Brittany Force ready to battle in Atlanta with
updated Monster Energy dragster
COMMERCE, Ga. (May 2) – Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster driver Brittany Force is eager to get to Atlanta Dragway for the NHRA Southern Nationals this weekend, ready to drive her re-tooled John Force Racing car.
Her Monster Energy team didn’t casually make its way to the north Georgia area from Charlotte – site of last weekend’s Four-Wide Nationals – this week. Instead, many on her team returned to the team’s shop in Brownsburg, Ind., to work on updates to the chassis of Force’s Monster Energy dragster.
“Atlanta is going to be tough for our guys,” Force said. “They headed back to Indianapolis on Monday morning to ‘front-half’ the car and then get it over to Atlanta for the weekend. It’s a lot of work but I know the guys can do it.”
Force’s dragster has already underdone changes during the early part of the 2017 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season. She raced to the final round in the second race, at Phoenix, but circumstances and an NHRA rules change mandated the chassis to be altered.
The changes didn’t work out as planned, so more updates were necessary as Force chases her first victory of the season. Force maintains her confidence in the team led by crew chief Brian Husen and tuning consultant Alan Johnson.
“I always appreciate my team and everything they do,” Force said. “I know we will make it happen and to bring home a win there, would make everything worth it. The good thing is that we go right into the next one which makes it a little bit easier.”
Force will be making her fifth start at Atlanta Dragway. She qualified No. 6 and advanced to the second round last season.
Two nitro qualifying sessions are slated for Friday (5 and 7:30 p.m.) and Saturday (2 and 4:30), with final eliminations slated for 11 a.m. Eastern on Sunday.
FS1 will have qualifying highlights Friday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 a.m. The network will broadcast three hours of eliminations coverage starting at 6 p.m. Eastern on Sunday.
4-Second Reads:
Brittany Force has competed in the NHRA Southern Nationals four times, all since 2013, her first race at the track.
Force has never advanced to the final round of the Southern Nationals. Her best results are two quarterfinals appearances.
Force is 2-4 in elimination rounds in the Southern Nationals.
Force’s best qualifying effort for the Southern Nationals is No. 6, in 2014 and 2016.
Force is 2-2 in first-round matchups in the Southern Nationals.
Force is currently seventh in Top Fuel points standings, down one spot from sixth from the previous race.
In her career, Force has three victories, 93 round wins, and six No. 1 qualifying spots.
Force’s most recent NHRA victory – 2016 NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn.
Force’s most recent No. 1 qualifying effort – 2016 NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Ill.
Force’s best time/speed at Atlanta – 3.765 seconds (2016 E1); 326.71 (2014 Q4)
Force’s best time/speed of career – 3.676 seconds (most recently 2017 Phoenix E1); 331.53 (2015 Reading Q1)