Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force secures No. 2 qualifying spot for NHRA New England Nationals

EPPING, N.H. (June 3) – Courtney Force earned the No. 2 qualifying position for the second consecutive NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series race in the Funny Car class, standing on Friday’s qualifying efforts for Sunday’s New England Nationals at New England Dragway.

Force, driving the Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS, ran a pass of 3.842 seconds at 331.53 mph in Friday’s initial session. But that car was destroyed moments after crossing the finish line, the engine exploding due to a leak in the fuel line. She exited the car unscathed.

Force’s Advance Auto Parts crew prepared a spare car for her, which she drove for her other qualifying effort Friday and both sessions Saturday. But she was unable to put together a full pass in those three attempts. The right-front brake locked up in Friday’s second attempt following her burnout, and she did not make the pass.

She broke loose in Saturday’s first session, and tire shake forced her to shut the car off early in the final attempt. Teammate Robert Hight, in the AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS, took the top spot, a career-best 3.822-second pass at 336.74 mph.

Though she has not made a full pass in the spare car this weekend, she remains confident that she can win Sunday’s race. And, the No. 2 spot marks her best start in five races at New England Dragway.

“Starting No. 2 is great for my Advance Auto Parts team,” Force said. “I’m really proud of my guys; they had to put together this spare car, bring it out, and run it. It may not have run the two or three best runs we had hoped for, but just the fact that it’s put together, it’s there – we’ll figure it out and get it ready for Sunday.”

Force is a former winner at New England Dragway, having won the inaugural race in the Funny Car class in 2013. She will race No. 15 Jim Campbell in Sunday’s opening matchup. Force is 1-2 against Campbell this season, having fallen in each of their last two matchups.

“It’s a matter of getting it right, figuring out this race track which is a little tricky, but we have some good conditions, and if the rain holds off, I think you’ll see a fast hot rod,” Force said. “I’m excited being in that No. 2 spot, proud of my guys, and looking forward to tomorrow. Hopefully it will be a better day, and we can get that race car down to the other end.”

Sunday’s NHRA New England Dragway begins at 11 a.m. Eastern. Fox Sports 1 will provide three hours of live finals coverage starting at 4 p.m. Eastern.
4-Second Reads:

Qualifying Round 1 (Left Lane): 3.842 sec./331.53 mph; best run of the weekend but car exploded after crossing finish line
Qualifying Round 2 (Right Lane): No Time; car veered toward wall after right-front brake locked up
Qualifying Round 3 (Left Lane): 9.282 sec./75.30 mph; car got loose about 300 feet down track and wiggled back and forth before she let off throttle
Qualifying Round 4 (Right Lane): 7.789 sec./83.42 mph; shook rear tires and shut car off
This is the third time this year Force has qualified No. 2; she was also No. 2 at Phoenix, and the last race at Topeka.
Force has now qualified No. 2 on 15 occasions – the most of any qualifying position in her career – and has made it to the finals twice. She has 19 round wins in 33 elimination rounds, and is still seeking her first race victory from that qualifying position.
Force’s most recent victory at New England Dragway came in 2013, when she defeated her father John Force in the final round. That was the inaugural NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series race at the track.
Force’s matchup against Jim Campbell marks the seventh time the two will compete in an elimination round. Campbell won the last matchup at Gainesville. Force’s most recent victory against Campbell came in the season-opening Circle K Winternationals at Auto Club Speedway.
Force’s husband, Graham Rahal, won Saturday’s Verizon IndyCar Series race on the streets of Belle Isle in Detroit, Mich. Rahal will try to sweep the doubleheader in Sunday’s second race.