HIGHT LEADS WAY ON FRIDAY AT THUNDER VALLEY
Bristol, Tenn. – Hot and humid conditions plagued Bristol Dragway for much of the day but as the sun set conditions improved for the start of the 15th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. The Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car and Robert Hight will go into the second day of qualifying as the provisional No. 6 Funny Car on the strength of their 4.053 second run at 318.02 mph.
“We got off to a good start. I think we got the most out of the conditions and have a good tune up we can work with. That was a good run. (Crew chief) Mike Neff had to have had a big smile on his face because this whole Auto Club team has been working very hard and the results are starting to show,” said Hight, from the top end after his Q2 run. “We are getting closer. We are all working hard over here at John Force Racing and we know we have a lot of work to do but we are getting there. It is exciting to see the teams grow and get better. It is only a matter of time before this Auto Club Chevy into the winner’s circle.”

Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car driver Courtney Force sits in the No. 8 position in a stacked Funny Car field after the first day of qualifying at Bristol Dragway. Her quick 4.072 second pass at 308.99 mph in the second qualifying session took her to the top half of the field and ready for two additional attempts on Saturday.
“It’s great to be back out her at Bristol Dragway. We’ve had some better luck out here in the past and we’re hoping that we can turn things around this weekend. We’ve had a pretty consistent race car week in and week out and I think our Traxxas team is feeling pretty good.
“Our Friday qualifying pass got a little to the inside and it tried to drop a cylinder and pull me hard over the line so I had to shut off early. We got back to the pit, made some changes and got ready for Q2. We made a solid pass. It lit up a little in the lights but we’re qualified in the No. 8 spot tomorrow so we’re excited. We’re going to get this Traxxas Chevy put back together and ready for Q3 tomorrow,” said Force.
While Hight and the youngest Force driver were making strong runs in the second session team leader John Force’s last run on Friday was derailed by a body latch malfunction. Following Force’s burnout his crew struggled to get the Chevrolet body unlatched from the chassis and following the final tune-up adjustments the team was seen struggling to get the body re-latched. They were able to get the body secured but not quite low enough so it did not allow for the usual downforce to be created and Force smoked the tires.
Force will go into Saturday as the No. 12 Funny Car on the strength of his first run a stout 4.163 second run at 310.27 mph. The Peak Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS will have another opportunity to step up on Saturday. The most recent NHRA Mello Yello Series winner was not frustrated with the missed opportunity on Friday night.
“My guys are working hard. We won Epping and we just had a little hiccup with the body latch. They are working on it now and I know we’ll get it squared away for tomorrow. I was glad to see Robert and Courtney make good runs and that Monster Dragster was great in the first session. I will be ready to go back at it tomorrow. I am going to get a good night’s sleep and be ready to go,” said Force, from his pits at the end of the day.
Friday began with a strong run by the Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster at Bristol Dragway. In the opening session Brittany Force powered her 10,000 hp dragster to the No. 3 spot and an extra qualifying bonus point with a strong 3.856 second run at 309.27 mph. In the second session the Monster Energy dragster launched hard and overpowered the track at about 600 feet.
“I am pretty happy with that first run down the track. We would have liked to have stepped up in the second session but we are No. 9 going into Saturday. You really just want to carry an ET over and then see what you can do on Saturday. My Monster Energy guys are working really hard and you are seeing the results,” said Force, who sits No. 8 in the Mello Yello Top Fuel standings.