BRITTANY FORCE A MONSTER
ON FRIDAY AT GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE,
FL – The Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster and racer Brittany Force continued to
turn heads with another day of exceptional qualifying. On Friday of the 47th
annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals Force picked up four qualifying
bonus points and secured the provisional pole position with a 3.745 second run
at a pedestrian 309.56 mph.
“To be able
to come out here and run well was great. We didn’t know what we could expect
with the weather conditions. We were hoping to get one good run in and we did
that first round. We really stepped it up on the second run. When I got out of the
dragster at the top end and they told we what we ran I was blown away,” said
Force, who has four career No. 1 qualifiers. “It felt like an awesome run early
on but at the end of the run I pulled my foot up early because I thought it was
getting into trouble. I am excited and proud of this Monster Energy team. We
made quite a few changes and we are starting to see that on the race track.”
In the first
session Force was the third quickest Top Fuel dragster tucked in behind Steve
Torrence and Tony Schumacher. The technical alliance between Torrence Racing
and John Force Racing which is led by Alan Johnson continues to pay dividends
for both organizations and gives Force a boost of confidence as well. On the heels
of her runner-up finish in Phoenix Force is ready to take the next step of her
professional career.
“I have been
to quite a few finals now and the first few I was excited to be in a final. Now
I don’t feel the same way. You are happy to be there but you want to bring home
the win now. That is all we want. We want to bring home that win,” said Force
whose previous best qualifying position was No. 7 in 2015. “I feel good about
this season and I think you are seeing it with the performance at the first two
races and then today. This shows you what we are capable of and what is to be
expected.”
In the Funny
Car category Courtney Force has not only started the weekend on a high note,
but the 2016 season as well. Today she made two impressive passes to put her
Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car in the No. 3 position and wrap up the
first day of Gatornationals qualifying.
Right out of
the box, the team led by crew chiefs Dan Hood and Ronnie Thompson put a 3.989
ET on the board at 315.56 mph. They were able to improve on that number in
round two and move to the No. 3 spot with a 3.944 ET at 321.42 mph, collecting
one bonus point along the way for making the third-quickest run of the session.
“It’s great
to be back here in Florida with this Traxxas Chevy Camaro team. Ronnie Thompson
and Dan Hood and all my crew guys gave me a great race car on the first run. We
posted an incredible number, a 3.98, to qualify in the top half. We were pretty
fearless to lay a number down like that in the considering there was a chance
of rain this weekend at this track. It really helps a driver’s confidence to go
out there in Q2 and knowing you have nothing to worry about getting the car
qualified because you’re already in the show. That first run was great and made
me feel comfortable in the seat immediately so I’m really proud of my guys for
all their hard work.”
“We dropped
a hole in the first session so we were trying to get that fixed up. In the
second session we ran it harder and it showed on the scoreboards. We ran a 3.94
and it dropped a hole again, but it was right in the lights. I think for our
Traxxas team it’s definitely a pretty good way to start the weekend. It may not
be perfect and on all eight cylinders, but at least it’s getting down there and
putting some really good numbers on the board,” said Force.
Right behind
Courtney Force sits her brother-in-law Robert Hight driver of the Auto Club
Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car and two-time Gatornationals winner. In the
opening session Hight blasted to the top of the class with a stellar 3.945
second run that was quickest of the session.
“That was an
awesome run. (Crew chief) Mike Neff has been aggressive and that run shows it.
We have to start strong and now we need to build on that. The goal is to make
runs like that all day on Sunday,” said Hight from the top end.
In the second
session with another aggressive tune-up in the Auto Club Chevy Hight’s Funny
Car made a strong move off the starting line and over powered the track. Hight
battled to keep his Funny Car in the groove but it sashayed down the left lane
and crossed the finish line with a throw away time of 4.475 seconds.
Team leader
John Force was also aggressive both sessions. In the first session his PEAK
Antifreeze and Coolant Funny Car was on a great run but spun the tires down
track. In the second session his Chevrolet Camaro moved out of the groove and
Force had to muscle his 10,000 hp Funny Car to keep it straight. His best time
on Friday was 4.063 seconds and was quick enough to keep him in the top twelve
with two sessions scheduled for tomorrow.
* * * *
NHRA ON TV
Friday, March 18 Qualifying 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM ET (FS1)
Saturday, March 19 Qualifying 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM ET (FS1)
Sunday, March 20 Finals 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET (FS1) LIVE
* * * *
THE DRIVERS
JOHN FORCE, 66, PEAK Antifreeze
Chevrolet Camaro SS
Qualifying: 9th
at 4.063 seconds, 262.69 mph
Bonus Qualifying
Points: 0
ROBERT HIGHT, 46, Auto Club of Southern
California Chevrolet
Camaro SS
Qualifying: 4th at 3.945 seconds, 322.96 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: +3 (Quickest of Q1)
Bonus Qualifying Points: +3 (Quickest of Q1)
COURTNEY FORCE, 27, Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS
Qualifying: 3rd at 3.944 seconds, 321.24 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: +1 (3rd quickest of Q2)
Bonus Qualifying Points: +1 (3rd quickest of Q2)
BRITTANY
FORCE, 29, Monster Energy Top Fuel Dragster
Qualifying: 1st at 3.745 seconds, 309.56 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: +4 (3rd quickest of Q1 and quickest
of Q2)
* * * *
RACE SCHEDULE:
Saturday,
March 19
3rd
round qualifying 12:45
PM
4th
round qualifying 4:00 PM
Sunday,
March 20
Final
Eliminations 11:00 AM
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