J. FORCE, B. FORCE LEAD JFR INTO RACE DAY IN NEW ENGLAND
EPPING, NH – The quartet of John Force Racing race cars put on a tremendous show for the sold-out crowd at New England Dragway today on the final day of qualifying for the 4th annual NHRA New England Nationals. Defending event winner John Force held onto the No. 4 qualifying position while Robert Hight and the AAA Insurance Chevrolet Camaro raced into the show and will face No. 8 qualifier Courtney Force in an epic intra-team race in the first round. Brittany Force and the Monster Energy Top Fuel team continued to post quick times and will race Todd Paton from the No. 3 qualifier position.
The Monster Energy team will bring a consistent race car to the starting line tomorrow looking for their third win of the season. Brittany Force made the second quickest run of the final qualifying session, a solid 3.744 second run. The fourth year pro will face Todd Paton in the first round for the first time in her career. The No. 3 starting position will be Force’s best start at the New England Nationals (was No. 4 in 2014).
“It feels good to come into Epping and qualify No. 3. We made some solid runs down the track with this Monster Energy dragster. I think we have a pretty good ladder tomorrow. We’ll just take it one round at a time and see what we can do,” said Force.
Last year Force raced to the semifinals from the No. 10 qualifying position and was ousted in a close race by Larry Dixon Jr.
While Brittany was holding onto her strong qualifying position in Top Fuel Robert Hight and the AAA Insurance Chevrolet Camaro were making their presence known for the first time with their new 2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car. After two lackluster runs on Friday Hight and his team blasted into the field with a 3.929 second run that wound up as the second quickest of the first session today.
In the second session Hight stepped up even more and posted a 3.919 second run at 329.26 mph and moved up into the No. 9 spot. Unfortunately, the performance improvement put him on a collision course with teammate and Funny Car points leader Courtney Force in the first round. The pair have split in their two meetings this season with Hight holding a 10-6 advantage over his Chevrolet teammate over their respective careers.
The 2009 Funny Car champion was enthusiastic about his team’s improvement and optimistic there was more room for improvement.
“This is the first day that we have gotten the new Camaro down the track. We made two really good runs. I honestly believe (crew chief) Mike Neff was looking for a little more,” said a focused Hight at the top end after the final qualifying session. “You saw the Top Fuel guys step up and we were hoping to do the same and maybe run in the 3.80s. Coming up here I was going to be racing (reigning Funny Car world champion) Del Worsham and that is no walk in the park. We are going to have to be on our game tomorrow now against Courtney. I think we will be.”
Courtney Force qualified in the No. 8 position after four sessions and will go into race day with lane choice over her opponent in the opening round. Unfortunately, Force will line up with teammate and President of John Force Racing, Robert Hight.
“Our Traxxas team is going into race day tomorrow in the No. 8 spot. It’s not exactly where we wanted to be, but we’re still in the top half and we have lane choice. Unfortunately, we have to run our teammate Robert Hight in the first round, but we’re going to see if we can get this Traxxas car ready to go,” said Force.
They are 1-1 in 2016, a result of Force losing to Hight in the 2nd round at the Winternationals and Force beating Hight in the second round two races ago in Atlanta. This is only the fourth time they have met in the opening round of eliminations, but the second time they have squared off in Epping.
“I think (my car) is running a little too slow early in the run so we’re going to have to change some things and my crew chief said he’s going to try to get it running a little quicker early on so we can get the car to the other end,” said Force.
“It’s definitely going to be a rough round for us against Robert. He’s a really great driver and I know he has a good car. We’re going to give it everything we have and just go for it. Tomorrow will be a crucial day for us keeping a hold on the points lead.”
The driver of the Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car and NHRA Funny Car points leader completed three of the last four passes down New England Dragway. Force went up in tire smoke at the hit in Q1, but followed up with a 3.915, a 3.959 and finally a 3.919. She is competing for her second victory at New England Dragway in the Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car. She won the inaugural event in 2013 when she beat her father John Force in the final round of eliminations. It was her seventh final round and third victory of her Funny Car career.
As the defending event champion John Force came into the New England Nationals with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove to himself and his competition. Two weeks ago the winningest driver in NHRA history unveiled the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car to much fanfare but on only the second pass Force brushed the guardwall and was forced to trailer his brand new racecar. The 16-time champion went immediately to the team’s shop in Brownsburg, Indiana where he stayed until he flew to New Hampshire last Thursday.
The time spent in the shop paid dividends on and off the track for the winner of 143 NHRA Funny Car national events.
“I spent a lot of time with my guys and we figured a lot out on this Camaro. I used to just come into the shop of a day and we would have to rush. That was my fault but I told my guys I would give them all the time they needed and we have a great race car now,” said an enthused Force.
Force made the quickest run of his career on Friday night 3.886 seconds at 329.75 mph, also a career best mark. To close out qualifying today Force posted the quickest run of the session a blistering 3.913 second pass beside and in front of, eventual No. 1 qualifier Ron Capps. The performance improvement had Force thanking everyone from JFR as well as all the fans who packed New England Dragway.
“Chevrolet is doing OK. It drives pretty nice especially when you don’t crash it. I am excited my guys put together a good hot rod for me. We have everybody on it from PEAK to Blue DEF, Auto Club, Traxxas and Monster Energy and we want to put on a good show,” said Force. “It ran 3.88 yesterday and ran 3.91 today. I have a racecar I can come out here and play with. We are learning about it every day and tomorrow will be exciting. What really excited me this weekend was seeing all you fans in the stands. God bless you. We love you and we need you.”
Force will begin his title defense against Bob Tasca III in the first round.