Defending Denver winner John Force gunning for fourth consecutive final at Bandimere

Defending Denver winner John Force gunning
for fourth consecutive final at Bandimere

Photo credit: Gary Nastase and Auto Imagery
DENVER (July 18) – PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil driver John Force hopes to keep an impressive streak going in the Mile-High Nationals this weekend at Bandimere Speedway.
The Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car driver has been to three consecutive final rounds in Denver, winning last year by beating daughter Courtney Force in the final.

“Any time you can get to a final, it’s like winning the race – you just don’t get the trophy,” Force said. “But you got the exposure. We want to come back and repeat. Hope I can have two cars in the final again.”
The 2016 win gave John Force a total of seven victories at Denver, the most among Funny Car drivers and tied for most among the professional classes.
“We come off of Denver with a win last year,” Force said. “We obviously figured out how to run on the hill. I was in the final, and so was Courtney. Love going back to Denver. The Bandimeres are the greatest people. It’s God’s mountain out there.”
Denver brings plenty of challenges for NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series teams, including the nitro classes. The mile-high altitude robs engines of oxygen and therefore horsepower, making the track unique in drag racing.
That means drivers and teams have to treat Denver differently than any other track.
“A race car is just like a person,” Force said. “The high altitude and lack of air means we have to tune with compression and other stuff. You have to pace yourself on the hill because of the altitude and depending on how the heat is.”
Nitro qualifying for the Mile-High Nationals begins Friday, with two sessions at 5:30 and 8 p.m. Mountain time (televised on Fox Sports 1 at 8 p.m. Eastern). The final two sessions of nitro qualifying are scheduled Saturday for 4:30 and 7 p.m. Mountain (televised at midnight Eastern Sunday on FS1). Elimination rounds begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Mountain (three hours of live television coverage on FOX beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern).

4-Second Reads:
John Force has competed in 35 races at Bandimere Speedway. He has qualified for 34 races, and every race since 1983. The series did not compete at the track in 1988.
Force has seven victories at the track – 1994, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2011 and most recently, last year’s race. He has been to three consecutive final rounds at Bandimere and 12 finals overall.
Force is 66-27 in 93 elimination-round races at Bandimere Speedway. His 66 elimination-round wins are tied for fifth most at any track, behind Pomona, Calif. (127); Brainerd, Minn. (74); Topeka, Kan. (73); and Dallas, Texas (71). Force also has 66 elimination-round wins at Atlanta, Ga.
Force has qualified No. 1 at the track seven times – 1987, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2014 and 2015. He has won twice from the No. 1 spot – 1994 and 1996.
Force is 29-6 in 35 first-round matchups at Bandimere Speedway. The last time he failed to win a first-round matchup came in 2013. He won 16 consecutive first-round matchups between 1983 and 1999.
In the 34 races in which Force has qualified, he has only qualified outside the top half of the bracket once, when he qualified No. 10 in 2006. His most frequent qualifying effort has been No. 1 and No. 6 (seven times).
In his 91 elimination rounds, Force has faced 54 different drivers.
Force is currently seventh in Funny Car points standings. He has been as high as third in the standings earlier this season.
Force has swept the Western Swing in 1994, becoming the second driver in NHRA history to sweep the three-race swing and become the only Funny Car driver to win all three races.
In his career, Force has 148 victories and 1,276 elimination-round wins, both records. He has 155 No. 1 qualifying spots, of which 60 have resulted in victories, also both records.
Force’s most recent NHRA victory – 2017 NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.
Force’s most recent No. 1 qualifying effort – 2017 NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.
Force’s best time/speed at Denver – 3.935 seconds (2016 Q2); 320.43 mph (2016 Q2)
Force’s best time/speed of career – 3.832 seconds (2017 Gainesville); 335.15 mph (2017 Pomona 1)