CHEVROLET AT BRISTOL
What:
NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
When:
Friday, June 16-Sunday, June 18
Where:
Bristol Dragway at Bristol, Tennessee
TV:
FS1: Eliminations and finals – 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday
FS1: Qualifications – 11 p.m. ET Saturday
Chevrolet Drivers Take Aim at Winner’s Circle as Father’s Day Present
Team Chevy Carries Momentum in the 17th NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
DETROIT (June 14, 2017) – Father’s Day at Bristol Dragway for the Force and Gray families will start with a morning track walk and talk, hugs and handshakes, and memories recounted. Then, as noon eliminations approach, it’s every man and woman for themselves. Have a great day, Dad.
The Team Chevy drivers will compete – potentially against family members in Funny Car and Pro Stock – in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Thunder Valley Nationals at the bucolic and fast racetrack in Tennessee. It’s the third of four consecutive weekends of racing and the 11th of 24 events on the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series calendar.
Courtney and Brittany Force enter the 17th annual event with momentum from semifinal appearances last week at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, in Funny Car and Top Fuel, respectively. The previous week, at Epping, New Hampshire, Brittany Force claimed her first victory of the season in the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster, while Courtney Force was runner-up for the second time this season.
“Being able to race against my dad on Father’s Day weekend is something that I really look forward to,” said Courtney Force, whose Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS has secured the No. 1 or 2 Funny Car qualifier spot the past seven races. “Hopefully, we can give him Sunday off – that’s always the goal coming out to Bristol, to give dad the day off for Father’s Day. We’ll see what we can do.”
John Force, the 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion, is aiming to surpass 1,275 round victories this weekend in the PEAK Coolant & Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS and record his fifth career victory at Bristol Dragway.
“I don’t feel bad – he’s got plenty of Wallys, so he’s fine,” Courtney Force added. “Honestly, he’s taught me everything I know in a Funny Car, and I have fun when I’m in the lane next to him competing against him. I try to mess with him, but literally nothing breaks that guy down. I can’t screw him up, even if I try. We have fun with it.”
Tanner Gray has faced off against his father, Shane, twice in elimination rounds through the initial 10 races of his Pro Stock career. Before that prospect arises again Sunday, the family will recognize the third-generation drag racer during a pre-race high school graduation ceremony.
“I am excited to get to share my personal achievement with my friends, family, and fans,” said the 18-year-old Gray, who has won twice in the Gray Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro SS to pace the NHRA rookie of the year candidates. “I have great memories at Thunder Valley Dragway since I was little getting to watch my dad race. I am looking forward to making my own on track memories this weekend.”
Shane Gray (Gray Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro SS), who won at Gainesville and holds the Bristol Dragway elapsed time record, returns after taking off the past three events to concentrate on his son’s progress.
Chevrolet drivers have won every Pro Stock race this season. Greg Anderson (Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS) defeated Vincent Nobile (Mountain View Tire Chevrolet Camaro SS) in the final at Englishtown to move into second place in the standings to KB Racing teammate Bo Butner (Butner Auto Sales Chevrolet Camaro SS). It was the 88th career Pro Stock national victory for Anderson, a four-time champion.
FOX Sports 1 will telecast taped qualifications at 8 p.m. ET Friday and 11 p.m. Saturday, along with eliminations and finals at 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday.
Greg Stanfield of Bossier City, Louisiana, will drive his Chevrolet COPO Camaro in Super Stock. Competing in Stock Eliminator in their Chevrolet COPO Camaros will be Jeff Strickland of Red Bay, Alabama, Robin Lawrence of Rockfield, Kentucky, Darren Poole-Adams of Shelby, North Carolina, AJ Currie of Godwin, North Carolina, and Richard Bierie of Acworth, Georgia.
CHEVROLET RACING ENGINEERING PREVIEW
ROGER ALLEN, CHEVROLET RACING NHRA PROGRAM MANAGER: “It’s on to the third consecutive week of racing for Team Chevy teams and drivers, with the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals on the docket and the annual event at Norwalk the following week marking the halfway point of the 24-race schedule. It was a successful event for Chevrolet last weekend at Englishtown, New Jersey, with Greg Anderson earning his record eighth Pro Stock victory at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park by holding off local favorite Vincent Nobile in an all-Chevy final, Courtney Force and Robert Hight of John Force Racing qualifying 1 and 2, respectively, in Funny Car and advancing to the semifinals, and Brittany Force reaching the Top Fuel semifinals a week after winning in New Hampshire. With such momentum, we’re excited for the immediate future of all the Chevrolet teams in the three pro classes.”
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL:
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET TOP FUEL DRAGSTER (winner at New Hampshire; runner-up at Phoenix; set career best for ET and speed at Topeka; semifinalist at Englishtown): “Bristol is one of my favorite racetracks – Thunder Valley. It’s a Bruton Smith track, and it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s a race that I want to win, it’s a race I will win one of these days. I’d love to do it this year on Father’s Day. I’ve always liked back-to-back races. For me, it makes me feel more comfortable. Taking a weekend off or two weekends off, you kind of have to find your way back into it. Four in a row, I’m pumped for it, I’m ready for it. It helps me stay on my toes, and the momentum just carries over. You have that hype, that energy from the last week. For me, I like four in a row. I’m not out of the seat long, and it’s something I’ve always liked. Not just me as a driver, but the whole team. It keeps us moving forward.”
FUNNY CAR:
COURTNEY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 or 2 qualifier the past seven races; two-time runner-up this season; fourth in point standings): “The atmosphere, the fans are amazing. Everything around the track: the restaurants, the town, I always love coming here. This is one of my favorite races to come to. This is a track you’re going to see these cars running national ET records on, and that’s really exciting for us as a team. And for me as a driver, it’s always exciting to be able to come out to a track like that.”
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK COOLANT & MOTOR OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (won at Gainesville this season; has 1,274 career round victories; four-time winner at Bristol): “In my early days, I spent a lot of Father’s Days on the road. Couldn’t get home to them, and I didn’t have the money – I was driving the 18-wheeler. To be with kids that I’ve missed so much and to race with them, life’s good for me. I’m getting beat up on that racetrack. But they beat me up 40 years ago and then I beat them up. They beat me up the first 10 years, and I dominated for 20, and now I’m getting my butt kicked. That’s what makes it exciting. I know where I came from and I’ll get back in the fight sooner or later.”
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 or 2 qualifier the past two races; semifinalist at Englishtown): “Four round wins every weekend is what our goal is. It’s all we’re thinking. You can do that from the No. 16 qualifier or you can do it from No. 1. The No. 1 qualifier, running quick, is nice – we do like getting those bonus points because when you get to the Countdown, every point counts. Going down the track four rounds in qualifying is important, and gives you confidence. But at the same time, getting those bonus points is key, because that could be a round and a half.”
PRO STOCK:
BO BUTNER, JIM BUTNER AUTO, BUTNER AUTO SALES CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (has won twice and been runner-up once this season; three-time No. 1 qualifier; sits atop point standings; holds track speed record, set in 2016): “I love racing at Bristol. It’s a whole different feeling there than anywhere else on the tour. It’s an awesome racetrack, and it’s beautiful – but it can be tricky, too, depending on if it’s hot or the air is wet or whatever it might be. But I just love that place. I haven’t had a lot of success in Pro Stock there, but we need to change that. The main thing is that we need to get one more guy up there to No. 3 in the points, then KB Racing will be 1-2-3 again. That’s how we want to go into the Countdown (to the Championship playoffs)], and it doesn’t matter who is in which spot – we just need all three up there.”
GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (won at Englishtown for second victory of season and 88th of career; two-time winner and three-time runner-up at Bristol; second in point standings); competing in 415th Pro Stock event): “Coming off a win like we had in Englishtown gives you momentum. It puts a smile on your face, and that momentum and confidence is worth a lot to me. After you go through a seven-race drought, you start to lose confidence, and then it gets even more difficult to win. You need that confidence, and I have that back now. That win last week helps me a lot, and I can’t wait to get back to Bristol, where I got my first taste of victory. Bristol is only three hours from home for us, and that means you get home Sunday night and sleep in your own bed – hopefully with a Wally to snuggle up to. It’s just a cool race at a beautiful facility.”
TANNER GRAY, GRAY MOTORSPORTS, VALVOLINE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (won at Las Vegas to become youngest winner in NHRA history; also won at Topeka and runner-up at New Hampshire; third in point standings): “I have never raced at Thunder Valley Dragway in a professional race car. Last week, I had the opportunity to race a stock Chevrolet Camaro down the dragstrip and it added to the excitement that I have to drive my Pro Stock car there. Our Gray Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro SS is running consistent and I can’t thank my guys enough for the great race car that they give me weekend in and weekend out.”
JEG COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM ELITE PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time runner-up and three-time semifinalist this season; two-time No. 1 qualifier; also will drive his Chevrolet Corvette Roaster in Super Gas class): “Heading into Bristol, the team has been building some pretty good momentum. We’ve been working on a new combination we really feel is going to be pretty stellar and should perform really well between the mountains in Bristol. I feel like we caught up with them (Greg Anderson, Jason Line and Bo Butner of KB Racing) a couple of weeks ago. My car is really running on mean. We are qualifying on the pole at times, challenging for race wins, and we’ve been low ET of the round numerous times. Those things are all indicators you’ve caught up. “
JASON LINE, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning Pro Stock champion; won season opener at Pomona; two-time semifinalist; four-time No. 1 qualifier; two-time winner at Bristol, including 2016): “My family will be there, and even though I have the same incentive to win that I always have, maybe my kids will bring me a little luck this weekend. I’m hoping so, because we haven’t had a lot of good luck lately with my car. Maybe we’ll get some this weekend and put the Summit Racing Chevy Camaro in the winner’s circle. No matter what, it will be fun to have the family there, and I really like Bristol Dragway. It’s one of those really neat tracks, and of course it’s a Bruton Smith track so it’s certainly a top-notch facility. It’s very scenic, and the people there are about as nice as they get.”
ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time Pro Stock champion; won at New Hampshire this season; two-time winner at Bristol): “Bristol is my favorite track on tour and I’m not saying that because we are going there this weekend, it just is. I’ve had a lot of success there in the past and we are looking to carry our momentum from our win in Epping on through to Bristol and just do the best we can. We continue to feel like we’re on the rise. I don’t think our performance this past weekend is indicative of what we are capable of at all.”
DREW SKILLMAN, RAY SKILLMAN MOTORSPORTS, RAY SKILLMAN AUTO CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (runner-up at Phoenix; finalist at Charlotte; competing in 57th career Pro Stock event): “I always enjoy racing at Bristol. It’s a fast track and the fans are always excited to take in the action. Our up and down season continued at Englishtown, and we’re looking to hone in on the balance of the car. The hot track last Sunday (at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park) made it that much more difficult to get the car hooked up. We’re looking forward to turning things around at Bristol.”
SHANE GRAY, GRAY MOTORSPORTS, VOLVOLINE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (won at Gainesville; semifinalist at Charlotte; competing in 170th Pro Stock race; holds track ET record, set in 2014; running limited schedule this year): “I am looking forward to getting back in the car this weekend. This track feels like home. It is only two hours away from our hometown, and the environment is familiar. Our team works really hard to provide both Tanner and I with competitive race cars, and a Father’s Day win would be ideal since the whole family will be there.”
JOHN GAYDOSH JR., GAYDOSH PERFORMANCE, GAYDOSH PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (competing in his sixth Pro Stock race of the season and 77th of career; earned first round win of season at Englishtown)
VINCENT NOBILE, MOUNTAIN VIEW RACING, MOUNTAIN VIEW TIRE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (runner-up at Englishtown; semifinalist at Topeka; competing in 156th career Pro Stock event)
ALEX LAUGHLIN, LAUGHLIN RACING, GAS MONKEY ENERGY/360 WRAPS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (competing in third race of the season; earned first Pro Stock national victory at St. Louis in 2016)
WALLY STROUPE, LARRY GRAINGER CONSTRUCTION CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (competing in second Pro Stock race of the season and third in his career; was No. 16 qualifier at Atlanta)