Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force looks to Indy after Brainerd quarterfinals appearance

Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force looks
to Indy after Brainerd quarterfinals appearance

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 20) – Courtney Force and her Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS team put together a strong performance in this weekend’s NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway in which they continued to establish consistency and competed in the quarterfinals.

Force, who at one point held the track speed record this weekend and made four runs of 3.9 seconds or better, handily won her opening-round race Sunday before bowing out with a mechanical problem in the second round.

She defeated Del Worsham with a run of 3.862 seconds at a strong 334.90 mph in the first round, and earned lane choice for the second round. Against Tommy Johnson Jr. in the second round, Force got the jump at the Christmas Tree and led at the 60-foot mark.

But the car shut off shortly after, the result of a broken piston. The pan pressure in the car immediately went up and shut the car off, ending Force’s bid for her first semifinals appearance at Brainerd.

“It ended our day early, but I think if we wouldn’t have had that malfunction we definitely would have been able to get that round,” Force said. “But that’s racing and that’s the exciting part about it.”

But Force remains confident her first NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series victory of the season is right around the corner. And she’d like none more than to win the next race, the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway.

“It was a great weekend for our Advance Auto Parts team,” Force said. “Obviously, we didn’t go as far as we would have hoped. We have a lot of expectations with this car and it’s because we know we have a good car and a fast one. We qualified in the No. 4 spot going into race day and race a 3.86 right out of the gate in first round and got that win light.

“Really excited because our team did clinch a spot in the Countdown to the Championship after the last race and I feel really positive coming out of this race.”

Force and the rest of the John Force Racing team will compete in two days of testing this Wednesday and Thursday at Lucas Oil Raceway in preparation for the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals.

4-Second Reads:
Best Qualifying Result: 3.863 seconds/335.98 mph (Round 1, Qualified No. 4)
Elimination Round 1 (Left Lane): 3.862 seconds/334.90 mph, def. No. 13 Del Worsham, 4.808 seconds/195.11 mph; strong pass and fourth fastest speed of career; vs. Worsham – now 8-10 all-time; 1-0 this season; 1-1 at Brainerd
Elimination Round 2 (Quarterfinals, Left Lane): 8.099 seconds/84.74 mph, lost to No. 5 Tommy Johnson Jr., 3.938 seconds/304.80 mph; car went about 80 feet and quit, then coasted to finish; vs. Johnson – now 9-7 all-time; 1-1 this season; 1-1 at Brainerd
Now 149-127 (276 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds (.540)
Now 25-17 (42 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds after qualifying No. 4 (.595)
Now 4-6 (10 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds at Brainerd International Raceway (.400)
Now 18-16 (34 rounds) this season in elimination rounds (.529)
Funny Car Point Standings: 1. Ron Capps 1,383; 2. Robert Hight 1,247; 3. Matt Hagan 1,214; 4. Tommy Johnson Jr. 1,180; 5. Jack Beckman 1,160; 6. Courtney Force 1,012; 7. John Force 954.