B. FORCE, HIGHT MAKE MOST NOISE IN THUNDER VALLEY
BRISTOL, TN – The first day of the 16th annual Thunder Valley Nationals wrapped up with strong performances from Brittany Force’s Monster Energy Top Fuel team and Robert Hight’s Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car team. Both drivers ended the day as provisional No. 3 qualifiers and made strong early pushed to be considered favorites to win on Sunday.
The Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster made two consistently quick runs posting the third quickest run of each Top Fuel session. Brittany Force, who is No. 4 in the point standings and coming off a semifinal finish in Englishtown, knows that positive start has the fourth year pro hopeful for a long weekend.
“It definitely feels like the Monster Energy team is back. Two good runs on Friday afternoon and Friday night. They were actually awesome runs. I am looking for two more tomorrow. I feel positive about this weekend. Thunder Valley is one of my favorite tracks. The fans out here are awesome. To be able to get a win here is what I want more than anything,” said Force. “This is one of my favorite tracks on the circuit, this weekend is Father’s Day, my dad is going into the Hall of Fame there are just a number of important things going on and to be able to win at a track that is this spectacular would be awesome.”
Force opened up Friday with a 3.822 second run at 317.72 mph and she concluded the day with an even quicker 3.773 second run at 323.04 mph. Force and technical alliance partner Steve Torrence were the last two dragsters to run down Bristol Dragway on Friday and Torrence grabbed the top spot with Force right beside him at the stripe.
Robert Hight and the Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car were on the outside of the provisional top twelve heading into the second qualifying session tonight at Bristol Dragway. The 2011 Thunder Valley Nationals winner stepped up with a career quickest 3.897 second run that was a track record before Del Worsham and Ron Capps ran quicker. Hight had to settle for the No. 3 position going into Saturday.
“That was a great run for my team. We weren’t in after the first run basically because we didn’t make it down the track. We had to press tonight and try and run big numbers,” said Hight. “From where we started today, its hats off to (crew chief) Mike Neff and this Auto Club team. That was a good run for us. That was really our first big run in the new Chevrolet Camaro body. It was a night run and you could see great out of this Funny Car. We have a great race track here in Bristol.”
Since last weekend’s race Neff and the Auto Club team have been trying a few new parts and tune-ups elements. The changes are starting to show results for driver Robert Hight.
“That is what we were looking for. You want to make a good run when you are here on the mountain. Any time the track temp gets in the low 90s like it is tonight those are great conditions,” said Neff.
Due to timing system malfunction in the first round Del Worsham’s visually quick time was not recorded and NHRA decided to not award qualifying bonus points for the first qualifying session. John Force and Courtney Force were the quickest and second quickest Funny Cars of the session.
Courtney Force made two clean passes straight down the race track at Bristol Dragway to qualify her Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car in the No. 5 position. The 2012 Rookie of the Year who turns 28 on Monday opened qualifying with a 3.968 right out of the box and sat second in the 15-car field for the time being, out-qualified by only one driver, John Force with a 3.956 ET.
In the second session Force stepped up with a 3.938 second pass at 318.32 mph, but with better conditions, she settled in the No. 5 spot going into Saturday’s additional qualifying rounds. This is the first time in four races that Force has not led the Funny Car point standings. She qualified No. 7 last year at the Thunder Valley Nationals.
“We made two great passes here today at the Thunder Valley Nationals. We ran a 3.96 and were second quickest of the session right behind my dad. We came out on the second run and it was Friday night under the lights. We ran the second session in the dark and it was really cool to see those big header flames coming out of the pipes,” added Force. “I think it was really cool and exciting for the fans to see. Our Traxxas team improved on the second pass and ran 3.93 with a hole out. The conditions were excellent and that put us in the No. 5 spot going into tomorrow.”
John Force will go into Saturday as the provisional No. 8 qualifier on the strength of his 3.956 second run. The driver of the Advance Auto Parts/PEAK Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car understood why he wasn’t awarded qualifying bonus points but he was more pleased with the actual performance numbers.
“My crew chief Jon Schaffer is doing a real good job. This is a good ol’ Chevrolet with Advance Auto Parts and PEAK again this weekend. I want to do a good job for them. There are a lot of good cars coming up but I am proud of that run. I am getting inducted into the Hall of Fame which is pretty cool. Right now I have to earn it. All that stuff I have done in the past doesn’t matter. I am more concerned about where I am going,” said Force, a four-time winner the Thunder Valley Nationals.
Earlier in the day Force was joined in the pressroom by track General Manager Jerry Caldwell to talk about his upcoming induction into the Legends of Thunder Valley. Force’s name will go on the side of the suite building on Sunday.