JOHN FORCE WANT TO WRAP UP FOUR IN A ROW WITH WIN IN NORWALK
NORWALK, OH (June 22, 2016) — The Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up their first NBA championship with a historic win on Sunday night. John Force would like to start the campaign for his unprecedented 17th NHRA Funny Car championship with a win just west of Cleveland in Norwalk, Ohio. The 2014 winner of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals knows that winning now will go a long ways towards his championship aspirations.
“We want to get into the winner’s circle,” said Force, who has 143 career Funny Car victories. “That is our goal for our sponsors like PEAK Antifreeze and Advance Auto Parts. They have been on this Chevy for a couple weeks and I want to get them a win. This is a tough class and you look at all the other teams and we are bunched up pretty good.”
Earlier this season Force raced to the final round of the Carquest Arizona Nationals and he also has three semi-final finishes to his credit. The legendary driver knows that his experience combined with the youth of his Funny Car team can be a potent combination for the rest of the season.
“I have a young team led by (crew chief) Jon Schaffer and I know we are getting better every race,” Force said. “We aren’t where we want to be but I am excited to have all these young kids around me. This team is working every day to get better and so am I.”
Earlier this season John Force Racing unveiled the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car to the world during a press conference at their Brownsburg, Indiana shop. The new body was the culmination of over a year’s worth of work between Chevrolet engineers and John Force Racing fabricators and crew chiefs. Since its introduction the team has been working to maximize performance and also share information with the other JFR teams.
“So many people worked on this Chevy Camaro hot rod. It is my new “company car” and I love it. You see so much better out of it and Mike Neff, my lead Funny Car crew chief from the Auto Club team, is working with Schaffer and Danny Hood along with Ronnie Thompson to get all these Camaros running quick. Courtney (Force, daughter) should have her new car in Chicago. These Camaros are going to be great for us and I have to thank everyone at the shop and all the Chevrolet engineers for all the hard work.”
Force will be right at home racing this weekend at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park where he has been a featured entertainer for over two decades. Before the NHRA national event arrived at the Bader’s tremendous facility Force and his team were thrilling fans at match races. John Force most likely has more passes down the race track in Norwalk than any other Funny Car competitor and the Funny Car driver will use his skill and experience to return to the winner’s circle this weekend.
“I have match raced there for years and the Baders are a great family and great promoters,” Force said. “The crowds are awesome and you see how all the people at the gates and concession stands are smiling, and it is a fun place to race. I got a win here in 2014 and I am determined to get another one here.”
ROBERT HIGHT LOOKING FOR STRONG FINISH IN NORWALK
NORWALK, OH (June 22, 2016) — With track temperatures looking to soar this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Robert Hight and the Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS team are looking to get hot on the track. The 37-time Funny Car winner is looking for his second win of 2016 this weekend. The crewman turned Funny Car driver has won at least two races every season of his professional career which start in 2005.
“This sport it built on consistency and performance. We started the season with some great performance numbers and a win at the Gatornationals. We haven’t been super consistent since then but we are also looking long term at what it is going to take to win a championship. You look at the performance jump in the Funny Car class from last year to this year and it is unbelievable. Since last summer we have been resetting track records at every race,” said Hight.
Hight has been on a performance tear of his own even if the results are not showing up in the win column right now. Last weekend at Bristol Dragway Hight recorded his career quickest elapsed time, a previously considered jaw-dropping, 3.897 second pass which was quick enough to make Hight the No. 3 qualifier. Over the last four races Hight’s average best elapsed time has been 3.909 seconds which to put that in perspective a year ago would have been the quickest elapsed time in NHRA Funny Car history.
“We ran really well on Friday night and we are starting to run better in the heat. It will be hot in Norwalk which it normal. They have a really good facility and you know the Baders will pack the fans in to that track. The fact that we haven’t gone more rounds is frustrating but we aren’t discouraged because we are learning and getting better. It might not show up on the track but we are figuring things out every run,” said Hight.
The Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro is looking to add another final round appearance and its first win at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park this weekend. Hight lost to Tony Pedregon in the final round of 2008 after starting the race as the No. 1 qualifier. In the nine previous races Hight has qualified No. 3 or higher six times including three No. 1s.
“We have run really well at Norwalk in qualifying and we just need to transfer that success to race day. We also need to qualify near the top to avoid racing our teammates early. There are no easy rounds out here. Every car it seems is capable of winning races,” added Hight.
ENERGIZED BRITTANY FORCE FOCUSED FOR NORWALK
NORWALK, OH (June 22, 2016) — This season has been a whirlwind for Brittany Force and the Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster team. The most impressive stat for the fourth year pro is this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals marks just the halfway point of the season. Force picked up her first career win at any level of racing at the historic Gatornationals after 75 professional races and then two races later Force won again at the unique NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.
“Getting that first win at the Gatornationals was unbelievable. It took me 75 races and then to win again at the Four-Wide two races later was incredible. I am so proud of this entire Monster Energy team. (Top Fuel consultant) Alan Johnson and (crew chief) Brian Husen have given me a great race car and I am just trying to do my best every time I get behind the wheel,” said Force.
For Force her efforts to get better on the starting line and on the track are starting to show with win lights. The Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster is currently solidly in the No. 4 position in the Mello Yello point standings after spending four weeks at the top of the standings.
“We definitely want to stay at the top of the points. The key is we are going rounds and we are making good runs in qualifying. We have had some races where we make four great runs in qualifying and then had success on Sunday. We have had races where we have struggled in qualifying and done well on Sunday. That gives me a lot of confidence. I know we have a race car that can go rounds,” added Force.
The past two year Force has raced to the quarter-finals at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. So far this season Force only has three first round losses and she has raced to the semi-finals or beyond four times including three final round appearances.
Surprisingly Force’s strongest on track performance, a national elapsed time record setting 3.676 second run, only earned her a quarter-final finish in Topeka, Kansas earlier this season. The competition in Top Fuel has never been tougher and the 2013 NHRA Rookie of the Year is glad to be in the mix.
“There are some many strong teams out here. First round is so tough and I still get butterflies. You have to be at the top of your game for everyone. This is the end of four races in four weeks and you know everyone is tired. I like going to back to back races because it keeps me focused. Norwalk will be a lot of fun because we have so many fans there,” said Force.
HALFWAY MARK HAS COURTNEY FORCE READY FOR CHAMPIONSHIP RUN
NORWALK, OH (June 22, 2016) — Courtney Force is taking her Traxxas Chevy Camaro SS Funny Car team to the 10th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals this weekend, the 12th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. The fifth year driver is currently sitting third in the NHRA Funny car point standings at the halfway mark of the season with one victory under her belt and four semifinal appearances so far in 2016.
“I love coming out to Norwalk, OH. This is always a fun track for our team and we have had some pretty good luck here in the past. I raced on this track for the Night Under Fire events a few times and love being back here for the NHRA national event. This race really kicks off summer for everyone and is wrapping up four races in a row for us, so we are going to get our energy up and hopefully end the streak on a high note here in Norwalk,” said Force
In 2015 at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Force qualified in the No. 9 position. Despite going into the opening round without lane choice, Force dismissed Ron Capps and went on to defeat Matt Hagan and Del Worsham before falling to Jack Beckman in the final round of eliminations.
“We came so close to winning this event last year and hope we can seal the deal this time around. I think we’ve got a better race car than ever before and with the consistency the team and car has, I think it could be a great result for the Traxxas team this weekend,” said Force.
Last weekend at Bristol Dragway, the 28-year-old driver qualified in the No. 5 position and beat Dave Richards in the opening round before falling to Matt Hagan, a 4.048 ET to a 4.048 ET.
“Bristol was a tough weekend because we lost in such a close side by side race, but that only pushes me and the entire team to do better. It was definitely a tough loss when it’s that close but it motivates me to be better and get some of those points back this weekend. I loved competing in four races in a row and really hope to end it in a good position going into summer.
“More than anything I’m so proud of how far our Traxxas team has come this season and I have loved having this rhythm with my team during these back to back races. I can’t wait to see what’s to come this and what Dan Hood, Ronnie Thompson and the team have up their sleeves for Norwalk,” said Force.