Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force ready
to end Western Swing on a high note in Seattle
KENT, Wash. (Aug. 1) – Funny Car star Courtney Force said she and her Advance Auto Parts team had a “turnaround weekend” in Sonoma, and now they’re looking to continue their positive momentum into the NHRA Northwest Nationals this weekend at Pacific Raceways.
Force qualified No. 4 and raced to the semifinals at Sonoma Raceway last Sunday, finding some consistency that is crucial to success on race days.
“Now we get back after it out in Seattle, a track where I have won at in the past,” Force said. “I got my rookie win there. So I’m looking forward to ending the Western Swing on a high note. We’re excited to get to a track that we are familiar with and see what we can do.”
Force earned her first career victory in Seattle in 2012, beating Cruz Pedregon, Bob Tasca III, her dad John Force and then Matt Hagan in the final round. She’s added seven other wins in her career and is now the winningest female in Funny Car history.
Force, though, is still looking for her first victory of 207 despite some superior performance during this NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season. Her Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car has six No. 1 qualifiers and reached two final rounds this year. She sits sixth in the Funny Car points standings with two races remaining before the prestigious Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis and three races before the Countdown to the Championship starts.
Seattle marks the final race of the three-race “Western Swing” that sends the NHRA into the final stretch of the season.
“I am really excited about our performance last weekend,” Force said. “I feel good about coming out of the middle part of the Western Swing by going a few rounds and picking up some more points.”
Two qualifying sessions are scheduled for Friday at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Pacific, with two more Saturday at 2 and 4:30 p.m. Final eliminations are slated to begin at 11 a.m. Pacific on Sunday.
Fox Sports 1 will provide one hour of qualifying coverage at 6 p.m. Friday Pacific and 11 p.m. Saturday. Fox will broadcast three hours of live finals coverage at 1 p.m. Pacific on Sunday.
4-Second Reads:
Courtney Force has competed in five races at Pacific Raceways and every race, since 2012, her first race at the track.
Force earned her first career Funny Car victory at Pacific Raceways in 2012. That was also her only finals appearance at the track.
Force is 6-4 in elimination rounds at Pacific Raceways, with two first-round elimination wins.
Force’s best qualifying effort at Pacific Raceways is No. 2, which she qualified in 2014.
Force is currently sixth in Funny Car points standings.
In 2017, Force has a 15-14 record in elimination rounds and six No. 1 qualifiers.
In her career, Force has eight victories, 144 elimination-round wins, and 16 No. 1 qualifiers.
Force’s most recent NHRA victory – 2016 NHRA SpringNationals in Baytown, Texas
Force’s most recent No. 1 qualifying effort – 2017 Mile-High Nationals in Morrison, Colo.
Force’s best time/speed at Seattle – 3.855 seconds (2016); 328.14 mph (2016)
Force’s best time/speed of career – 3.815 seconds (2017 Topeka Q2); 338.68 mph (2017 Topeka E1)