FINALS CRUNCH TIME FOR THE 16X CHAMP
The 2014 NHRA Mello Yello season is ready to cross the finish line as the teams roll into Auto Club Raceway at Pomona for this weekend’s 50th Annual Auto Club NHRA Finals. For John Force, it’s all or nothing, as he will be going full steam ahead in pursuing his 17th NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car World Championship title. When Force gets strapped into this 8000 horsepower Castrol GTX High Mileage Mustang, he’ll be focused on rewriting the NHRA record books and claiming what could be his 142nd career victory, and another world title when the smoke and clutch dust clears after final eliminations this Sunday.
Force left last weekend’s NHRA Toyota Nationals in Vegas just 21 points behind current leader Matt Hagan, after suffering a final round defeat against Del Worsham.

“I want to win this championship for my partner of 29 years, Castrol, and the Ford Motor Company, who’s been with me for 11 years. They’re moving on and I’d like to bring that title home like the others. Auto Club has been with us a long time and with Traxxas, Brand Source, Mac Tools, Freightliner, and my other wonderful sponsors, I just want to win,” said John Force.
Despite any speed bumps the John Force Racing organization has recently suffered, and with the ups and downs the long season has visited on the reigning Funny Car champ, nothing will cause the winningest driver in NHRA history to lose traction, spin the tires and get out of the groove this weekend in Pomona. If anything, Force will be a like a lightning rod and rally his team. Force is the most ardent cheerleader and motivator, as this is not the first time he’s faced challenges heading into the final race of the year racing from the number two spot.
“I have to make a decision because I’m not just racing for this championship. I’m racing for this championship and the next 20 years. Right now, I’m building my team. I didn’t wait till Pomona to start; I’ve already begun that. The outcome will be what it is. But at least I know where I’m going. I couldn’t wait any longer. Jimmy, we shook hands, he walked out and understood; I think he understood what I was doing,” said John Force.
With Force’s runner-up early this month at the NHRA Toyota Nationals and his 11th final round appearance this season that includes three wins (NHRA Winternationals, Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, NHRA Northwest Nationals), John Force is going for broke, as he’s approximately two rounds (21 points) behind the 2011 NHRA champ, Matt Hagan. A strong finish at the 50th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona could set up a memorable finish for the three-car John Force Racing Funny Car team of John Force, Robert Hight and Courtney Force. Hight trails points leader Matt Hagan by 150 points, while Courtney is two spots ahead in third and 121 points back. Regardless, it’s going to be a thrilling finale in Pomona as John Force wants nothing more than to win his 17th NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car championship and with his drive and attitude, he could ultimately rewrite the NHRA history books once again.

COURTNEY LOOKING TO FINISH STRONG IN POMONA
YORBA LINDA, CA (November 11, 2014) —- This weekend, Traxxas Funny Car driver Courtney Force will make her third career start at the last race of the season, the 50th Annual Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona. The 26-year-old has her sights set on finishing a successful year even stronger than the last. It’s been a roller coaster of results in 2014 for the Traxxas team led by Ron Douglas and Dan Hood, but they have proved their strength at Auto Club Raceway and are looking to finish out the year well.
“After two first round losses in the last two races, our team is looking for a huge turnaround at the final race in Pomona. We have managed to stay third in points and hope to be able to go rounds come race day to stay ahead and hold onto that position.
There is a little added pressure this weekend for Force at her home track in front of friends and family members. Force, who is currently third in the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship points in Funny Car, is fighting to stay in the No. 3 spot.
“I love being back home and getting to race at my home track. I’m comfortable here and it definitely adds excitement, and a little extra pressure, to perform our best for friends and family. This track is important to me so we are going to work hard this weekend to get a win here and finish off a storybook season with a good ending. No matter what, it has been a great season for my Traxxas team so win or lose, I couldn’t be happier and more excited to look into the future with this team,” said Force.
In 2012, the young driver finished No. 5 in the Countdown to the Championship. Last year during Force’s sophomore season, she took home a No.7 place finish. Force says her goal is to stay where she is and not move down at this weekend’s final Countdown race. She started from the No. 1 spot once at this race track and took home the win the very same weekend.
“It definitely helps to think that we’ve done well here in the past. I hope that with the right conditions and tune up we can have a good shot at winning it this weekend. I definitely need to be on my game,” said Force.
Force has had an amazing season. She has raced her way to No. 1 qualifier four times. She has been to five finals, taking home the Wally at four of those and making her the record holder for most Funny Car wins in one season by a female. She won back-to-back races in St. Louis and Dallas during the Countdown to the Championship and became the winningest female in Funny Car with a total of seven career wins. She also scored the 100th win for a female in professional drag racing at Topeka earlier this season.
Force, credits all of the success to her team members.
“It’s surreal all the things we have accomplished as a team this season. I couldn’t have earned these wins without every single person on my team. We work together great and have been able to accomplish so much that I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us. As a driver it’s amazing to be on a team with people who are excited and motivated to win every day. The passion my team has will go a long way for us. I’m so proud and I can’t wait for next year,” said Force.

HIGHT FOCUSED ON ENDING SEASON ON HIGH NOTE
POMONA, CA (November 11, 2014) — The 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will wrap up this weekend at the 50th annual NHRA Auto Club Finals in Pomona and Robert Hight is focused on winning the Funny Car championship. His Auto Club team has a long shot mathematical chance but the 2009 Funny Car champion and president of John Force Racing, Inc. knows championships are won by teams and his teammate, John Force, is in the driver’s seat for the title with one race left.
“You want to win the last race of the season because that is the one you remember all off-season,” Hight said. “That gives you a positive feeling going into the Winternationals (in Pomona). This is also our sponsor’s race so you want to do well. The focus for us this race is on getting that championship. We aren’t out of it mathematically and strange things have happened at the Auto Club Finals. Whether it is me, John or Courtney we want that Mello Yello championship trophy to come back to the shop in Yorba Linda,” said Hight.
John Force Racing has had at least one Funny Car finalist in the Auto Club Finals in 11 of the last 14 seasons with seven wins – five by Force, one each by Hight (2007) and Mike Neff (2009). In both of those years, 2007 and 2009, it was an all JFR final round. Overall, JFR Funny Cars have won 25 times at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Although he has four wins at Pomona, Hight’s only win in the Auto Club Finals came in 2007, the year he finished 19 points behind Tony Pedregon in the final standings. Two years later Hight clinched his first Mello Yello Funny Car championship simply by qualifying for the race.
“When I clinched the championship on Saturday in 2009 it was a major milestone for me. I had worked my way up from clutch guy to Funny Car world champion. This class is so tough that getting that second championship has been a struggle. I have had some great seasons including this season but winning that second championship is still my No. 1 goal,” added Hight.
Hight has won a category-high five races this year but hasn’t been in the winners’ circle since July when he won at Denver. A No. 3 finish is well within reach since he starts the Finals two points behind Capps and two rounds behind Courtney. Only twice in his ten pro seasons has Robert not finished in the Top 5. He was eighth in 2010 and seventh in 2012. He has more wins the last ten seasons than any other FC driver with 34.
“Obviously going to six finals in a row and winning four of those races was a highlight,” Hight said. “No matter what happens in Pomona we led the points for 13 races and I am proud of that for this Auto Club team. I think the thing that really has me motivated for next season is we never gave up. We didn’t finish the season the way we wanted to but no one got down. We kept fighting,” explained a proud Hight.
“This was the first full season of working with Mike Neff as my crew chief and we built a great working relationship and he has given me a lot of confidence. I think when I look back on 2014 I will know we had a championship caliber team and we were one of the toughest Funny Car teams top to bottom out there all season.”
Mike Neff will continue to be a key figure as John Force Racing tries to win its nineteenth Funny Car championship this weekend. While he will be calling the shots on Hight’s Auto Club Ford Mustang he will also be offering input on John Force’s Castrol GTX High Mileage Mustang which will once again be tuned by John Medlen, Force raced to the final round two weeks ago in Las Vegas and took out Hight in the semi-finals.
“That semifinal (with Force) was a close race and we were going after it,” Hight said. “We were in a no-lose situation since no matter what happened one of our John Force Racing Mustang Funny Cars was going to the final round. (Crew chief) Mike Neff, Jon Shaffer and my crew guys pulled together and getting those first two round wins were critical coming off a tough race in Reading. Making great runs gives you confidence and we will be ready for Pomona.”
Neff won his first race as a driver at the Auto Club Finals in 2009 and, a year later, tuned Force to a win that clinched the title. Hight is hoping Neff can work his magic once again at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
“Of course your dream scenario is for John to have the championship locked up and to race either him or Courtney in the final. Racing at Pomona is special. It is our home track and it is the last race of the season. You want to go out with a win and a championship,” said Hight.

For Immediate Release
HOME TURF ADVANTAGE FOR BRITTANY FORCE
If Brittany Force had her way, she would find a way to keep racing even after the conclusion of this weekend’s NHRA Auto Club Nationals at the historic Auto Club Raceway in Pomona. The 28-year-old driver loves being in the seat of her 10,000 horsepower Castrol EDGE Dragster, and with the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello season ready to pull the chutes this Sunday, the sophomore Top Fuel driver has had a great season racing to the finals four times, qualifying in the top half of the field on Sunday 12 times, three of those from No.1 spots. Brittany Force also made it into the Countdown and will be chasing her first Top Fuel win for Castrol EDGE and John Force Racing this weekend.
The hallowed grounds of Auto Club Raceway in Pomona have been a part of drag racing history for over 50 years. Brittany Force has seen her legendary father, John Force, win races and championships ever since she was child. Brittany also considers Auto Club Raceway her home track and is excited to once again make some noise in the valley.
“I just love going back to Pomona, it’s my home track and it’s like, our family’s home out there. For some racers, they may not get it but for my family, Pomona is like our second home. It’s where my family and friends come out to root us on. They hang out in the stands and show us a lot of love and support and it’s awesome. My sister Ashley and my nieces and nephews will be there and it’s just great to have the family get together and hang out in the pits. I’m so excited to get back there. I also know this track very well and from racing my Sportsman cars a few years ago, I feel like I know every bump and groove along the race track and it will come in handy during qualifying and Sunday’s eliminations. Also, my guys have done an awesome job all season and I can’t thank them enough,” said Brittany Force.
Brittany’s familiar black and gold Castrol EDGE Dragster will be back on track after a one race hiatus. A testing incident will force the second year driver to her back-up dragster for the final race of the season. In Las Vegas her dragster carried a spectacular commemorative Auto Club Road to the Future Rookie of the Year graphic two weeks ago. The stunning design was done in-house by the graphic teams at John Force Racing.
“I decided to dedicate the design to the entire team. I wanted something completely different but something that has meaning to me and relates to my experience as a rookie driving a Top Fuel dragster. In the beginning of my season JFR put a canopy on my car and the first time I jumped in it I immediately felt like I was in a fighter jet. That feeling is exactly where my idea was inspired from. Working with JFR graphic designer Brandon Baker, we created a military jet theme for my car. The car is silver with a weathered look to it and has the entire teams names listed on the car. It is definitely is bad ass!” said Brittany Force.
“Winning rookie of the year in 2013 is something I am very proud of. Driving a Top Fuel dragster has definitely been a challenge to adjust to, not only for me but the entire team as well. I feel my rookie team had great success in our first year, going rounds and making it to a semi round ending our year strong. Earning Rookie of the Year was a team effort. I don’t believe we would have taken that home without every single one of my crew guys and crew chiefs,” said Brittany Force.
As the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello season concludes this Sunday, it has been one of positive change for the Castrol EDGE team. Led by seasoned tuners Todd Smith and Dean “Guido” Antonelli, Brittany knows she has the best crew in the pits. She also knows she’s very capable of making some history and winning her first Top Fuel race this weekend for her sponsors and the team.