PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Funny Car driver
John Force stumbles in Epping first round

EPPING, N.H. (June 4) – For PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car driver John Force, the New England Nationals ran the gamut.

The 16-time Funny Car champion had to deal with a tough first-round loss after an uncharacteristically difficult weekend. Plus, he saw John Force Racing teammate Robert Hight fall in the first round after qualifying No. 1.

Then again, he saw daughter Courtney Force race to a runner-up finish – and then watch as daughter Brittany Force took the Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster to the winner’s circle for the first time in 2017.

The victory took his mind off, temporarily, on his own team’s struggles, but he knows it’s only a matter of time before his car is back to running well.

“What we’re learning with the car, it’s working,” Force said. “Robert was No. 1 with the AAA car, and Courtney was No. 2 with Advance Auto Parts. Brittany was No. 2 with Monster, and I’m just not there. But this is the excitement about it: I’m going to claw my way back to the top – you can count on it.”

Force and his team, led by crew chief Mike Neff and co-crew chiefs Jon Schaffer and Jason McCulloch, tested successfully last week at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. Force made the quickest pass he’s ever run, and he was confident for Epping.

But that speed mysteriously didn’t translate to Epping, as he qualified No. 13 before falling to eventual winner Matt Hagan in the first round (3.954 seconds at 330.80 mph for Hagan to 5.117 at 152.90 mph for Force).

“Not the way I wanted it – I keep saying it,” Force said. “I’ve won one race so far and I’m third in the points but I think I’m going to get knocked down here.”

He slipped to fifth in the Funny Car points standings as the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series heads to Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J., for the 10th race of the season.
4-Second Reads:

Best Qualifying Effort: 3.965 sec./323.43 mph (Round 2); Qualified No. 13
Elimination Round 1 (Right Lane): 5.117 sec./152.90 mph; lost to No. 4 Matt Hagan, 3.954 sec./330.80 mph; vs. Hagan – now 20-15 all-time; 1-1 this season; 2-1 at Epping
Force is now 11-8 this season in 19 elimination rounds.
Force is now 11-4 at New England Dragway in 15 elimination rounds.
Force is now 5-11 all-time in 16 elimination rounds from the No. 13 qualifying spot.
Force is now 1,274-551 all-time in 1,825 elimination rounds.
Funny Car Points Standings: 1. Ron Capps, 827; 2. Matt Hagan, 748; 3. Courtney Force, 564; 4. Robert Hight, 561; 5. John Force, 555.