Monster Energy driver Brittany Force
looking to repeat in Brainerd
BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 19) – Monster Energy driver Brittany Force hopes history repeats itself in the NHRA Nationals this weekend at Brainerd International Raceway.
Force qualified No. 3 in the Top Fuel class for this race a year ago and ended up in the winner’s circle. She’s qualified No. 2 for the 2017 and hopes to go back-to-back.
“Coming into this weekend, we’ve been showing how consistent we are,” Force said. “Solid passes, good times on the board, and we still feel the energy from last year here. It’s a good place for us, we have great memories from last year, and we want to repeat the past.”
Force has gone to the BIR final round for two consecutive seasons, in fact, falling in the 2015 final round to Richie Crampton. But she beat 2016 Top Fuel champion Antron Brown in the final to win here last season.
Force starts Sunday’s eliminations against No. 15 qualifier Steve Chrisman, who made a best pass of 4.845 seconds at 156.88 mph.
Force, meanwhile, has made four good runs in qualifying, topped by a great pass of 3.685 seconds at 333.16 mph in the second session on Friday night. The speed matched the third-best all-time.
“We had a great pass,” Force said. “Actually, we’ve made great passes all weekend long in qualifying. It’s gone down there every single run. We’ve put great numbers on the board, especially our run in Q2 last night when it was a little cooler.
“But the really important run was this afternoon when we made a killer pass down the race track in Q3 and put a great number on the board.”
In Q3, Force was third-quickest for the session with a pass of 3.756 seconds at 327.59 mph to earn one bonus qualifying point. She had picked up two from Friday night’s run.
“We’ve picked up some bonus points, and now we’re going to go after it on race day,” Force said. “We won here last year, and our plan is to come out and do it again this year.”
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 (Right Lane): 3.731 seconds/326.79 mph; strong pass down the middle and fastest speed ever posted at the track (No. 4 of session and No. 4 overall; no bonus points in session)
Qualifying Round 2 (Left Lane): 3.685 seconds/333.16 mph; fastest speed in track history in Top Fuel, right down the middle (No. 2 of session and No. 2 overall; two bonus points in session and two bonus points overall)
Qualifying Round 3 (Left Lane): 3.756 seconds/327.59 mph; clean shot down the middle with a little wiggle near the finish (No. 3 of session and No. 2 overall; one bonus point in session and three bonus points overall)
Qualifying Round 4 (Right Lane): 3.834 seconds/283.91 mph; strong run until top end when engine went silent (No. 6 of session and No. 2 overall; no bonus points in session and three bonus points overall)
This marks the fourth time this season and sixth time in her career Force has qualified No. 2. The last time Force qualified No. 2 was in July at Sonoma Raceway in California. She is looking for her second career victory and third career final round from the No. 2 position.
Force has a record of 12-4 in 16 elimination rounds from No. 2. She has also won all five of her first-round matchups after qualifying No. 2.
This marks the first time Force has qualified No. 2 at Brainerd International Raceway, and a career-best. Her previous best at Brainerd was No. 3, which she qualified ahead of last year’s victory.
Force’s first-round matchup against Steven Chrisman marks the third time the two will compete against each other, with the previous two matchups coming this season (Epping, N.H., and Sonoma). Force is 2-0 against Chrisman, with both meetings coming in the first round.