63rd Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals notebook
Team Chevy drivers start strong; John Force Racing aims for Traxxas Nitro Shootout wins
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 1, 2017) – Chevrolet drivers made strong statements in the initial Funny Car, Top Fuel, and Pro Stock qualification session for the 63rd Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.
John Force Racing Funny Car drivers hold the provisional Nos. 2, 3 and 4 positions, while 18-year-old Tanner Gray is the provisional No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock. Brittany Force sits No. 12 in Top Fuel.
Robert Hight, who recently set the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Funny Car national elapsed time and speed records on the “western swing,” had a pass of 3.827 seconds in the Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS to hold the No. 2 spot.
“We were hoping for a lot better run, actually. It’s kind of funny when you’re upset about a 3.82 and being second, but we’ve been spoiled lately. We’ve been low ET and running No. 1. Luckily, we get another shot at a night session. Look out tomorrow night. It’s going to be good conditions again and we’re going to try to break that 340 mph barrier.”
Courtney Force (Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS) was third at 3.847 seconds, while John Force (PEAK Coolant & Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS) was fourth at 3.849.
Gray, who has won two of the past three Pro Stock races and has been the No. 1 qualifier in the past two events, checked in as the provisional No. 1 qualifier with a pass of 6.566 seconds at 209.88 mph in the Gray Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro SS.
Gray, a first-year Pro Stock driver, leads the class with four victories and is second in the standings.
“I don’t really feel any pressure,” he said. “I always take it race by race, and obviously this is a very big drag race. But, in my mind, I try to keep it simple and think it’s just another drag race. When you get caught up in it being the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, that’s when you make mistakes.”
Greg Anderson (Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS), a six-time winner of the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, was second at 6.568 seconds. Drew Skillman, who has won three of the past five races in the Ray Skillman Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro SS, was third-quick at 6.571 seconds, and class points leader Bo Butner (Jim Butner Auto Chevrolet Camaro SS) was fourth at 6.572.
Additional qualifying sessions for all three professional classes are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, with eliminations and finals on Monday.
John Force Racing aims for additional Traxxas Nitro Shootout wins
All four John Force Racing drivers will compete in the two divisions of the $100,000-to-win Traxxas Nitro Shootout.
Courtney Force will be joined in the Funny Car event Sunday by Hight and John Force. She defeated Hight to win the event in 2016.
Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster, will compete in the Top Fuel event Saturday. Drivers also will make qualifying runs intermixed with Traxxas Nitro Shootout elimination rounds.
“It’s tough,” Brittany Force said. “There’s so much going on. It’s doing one thing at a time and catching your breath in between. When you strap in that race car, you put everything out of your mind and focus on doing your job.”
Chevrolet COPO Camaros grab top two qualifying spots
David Barton of Robesonia, Pennsylvania, recorded an elapsed time of 8.109 seconds in his 2017 Chevrolet COPO Camaro to lead all qualifiers for the SAM Tech NHR Factory Stock Showdown.
Stephen Bell of Shreveport, Louisiana, registered the top speed of 168.39 mph in his ’15 Chevrolet COPO Camaro and was the No. 2 qualifier at 8.126 seconds. Eight COPO Camaros qualified for the 16-car field, including two-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders.
Barton won the first event of the five-race School of Automotive Machinists and Technology (SAM Tech) series in March at Gainesville Raceway in Florida. Peter Gasko Jr., 19, a student at Cornell University, won the second event in his ’17 COPO Camaro at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina, in May.
The first round of eliminations is scheduled for noon Sunday. The final is scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday.
Part-time racer McGaha still in Countdown qualifying contention
The stars aligned last year for Chris McGaha at Lucas Oil Raceway when he won the Pro Stock competition in his Harlow Sammons of Odessa Chevrolet Camaro SS on the fifth anniversary of his Pro Stock debut.
“Winning Indy last season was a huge confidence booster to our season and I’m hoping this year is the same,” McGaha said. “We haven’t run a full season this year but it’s nice to know our performance while we were out there has been good enough to keep us in the top ten going into this weekend.”
McGaha is No. 10 in points, with the top 10 qualifying for the six-race Countdown to the Championship, despite competing in 13 of the 18 regular-season races.