BY KELLY WADE | PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK J . REBILAS

ATALIE TORRENCE is a woman of many hats . The full-time marketing and public relations professional built a respected business from the ground up , putting a solid education and real-world experience to good use . Torrence is the owner of Innovative Creation Experts and the fire behind a growing team that is generating some of the most talked about content in drag racing . She ’ s also a fulltime mom to young Haven Charli and full-time wife to Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence .

Those successful in the drag racing arena often have roots in the sport , but that was not so for Torrence .

“ I wish I could say I had some awesome monumental story or heritage in drag racing , but that ’ s really not the case ,” she says . “ I got an opportunity to work with Harley-Davidson back in 2011 , and one opportunity led to another . I ’ d been part of the Harley-Davidson team for 10 years , and I was hoping for an additional opportunity to travel to more races and grow in my career , but that opportunity just never opened up .

“ I had been actively pursuing my education during that time , and after I got a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration , I got a Masters degree in Innovative Business Strategy from University of La Verne . I was unable to find additional opportunities , but that allowed me to pivot and start a career in public relations and social media .”

Torrence launched Innovative Creation Experts in 2016 and acquired her first client , Pro Stock racer and eventual champion Tanner Gray , in 2017 . Towards the end of that first full-time season , her client list began to grow – and it has continued to grow in such a way that she has had to hire others to help provide the topnotch coverage that her clients expect .

“ What I didn ’ t realize was that working with Harley-Davidson was really allowing me to create relationships that would , ultimately , foster my own business ,” she explains . “ Through the trust of my clients , I ’ ve been able to build a larger team ; there are three of us full-time now , and we ’ ll also have three part-time in 2023 .

“ I wouldn ’ t have this opportunity if the clients that started with me at the beginning didn ’ t believe in what I was doing . They ’ ve continued to trust in my judgement and know that I ’ ll put the right people in the right places . They know that the job will get done to my standards , if not better , with the people I have . Their trust

has given me the ability to have a child and a home life in addition to having a successful career , and I ’ m proud that we ’ ve been able to really bring our clients to the forefront without sacrificing family .”

The group that Torrence has assembled works pointedly behind-the-scenes gathering content and creating social media splashes for such top-level drivers as Top Fuel ’ s Antron Brown , Funny Car world champion Ron Capps , Pro Stock standouts Chris and Mason McGaha , Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Eddie Krawiec , and many more in the pro ranks – as well as a growing number of NHRA Sportsman competitors .

While Torrence is delighted to have such a well-rounded and happy roster of clients , she finds it even more satisfying to guide young creatives in the world of public relations and social media .

“ I want the people I ’ m working with to be happy in their careers ,” she says . “ I hope to bring the next generation into this business , and maybe that ’ s people who have grown up as the son or daughter of a drag racer and are looking for their way to use their knowledge of racing in a positive way . My goal is to empower the people I work with , to bring out their creativity and let it be heard .” DI

116 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 181