Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force
claims No. 4 spot for Brainerd

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 19) – Courtney Force claimed the No. 4 qualifying position for the third consecutive NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car race, the NHRA Nationals on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway.

Force, seeking her first victory of the 2017 season and first at Brainerd, turned in a best qualifying pass of 3.863 seconds at 335.98 mph in Friday’s first session. The speed was temporarily the fastest in track history and the second-fastest of her career.

And she proved her team is turning the corner in terms of consistency, as the Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car earned passes of 3.923 seconds at 328.54 mph and 3.889 seconds at 333.82 mph (her fourth fastest career speed) in Saturday’s two qualifying efforts.

Force smoked the tires in Friday’s second run, the only time she did not earn a top three effort in a qualifying session this weekend, as she was pushing to matchup the qualifying efforts of John Force Racing teammate Robert Hight. Hight qualified No. 1 with an NHRA-record pass of 3.793 seconds at 338.00 mph, the first Funny Car driver to reach the 3.7-second milestone. Both marks were also track records.

“We’re feeling pretty good, and sitting in a good spot going into Sunday’s race,” said Force, sixth in Funny Car points standings. “We picked up a total of six bonus points this weekend, and that’s pretty amazing. I’m really proud of my team. I feel like we’re getting into the groove of things, and feeling really confident going into race day.”

Force has now qualified in the top four positions in Funny Car competition in 16 of 17 races this season. She’ll face No. 13 Del Worsham, who qualified with a pass of 3.979 seconds at 323.27 mph.

“He’s always a tough competitor,” Force said. “But I feel like we’ve got a consistent race car. I excited about going into race day No. 4. My guys have put together a really good hot rod this weekend.

“We had the speed record temporarily, and that was pretty cool too. But really cool to see (Auto Club of Southern California crew chief) Jimmy Prock and Robert Hight and their entire team lay down a number like that. It’s really impressive, and I’m really excited it came out of our camp. It makes our team push that much harder, and show what these Funny Cars are capable of doing. But we posted some solid speeds too, and it’s a great feeling for our team.”

Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. Central on Sunday. Television coverage begins at 1 p.m. Central on Fox Sports 1.

4-Second Reads
Qualifying Round 1 (Left Lane): 3.863 seconds/335.98 mph; sets track speed record with impressive run and career-best at the track in terms of ET (No. 3 of session and No. 3 overall; one bonus point in session)
Qualifying Round 2 (Right Lane): 5.150 seconds/142.78 mph; smoke at about the 330-foot mark and coasts to the finish (No. 15 of session and No. 4 overall; no bonus points in session and one bonus point overall)
Qualifying Round 3 (Right Lane): 3.923 seconds/328.54 mph; great run down the middle (No. 2 of session and No. 4 overall; two bonus points in session and three bonus points overall)
Qualifying Round 4 (Left Lane): 3.889 seconds/333.82 mph; strongest run of the day and fourth fastest run of her career (No. 1 of session and No. 4 overall; three bonus points in session and six bonus points overall)
This is the fifth time this season and 18th time in her career Force has qualified No. 4. She is looking for her third victory and fifth finals from the No. 4 position. Force also qualified No. 4 at Gainesville, Fla.; Bristol, Tenn.; Sonoma, Calif.; and Seattle, Wash. She has a 24-16 record in 40 elimination rounds from No. 4.
Force’s only victory from the No. 4 position came in September 2014 at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill.
This is the second time Force has qualified No. 4 at Brainerd International Raceway, tying a career-best at the track. She also qualified No. 4 at Brainerd in 2015.
Force’s first-round matchup against Del Worsham marks the first time this season and 18th time overall the two will compete against each other. Worsham holds a 10-7 advantage, including a victory in the semifinals of last year’s race, their last meeting.
Force is one of several drivers who is seeking a fan vote into the 2017 Traxxas Shootout, scheduled during the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals weekend at Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Ind. Fan voting begins Sunday following the NHRA Nationals in Brainerd.