JFR CAMAROS QUICKEST ON SATURDAY AT SONOMA
SONOMA, CA – On Saturday the trio of John Force Racing Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Cars made the quickest runs on the final day of qualifying and Brittany Force was third quickest of the final session for Top Fuel. The conditions today should mirror race day conditions for the 29th annual Toyota Sonoma NHRA Nationals. The current quartet of JFR drivers will be looking for their 10th win at Sonoma Raceway tomorrow.
Most recent winner in the wine country Courtney Force qualified her Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS in the No. 2 spot with a 3.871 second run at 322.50 mph on Friday night and continued her qualifying success today at Sonoma Raceway. The 2014 Funny Car winner posted a 3.906 second at 323.97 mph pass in the heat of the day during the third qualifying session and wrapped up Saturday’s festivities with an impressive 3.884 second lap at 323.19 mph. Force was quickest Funny Car in both sessions today, adding six additional bonus points to her three from Friday.
“It’s always a lot of fun driving these cars because they’re so unpredictable. You never know what they’re going to do, but man, this Chevy Camaro has been flying down the race track. It’s been a lot of fun to drive for me,” said Force.
Force will match up with Gary Densham in the opening round on race day. She has raced Densham only twice in previous events, once in Seattle in 2014 and once in Pomona in 2015. She is 1-1 to the veteran driver. This is their first meeting this season. She has qualified in the No. 1, 2 or 3 positions in seven of the first 15 races this season and sits No. 2 in the Mello Yello Funny Car point standings.
“Being up on the line and having The Snake (Hall of Fame Funny Car driver Don Prudhomme) come under my hood of my Funny Car and give me a thumbs up, that is the coolest feeling as a driver. I got thrown off a little bit, but it’s awesome and it pumps me up even more to get a solid pass. To get those three points is huge for us right now so we’re just hoping to keep creeping up that ladder,” said Force.
Force’s teammate and JFR president Robert Hight was equally as dominant in the final qualifying session on Saturday. The Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car made the second quickest run of the day in the first session an ultra-quick 3.913 second run which earned the 2008 Toyota Sonoma Nationals winner two qualifying bonus points.
After the run Hight was fired up with his team’s performance on a hot race track. Hight is also looking for his second Toyota Sonoma Nationals win tomorrow. In 2008 Hight defeated Gary Densham in the final.
“That was a nice perfect run for this Auto Club Camaro. I was able to launch straight and that made a big difference. We have been making runs and not going straight but that run there was perfect. Great job by the guys. I love always coming to Sonoma and I have been to every single race here either as a fan, a crew member or as a driver,” said Hight.
John Force made a switch on Saturday that brought the “magic” back to his PEAK Chevrolet Camaro team. After qualifying concluded on Friday Force’s crew chief Jon Schaffer met with the most recent Mile High Nationals winner and discussed the possibility of switching back to the Realtree PEAK Camaro body for the rest of the race and possibly the last race of the Western Swing. The team was spending a disproportionate amount of time repairing the body after each run due to the stress exerted hitting speeds over 300 mph in under four seconds.
After receiving permission from the PEAK marketing team the crew brought out the camo body and proceeded to make their quickest run of the weekend in the final qualifying session. It was a strong 3.89 second run in the heat that propelled Force to the No. 6 qualifying position. The ten-time finalist and seven-time winner will face Alexis DeJoria in the first round.
“(Crew chief) Jon Schaffer is doing a really good job and working with everybody. We put the Peak/Realtree body back on it because we crashed the other Chevrolet Camaro body. We came here with Auto Club to Southern California and I am really excited about the fans in the stands. It’s unbelievable that you pack it in here for us because the race teams love you. Coca-Cola and Mello Yello, God bless you for what you do for NHRA,” said Force from the top end.
In the final Top Fuel final session Brittany Force and the Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster team jumped from the No. 10 spot to the No. 6 spot. Force crossed the finish line 3.728 seconds at 325.85 mph after she hit the throttle in her 10,000 hp Monster Energy dragster. The two-time 2016 winner was looking at starting from the bottom half of the field for the third time in four seasons at Sonoma Raceway but moved into the top half and will face T.J. Zizzo in the first round.
“It is always good to end qualifying on a good note. Tomorrow’s conditions will be very similar to this afternoon. That was an important run for us. It went right down the race track. We have T.J. Zizzo in the first round and we have never raced him before,” said Force. “Our goal will be to get that first round win and then go more rounds after that. Brian Husen and Alan Johnson have given me a great race car and I am excited to get to the race tomorrow with this Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster.”
Force has never faced Chicagoan Zizzo in eliminations and the fourth year pro has also never won at Sonoma Raceway.