Monster Energy driver Brittany Force records season-best No. 2 qualifying effort for Sunday’s New England Nationals
Photo Credit: Gary Nastase and Auto Imagery
EPPING, N.H. (June 3) – Brittany Force secured a season-best No. 2 qualifying effort in the Top Fuel class for Sunday’s NHRA New England Nationals, the ninth round of the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.
Force, driving the Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster, made a pass of 3.686 seconds at 331.36 mph in Friday’s second qualifying round, which was the quickest run in the five-year history of the track. But she was shuffled back after Saturday’s efforts, falling to the No. 2 position.
Force made a solid pass of 3.694 seconds at 328.86 mph in the fourth and final round – the quickest of the session for all 15 Top Fuel cars – but fell just short of reclaiming the top position. Still, No. 2 shows what the vast improvement the team has made, recovering from three consecutive first-round losses in late April and early May.
“I’m expecting a lot out of race day,” said Force, who is also seeking her first career victory at the New Hampshire track. “We’ve really turned this car around. We want to get the job done for Monster and our other sponsors – PEAK, Auto Club, Chevy, Advance Auto Parts. We really want to bring a win home. I think we’re that close. We had two outstanding runs and qualified No. 2, which is awesome.”
Force and her team recently made a number of significant changes to the car after finding problems with the clutch in early May. She ran her career-best time (3.674 seconds) and speed (333.66 mph) in the most recent event at Heartland Park Topeka in Kansas, which gives her confidence in gaining her first victory of the season Sunday.
She’ll line up in Sunday’s first round against Steve Chrisman, in the first-ever matchup between the two. But the name in the other lane is of Force’s least concern.
“I don’t worry about it,” said Force, seventh in the Top Fuel points standings. “It doesn’t matter who’s in the other lane next to me. I just want to win.”
The NHRA New England Nationals begins at noon Eastern Sunday. Fox Sports 1 will provide three hours of live finals coverage starting at 3 p.m. Eastern.
4-Second Reads:
Qualifying Round #1 (Right Lane): 4.819 sec./148.28 mph; smoked the tires early
Qualifying Round #2 (Left Lane): 3.686 sec./331.53 mph; best run of the weekend and both ends of the track record
Qualifying Round #3 (Right Lane): 6.467 sec./93.52 mph; smoke early and turned car off
Qualifying Round #4 (Left Lane): 3.694 sec./328.86 mph; best run of the session and another three bonus points
This marks the best qualifying effort of the season for Force. She had qualified a season-best No. 4 on four occasions earlier this season, having won all four first-round matchups.
This marks the third time in her career that Force will start from the No. 2 qualifying position. Most recently, she qualified No. 2 in last year’s second race at Charlotte She is still seeking her first career Top Fuel victory from the No. 2 qualifying position.
Force’s most recent victory came at Brainerd International Raceway, when she qualified No. 3.
This marks the best qualifying effort for Force at New England Dragway. Her previous best came last season, when she qualified No. 3.
Force’s matchup against Steve Chrisman marks the first time the two will compete against each other in an elimination round.