Monster Energy driver Brittany Force looks ahead
to next race after Pomona exit

POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 12) – Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster driver Brittany Force turns her attention to the next race on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule after racing to the second round of the Circle K NHRA Winternationals on Sunday at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

Force did earn the first Winternationals round win over her career, as she had lost in the first round in her four previous season-opening races here. But she overpowered the famed Pomona track in the second round and dropped the race against Tony Schumacher.

“No, not the start we were looking for at the first event,” Force said. “We know that the championship starts here and we wanted to go as many rounds as possible and pick up some points. We lost a qualifying round (Friday) and smoked the tires there in the second round, so that’s not what we wanted. We just have to get re-focused for Phoenix now.”

Force entered the 2017 season with strong momentum after winning three races and finishing sixth in the points a year ago in the best season of her young career. She qualified No. 4 here and made a solid 3.726-second pass at 322.19 mph to knock out Terry Haddock, who faded to a run of 4.619 seconds at 169.55 mph.

But Force’s Monster Energy car lit up the tires early in her second-round race, and she slowed to a pass of 9.544 seconds at 75.26 mph. Schumacher, meanwhile, made a run of 3.697 seconds at 325.53 mph to get the win.

Force and her John Force Racing team head east for the NHRA Arizona Nationals on Feb. 24-26 at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Ariz.

“We know from the recent test and the race last year that our Monster Energy Chevrolet can run good at Phoenix,” Force said. “So our team is turning our attention there. After that we go to Gainesville where we got our first win, so we have some good tracks coming up where we can build some momentum.”