Big Day for Chevrolet with sweep of 47th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
· Brittany Force wins Top Fuel final for the first time
· Robert Hight earns third Gatornationals Funny Car victory
· Greg Anderson continues Chevrolet winning streak in Pro Stock

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 20, 2016) – Brittany Force capped a stellar day for Chevrolet at the 47th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals with her inaugural Top Fuel national victory after seven runner-up finishes.

John Force Racing teammate Robert Hight (Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS) won in Funny Car for the 37th time and Greg Anderson (Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS) earned his 80th Pro Stock win to lead a Chevrolet sweep of the Pro classes at Gainesville Raceway.

Brittany Force joined her father John and sisters Ashley and Courtney as NHRA national event winners, clocking a 3.772-second pass at 318.77 mph in her Monster Energy Chevrolet Dragster in the final to defeat Terry McMillen. She is the 102nd different winner in NHRA Top Fuel history.

Force joined Shirley Muldowney, Angelle Sampey, and Karen Stoffer as female Pro class winners at the Gatornationals, and she is the seventh driver to earn their first Top Fuel win at the Gatornationals.

“I’ve been chasing this for quite a few years, this is my fourth season in Top Fuel, so I’ve been wanting it since day one,” said Force, who advanced to the final round for the second consecutive event and claimed the Mello Yello NHRA Drag Racing Series Top Fuel points lead. “It took a lot of work and a lot of time to get here. It’s definitely not as easy as you think it is, but I have so many great people around me. I have a great sponsor with Monster Energy and a great team that I’m confident in every weekend. This weekend was just it for us.”

Added John Force: “As an owner, you can’t expect much more than this today.”

Hight, who also won the Gatornationals in 2012 and ’14, prevailed in the Funny Car final as Ron Capps was disqualified for crossing the center line.

“We had a great race car the first two races so we actually felt we let a couple slip by that we actually could have won. So to come in here to get it done, and to get it done with Brittany and both of us leaving here with the points lead it doesn’t get any better,” said Hight, who reset his 2012 track speed record with a blazing third-round qualifying pass of 327.43 mph.

It was the fifth time that John Force Racing entries advanced to the finals in Top Fuel and Funny Car and its first sweep in the Nitro category.

“It’s awesome for John Force Racing to have a Funny Car and Top Fuel dragster in the winner’s circle,” Brittany Force said. “I couldn’t be more excited to be here next to Robert. I wouldn’t be here without him.”

For the seventh time in eight years, the Gatornationals Pro Stock final was decided on a holeshot, with Anderson taking a 6.598 to 6.581 victory over KB Racing teammate Jason Line. At the season opener at Pomona, Anderson also beat Line in the final with a starting line advantage.

Anderson, who recorded his 80th Pro Stock victory, is 10-1 in the first season with the new fuel-injection package. Anderson also defeated Line in the 2015 Pro Stock final at the Gatornationals.

“The whole weekend was great for KB Racing, but as the weekend went and we made run after run after run and Jason’s was absolutely the strongest car, I kind of just told myself ‘if you can just find you way to the final round, take a runner-up and get ready for the next race I’ll be happy if we can make it an all-Summit final,’ ’’ said Anderson, who also won the season opener at Pomona. “That happened and somehow we found a way to steal a victory away from him.”

Anderson beat Drew Skillman (Ray Skillman Chevrolet Camaro SS), who reached the semifinals for the second time this season and fifth in his 25 Pro Stock races. Line, the No. 1 qualifier, disposed of Allen Johnson with a pass of 6.584 seconds at 210.41 mph in the other semifinal.

“What a great day for the Chevrolet teams and Chevrolet Racing at the historic Gatornationals,” said Chevrolet Racing NHRA program manager Roger Allen. “Congratulations to Brittany Force for her first Top Fuel national victory and to Robert Hight for his 37th Funny Car win and Greg Anderson for his 80th Pro Stock career win and second of the Mello Yello NHRA Drag Racing Series season. This is great momentum heading into the fourth event of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in two weeks.”

Courtney Force (Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS) became the second female in NHRA Funny Car history to record 100 round wins as she defeated Dave Richards in the first round of eliminations. Force, who qualified second with a fourth-round pass of 3.893 seconds at 322.96 mph – the first sub-3.9 pass of her career – fell in the second round of eliminations by .007 of a second.

John Force (PEAK Antifreeze Chevrolet Camaro SS) also won his first-round matchup, but fell in the second round when he tripped the red light for leaving too soon for only the 25th time in 1,762 rounds and the first since Houston in 2014.

Jeff Strickland (GMPartsnow.com-Berger Chevy Chevrolet COPO Camaro) won in Stock Eliminator. Stephen Bell (1320 LLC Chevrolet COPO Camaro) qualified second in Super Stock, but fell in the first round of eliminations.

Next up on the Mello Yello NHRA Drag Racing Series schedule is the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals on April 1-3 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which will feature the race-within-the-race K&N Horsepower Pro Stock Challenge.

AN INTERVIEW WITH BRITTANY FORCE, TOP FUEL WINNER
“It’s been quite a few years waiting because this is my fourth year in Top Fuel and it took a lot of work and a lot of waiting to get here. I have wanted it since day one and it’s taken a lot of time and work to get here and it’s definitely not as easy as you think it is. But I have so many great people around me here and I have a great sponsor in Monster Energy and a great team with Brian Houston and Alan Johnson and every single one of my crew guys.”
Q: HOW DOES IT FEEL TO DOUBLE UP THE WINS WITH ROBERT ALSO WINNING?
A: “It’s awesome for John Force Racing to have both the Funny Car and Top Fuel dragster in winner’s circle. It’s pretty cool to double up, but this is the first Top Fuel win for the team. So I couldn’t be more excited to be up here next to Robert. I go to my dad, I go to Courtney, and I go to Robert all the time to talk. And Robert is the calmest one to talk to if I ever need advice because he gives me a direct answer and is not all over the place. He has definitely helped me out over the years and I wouldn’t be here without him.”
Q: HOW EMOTIONAL WAS YOUR DAD?
A: “He seemed a little emotional, he came down and gave me a big hug. He is just proud and he has wanted this for me, he has wanted it for all of John Force Racing, but he just knows how bad I wanted it. So he was very excited and I think it was a very proud moment for him. It was a proud moment for me and I know he was right there supporting me.”
Q: DID THE CLOSE CALL IN PHOENIX MAKE DRIVING FOR IT THIS WEEK ALL THAT MORE?
A: “Absolutely. I said a few years ago, when I was in my first final round that I was excited to be there and excited to make it to my first final round even though I didn’t win. And when the other final rounds started coming and I didn’t make it, I started taking it tougher and tougher. Last weekend in Phoenix I really thought it was our day and our team was going to go all the way and take home that win. It was definitely disappointing not to, but it feels good to finally bring home the win. Our car was on fire the entire weekend. Went straight down there and had great runs. It’s a very proud moment for me and for the entire Monster Energy team. It took everyone to get us here.”
Q: WERE YOU NERVOUS IN THE FINAL AND WHAT DID ALAN SAY TO YOU BEFORE YOU WENT DOWN THE TRACK?
A: “You know, he came over and spoke to me before every single run and it helped. Before every run he also gave me a high five or a fist pump and said go after it, and just do what you are doing. On the last run he said, ‘girl, you have got us this far, do it again. Do exactly what you have been doing again.’ And I needed that because sometimes when you pull up there it really is mental. It really is all in your head. Having confidence and feeling that you can do it is a big part of it. Sometimes you get screwed up and you will see it there on the starting line but in other times when you have faith and you really go after it, you will see it on the board.”
Q: DO YOU TAKE THE ATTITUDE UP THERE THAT YOU CAN DO IT OR JUST DON’T SCREW IT UP?
A: “Yeah, we have talked about it and he said you have to go out there every time being positive the whole time. I know I have a good team behind me, I am confident that they put everything into this race car. It feels good to have that and I have to go out there and do the best job that I can in getting the car straight, getting down the race track and turning on that win light.”
Q: SOMETIME ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO IT WAS RUMORED THAT YOU WENT TO YOUR MOM AND SAID THAT YOUR DAD WAS TRYING TO GET YOU INTO TOP FUEL AND YOU SAID YOU DIDN’T WANT TO DO THAT. HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW?
A: “I don’t know if I ever said that I didn’t want to do that. But people would ask me all the time if I was going to go into Top Fuel and I would always say no. I would say, you are crazy, I have stood at the 1000-foot mark or actually the quarter-mile back then and those cars would blow past you and I thought that every single one of them was insane. It surprises me more than anything that I am driving a Top Fuel car. But the opportunity came along and I said I would try anything once, but when it came down to it, I was really wondering what I got myself into. I was terrified but it took a few months and I was working my way down the race track and it was when I had made my first full pass that I knew everything that I had gone to school for, all my plans, everything had completely changed and gone out the door. I knew everything was going in a different direction and that I was staring my career in Top Fuel.”
Q: YOU HAD THE LOW ET ON ALL FOUR ELIMINATION ROUNDS, HOW ABOUT THAT?
A: “I did not know that. I just figured out what I ran there on the final round. I knew we had a great race car all weekend and it feels good to know that it went down there every single run.”
Q: DID YOU FEEL A LITTLE TWING BEATING TERRY?
A: “I didn’t care who was in the lane next to me, but just if we were going to turn on that win light. That is the most important thing and like I said, I felt good going out every single run. I wanted to do my job as a driver for my team and that I was pushing and putting everything into it. In the end, we did it all together.”
Q: WAS THERE A LOW POINT IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO WHERE YOU FELT LIKE YOU NEEDED TO TRY AND FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO DO?
A: “You know, I definitely had my doubts. I think everybody thinks that in any career, work, school, when you doubt yourself and ask yourself if you are in the right place, am I doing the right thing, is this for me. There were so many times when we came so close, there were so many times when I completely screwed up and it cost us a round win or a complete win. You just have to put it behind you and learn from it. I always try to put a positive spin on everything and I was trying to look at it in a positive way and learn from it and move on.”
Q: YOUR MOM, DAD AND COURTNEY ALL PILED ON SCOOTERS AND FLEW DOWN TO MEET YOU AT THE END, WHAT WAS THEIR REACTION?
A: “I believe Courtney was in tears, she had her sunglasses on and it was hard to tell, but she was very excited. My mom was screaming and jumping up and down and my dad actually didn’t say much for once. He was speechless and was a little emotional and I don’t even think he said anything. He gave me a hug. They were very excited for me and I was happy to have every single one of them there.”

AN INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT HIGHT, FUNNY CAR WINNER
Q: ROBERT, TALK ABOUT YOUR DAY.
A: We had a great race car the first two races so we actually felt we let a couple slip by that we actually could have won. So to come in here to get it done, and to get it done with Brittany and both of us leaving here with the points lead it doesn’t get any better. It’s been a lot of hard work and it’s finally paying off.
Q: IS THIS THE BIGGEST MOMENT OF NOT JUST YOUR CAREER BUT JOHN FORCE’S?
A: I’d say this is pretty big for John, especially with all the work we went through to get these race cars where they need to be competitive. We were definitely dejected last year. Going into the final two races of the year not even in contention for the championship, that’s pretty painful. That was motivation all winter long. To get back here is really rewarding.
Q: HOW GOOD DO YOU FEEL FOR BRITTANY GETTING THAT FIRST WIN?
A: That was really exciting, and I told her ‘the next one is going to come a lot easier.’ She said she still gets more nervous for the first round than the final. She’s been going to a lot of finals and she’s never been in the points lead. She has a great race car, great team and a great sponsor. That car is going to be right there at the end of the year.
Q: HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE HAS ALAN JOHNSON MADE?
A: It’s huge. Two final rounds in a row and doing it in dominant fashion. She’s doing a good job driving, and Allen Johnson fits into this team really well. He’s going to help all our teams and that’s what John Force Racing is all about — working together.
Q: WHAT’S IT GOIG TO BE LIKE MONDAY OR TUESDAY?
A: John is very happy. This wasn’t his day; he was dejected after his second-round loss. So to see him done at the other end was pretty awesome. We’ll celebrate tonight, but we have to go back to the shop and work really hard for Vegas so we can do it all again.
Q: THIS IS YOUR THIRD WIN AT THE GATORNATIONALS. WHAT IS IT ABOUT GAINESVILLE RACEWAY THAT BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN YOU?
A: The first five or six years I came here I don’t think I won a round. It’s funny; sometimes you just have a racetrack that you do well at and this is one of them now. I’m very fortunate to be driving for Mike Neff, and this is my second win at Gainesville with Mike Neff. This is a major race. When you look at the majors in golf, this is a major. To win a major here, the East Coast kickoff, is pretty rewarding.
Q: CAN YOU TALK ABOUT RACING AGAINST RON CAPPS?
A: When you race Ron Capps, he’s been doing this a long time and I think he’s No. 2 in Funny Car wins, he’s one of the best out here. When you go against him and win in a pedal contest, it’s pretty rewarding. As a driver, it’s fun to win those every once in awhile. You want to go out there and win low ET, but when you can win it pedaling it — especially against Ron Capps — it’s pretty awesome.
Q: DID YOU WATCH BRITTANY’S RUN?
A: On the monitor at the other end. I saw Terry McMillen having some issues and I just knew today was her day. I remember my first win, and she’ll never forget it.

AN INTERVIEW WITH GREG ANDERSON, PRO STOCK WINNER
“Definitely surprising to win on a holeshot. It was a great weekend for KB Racing. As the weekend went and we made run after run after run and Jason (Line) was absolutely the strongest car; I told myself, you know what, if you can just do your job tomorrow, and find your way to the final round, take a runner-up; go home and try to make things better for the next race. I would have been happy if we could make it an all Summit final. We did that, and somehow I found a way to steal a victory away from him.
“These races aren’t decided on paper…they are decided on the race track every time. We are human, things happen different every time on the starting line. I sure don’t understand it. I’d be the last person to say I have it figured out. I don’t understand it. I had a couple of 60s (reaction time) in prior rounds and I was kicking myself and wondered what was going on. I kind of resigned myself to the fact that I did what I had to do today, and I will get my runner-up and go home. Icing on the cake. Somehow I over achieved in the final and stole a victory from Jason. Good for me. But it is still great for KB Racing. No matter what happened there in the final round, it was still great for the team. It is a win for all of us.”
ON DOMINATING START TO THE SEASON: “The race cars are making such great runs. We are having a blast. We are really having fun. I can’t be prouder of the race team I have behind me right now. Everybody is operating at such a high level. So far so good. We’ve gotten the job done so far. We still have lots of challenges and a lot to learn with this fuel injection. It has thrown us all for a loop. I get asked 10 times a day how we got this thing so figured out. That is not the case. We don’t have it figured out. I don’t think we have scratched the surface at what we can do with this stuff. We will get better at it. We will gain on it. We feel like there is a lot more to go.
“We are three-for-three at KB Racing. I’m pretty proud of that. We’ll see if we can’t keep it going two weeks from now in Las Vegas. And we always look forward to that race. We also have the K & N Challenge coming up. That is Ken Black’s hometown. If we can roll in there and do what we have done at the last three races, that will be awesome. We are going to keep it going as long as we can. We are going to cherish it. We will celebrate tonight and then go home and go back to work.”