which has become
quite infamous over the past few seasons. She
says it isn’t a fashion statement, rather it started
as a way to prevent her from getting sick after
spending all weekend around the nitro fumes
from the Top Fuel dragsters. If you want to fol-
low Mama Kay’s trend, you can buy your own
Torrence Racing-branded handkerchief on the
Torrence Racing website.
When Torrence isn’t at the racetrack support-
ing her family, you can find her at home cleaning
or working in the yard. Or occasionally in Dal-
las – a little less than two hours from her home
in east Texas – getting a massage and a facial.
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ay Torrence, known as “Mama
Kay” to just about everyone at the
racetrack, is no doubt the backbone
of Capco Racing. You can usually find
her on the starting line supporting her husband,
Billy Torrence, and her son, Steve Torrence, and
their NHRA Top Fuel teams.
The Kilgore, Texas, native met Billy when she
was 16 years old. When asked if it was love at first
sight, she laughingly answers, “Who knows? I say,
what is love, really?”
Kay’s mother and step-father drag raced when
she was young, so she was no stranger to the race-
track. But when it comes to the driver’s seat, that’s
one place you probably won’t be finding her.