ProRodeo Sports News - September 6, 2019

really fun to race against him (at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis), but it was hard to shift gears. As a cowboy, when you’re shifting gears at 150 mph it’s very difficult. He did really well breakaway roping. He caught most of his calves, and the more he roped the better he got.” Sandwiched between roping and racing, Cooper and Torrence visited a hat store in Fort Worth, Texas. “We shaped up (a cowboy hat),” Cooper said. “He actually won the hat-shaping competition and the racing, which gave him the win, but at least he didn’t win the roping. I was very disappointed in my hat-shaping ability. I thought I was better than that.” The whole experience was memorable for Cooper. “Steve wanted to collaborate – he taught what he does, and I shared with him what I do,” Cooper said. “It was a great day. I got to do what I love and share with him riding horses, roping and competing. The cool thing we both like to do is compete, and we got to it all day long against each other.” Torrence has the utmost respect for Cooper. “It’s special to be able to rope with a guy who is at the top of his game, the top of his sport,” Torrence said. “He couldn’t be a more genuine, nice guy. I really enjoyed getting to know him and spending some time with him and doing that. He wasn’t real fresh (at racing) so we drove around in the parking lot and had a refresher course. I tell you, he came out and made some quick and impressive runs in that thing and drove it like he’s been driving one for a long time.” Beyond competing, Cooper has a new buddy in Torrence. “The coolest thing is the friendship I have now with Steve,” Cooper said.

“He’s such a good guy who works so hard. He has reached out to me and checked on my (2019) season, and he’s had a great season so far. It’s cool to form a friendship with someone who is very similar to you in a lot of aspects.” Heading into the six-race Countdown to the Championship, which begins Sept. 12-15 in Reading, Pa., and concludes with the NHRA Finals, Nov. 14-17, Torrence was the points leader in NHRA’s Top Fuel class. He has eight wins this season in 18 races. Cooper plans on attending his first NHRA drag race as a guest of Torrence’s at the NHRA Fallnationals at the Texas Motorplex, Oct. 17-20. “He told me he can explain it all he can of what he does, but he said it’s something I need to go and experience,” Cooper said. “I can’t wait.”

“I think he probably roped a lot better than I drove the race car.” – TUF COPPER

Torrence believes seeing 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragsters that go 3.7 seconds at 330 mph in person will give Cooper a better appreciation of what Torrence does. “I’m going to try to have him come out with us in Ennis, show him a little more of what we do,” Torrence said. “I knew his job was difficult, but to see him in his own element and how good he is at what he does was really pretty unique. It was a fun experience to spend the day with him. I got to share a little bit of my world with him and I got a glimpse of what he does.” Torrence is going to return the favor and watch Cooper compete at the Wrangler Nationals Finals Rodeo in December in Las Vegas. “I’m definitely going to try and make a trip to the NFR,” Torrence said. “Drag racing and roping both have their own difficulties, and I’m not going to say one is more difficult than the other. It’s just what you are used to.”

Courtesy photo NHRA Mello Yello Series reigning Top Fuel world champion Steve Torrence, left, gets ready to rope against Tuf Cooper in May at Trevor Brazile’s place in Decatur, Texas.

ProRodeo Sports News 9/6/2019

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