Brittany Force, Monster Energy team hope to keep momentum rolling at New England Dragway
EPPING, N.H. (May 31) – Brittany Force heads into this weekend’s NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway upbeat and ready to win. And she feels recent achievements have established positive momentum necessary for success in the “Eastern Swing,” a string of four consecutive race weekends that includes stops in Epping; Englishtown, N.J.; Bristol, Tenn.; and Norwalk, Ohio.
Force, driver of the Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster, pulled off her career-best elapsed time (3.674 seconds) and speed (333.66 mph) in the last event – the NHRA Menards Heartland Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka in Kansas. Her crew discovered an issue with the clutch before the race weekend and made the fix, giving Force a car which she now feels capable of winning.
“We’ve definitely turned the corner and we’re right there, right on the edge of getting into winner’s circle,” Force said. “I’m excited for four in a row; I feel like the whole team, and me as a driver, are right there, and we can establish some momentum going race weekend after race weekend after race weekend. We’re ready to win.”
Force is seeking to win her first race of the season and first at the New Hampshire track. Her best appearance came in 2015, where she made it to the semifinals before falling to Larry Dixon. She qualified No. 3, a career-best at the track, last season, but fell in an upset to Todd Paton. The plus side –the inaugural race came during her rookie season, so she’s never missed a race at the track. And since the track is still fairly new to the NHRA schedule, she feels no one really has a distinct advantage.
“Everyone is still really on the same playing field,” Force said. “Everyone has been down the track the same number of times in qualifying, so that gives teams, especially teams like ours, a little advantage.”
The New England Nationals kicks off Friday with two qualifying sessions (5 and 7:30 p.m. Eastern), the second session to be televised live on Fox Sports 1. Qualifying continues Saturday with two more rounds (noon and 4:30 p.m.), with an hour of television coverage scheduled on FS1 at 12:30 a.m. Sunday.
Elimination rounds begin at 11 a.m. Sunday, with three hours of television coverage on FS1 starting at 4:30 p.m.
4-Second Reads:
Brittany Force has competed in four races at New England Dragway and every race since the inaugural event in 2013.
Force is still looking to advance to the final round of the NHRA New England Nationals. Her best showing came in 2015, when she advanced to the semifinals.
Force is 2-4 in elimination rounds at New England Dragway.
Force’s best qualifying efforts at New England Dragway came in 2016, when she qualified No. 3.
Force is 1-3 in first-round matchups at New England Dragway.
Force is currently seventh in Top Fuel points standings.
In her career, Force has three victories, 94 elimination round wins and six No. 1 qualifying spots.
Force’s most recent NHRA victory – 2016 NHRA Nationals in Brainerd.
Force’s most recent No. 1 qualifying effort – 2016 NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Chicago.
Force’s best time/speed at Epping – 3.729 seconds (2016); 327.19 (2016)
Force’s best time/speed of career – 3.674 seconds (2017 Topeka Q3); 333.66 (2017 Topeka E1)