Courtney Force confident Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet team can find some luck in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (March 28) – Courtney Force has shown plenty of speed from her Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car through three races of the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.
But the drag racing superstar hopes that can translate into some consistency, beginning with the NHRA Nationals this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Force has qualified second, third and fourth in the first three races this season, and she went to the final round of the season-opener at Pomona, Calif. But first-round defeats in Phoenix and Gainesville has her and her Advance Auto Parts team determined to bounce back.
“Our Advance Auto Parts team is looking forward to going out to Vegas,” Force said. “Obviously, we’ve struggled the last couple races and had a rough start, heading out on in the first round of eliminations. I know our team is better than that, and I know we have a car that can out-run these other guys.”
Force opened 2017 by making a pass under the national ET record during Nitro Spring Training. That speed continued into Pomona, as crew chief Daniel Hood, co-crew chief Ronnie Thompson and the rest of the team have given Force a fast Camaro.

“I’m really excited to get back to a track where we’re really familiar with and have had previous success at before,” Force said. “Can’t wait to get out there and hopefully get this race car figured out and make it more consistent so we can make go some rounds on race day.”
Force has been to the final round in Las Vegas three times, all in the fall race here. She lost to her father John Force in the fall race last year.
Courtney Force knows she has a race car capable of getting back to a Vegas final.
“We’re looking at it, wondering what kind of changes we need to make going in to Vegas,” Force said. “Something needs to change, but I’ve got the right team that knows how to do it. With Dan Hood and Ronnie Thompson and all my guys, we know what this car is capable of doing. We saw it in the off-season. We’ve just got to get it back there.”
Fox Sports 1 will televise three hours of live finals coverage, beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern on Sunday.

4-Second Reads:

Courtney Force has competed in the spring race at Las Vegas five times, and every year since 2012, the first year she competed in the event.
Force advanced to the final round of the spring race at Las Vegas in 2013, and finished second behind winner Cruz Pedregon. Overall, she has advanced to a final round at Las Vegas three times, but has never won (twice lost to father John Force in fall races).
Force’s record in elimination rounds in the spring race is 5-5 and overall at Las Vegas is 14-10.
Force qualified No. 1 in the spring race at Las Vegas in 2014, her only top qualifying effort at the track.
Force is 3-2 in first-round Las Vegas spring race matchups.
In her career, Force has eight victories and 134 round wins.
Force is currently fifth in the Funny Car points standings, down two spots from third from the previous race.
Force is two rounds away from 250 elimination rounds in her career.
Force’s best time/speed at Las Vegas – 3.880 seconds (2016 #2 E3); 327.82 mph (2016 #2 E1)
Force’s best time/speed of career – 3.838 seconds (2017 Phoenix Q1); 333.49 (2017 Gainesville Q4)
Force will attend a media day luncheon Thursday in Las Vegas to promote the race. Interested media should contact NHRA Communications at 626-914-4761 for more information, including time/location.
Force, along with father John and sister Brittany, will attend the NHRA Fanfest autograph session Thursday evening at the New York New York Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. The Fanfest is located on the Brooklyn Bridge Plaza.