Semifinal finish in Mile-High Nationals a good start to Western Swing for Monster Energy’s Brittany Force
MORRISON, Colo. (July 23) – Brittany Force pushed herself and the Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster to the semifinals of the NHRA Mile-High Nationals on Sunday at Bandimere Speedway, marking a solid start to the Western Swing.
The Swing, the three-race stretch that starts with this race, continues next week at Sonoma Raceway and concludes in Seattle. It’s an important part of the 2017 season, as the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis is two races after the Swing ends – and then the Countdown to the Championship begins.
Force was a force on Sunday, beating Terry McMillen and points leader Steve Torrence before falling to eventual winner Antron Brown. Force was especially sharp on the Christmas Tree, improving her reaction times each run, culminating in a best of .057 seconds in the semis.
“Overall, a great weekend,” Force said. “We’ll move on to the next, but we’re using this weekend to motivate us all. I feel like I’m bringing my game. We’re getting ready to go into the Countdown, and I feel like we’re all in a really good place, so we just keep moving forward, keep pushing and we’ll be in the winner’s circle before we know it.”
Force has one victory this season, at Epping, N.H., and she’s solidly in the top 10 of the Top Fuel points standings. The top 10 are eligible for the Countdown, the final six races of the season that determine NHRA champions.
Force qualified No. 6 and started race day with a pass of 3.915 seconds at a slowing 255.15 mph, but that was enough to beat McMillen’s 4.672-second run at 172.54 mph.
She then ran away from Torrence in the second round, making a run of 3.806 seconds at 321.58 mph to Torrence’s 3.972-second pass at 294.56 mph.
Against Brown, Force dropped a cylinder early and slowed to a run of 4.459 seconds at 163.10 mph while Brown, the eventual race winner, sped to the final with a 3.797-second pass at 317.12 mph.
Force and her Monster Energy team return for the NHRA Sonoma Nationals next weekend at Sonoma Raceway.
4-Second Reads:
Best Qualifying Effort: 3.782 seconds/318.84 mph (Round 2, Qualified No. 6)
Elimination Round 1 (Right Lane): 3.915 seconds/255.15 mph, def. No. 11 Terry McMillen, 4.672 seconds/194.63 mph; lost a cylinder early but led the entire way and coasted to victory; vs. McMillen – 14-1 all-time; 4-0 this season; 3-0 at Denver
Elimination Round 2 (Quarterfinals, Left Lane): 3.806 seconds/321.58 mph, def. No. 3 Steve Torrence, 3.972 seconds/269.03 mph; straight down the track and into the semis as Torrence loses a cylinder early; vs. Torrence – now 4-5 all-time; 1-3 this season; 1-0 at Denver
Elimination Round 3 (Semifinals, Right Lane): 4.459 seconds/163.10 mph, lost to No. 7 Antron Brown, 3.797 seconds/317.12 mph; lost a cylinder early and coasted down the track; vs. Brown – now 4-10 all-time; 2-2 this season; 0-1 at Denver
Now 106-102 (208 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds (.510)
Now 9-8 (17 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds after qualifying No. 6 (.529)
Now 9-5 (14 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds at Bandimere Speedway (.643)
Now 19-13 (32 rounds) this season in elimination rounds (.594)
Top Fuel Points Standings: 1. Steve Torrence 1,253; 2. Antron Brown 1,199; 3. Leah Pritchett, 1,183; 4. Tony Schumacher 974; 5. Doug Kalitta 873; 6. Brittany Force, 871.