Monster Energy driver Brittany Force jumps to
fourth in points with semifinal finish in Charlotte
CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 17) – Monster Energy driver Brittany Force surged into the top five of the NHRA Top Fuel points standings with a semifinal finish in the NHRA Carolina Nationals on Sunday at zMax Dragway.
Force jumped up two spots to fourth in the Top Fuel standings with the impressive performance in the opening race of the six-race Countdown to the Championship. She’s less than a round out of third and less than three rounds – 56 points – behind points leader and Charlotte winner Doug Kalitta.
“It’s a really good start to the Countdown,” Force said. “We came in sixth in points and moved all the way up to four and went to the semifinals. Pretty good day for us.”
Force continued a summer surge with the Monster Energy car, as she has one victory, five semifinal appearances and an 18-10 round record since the start of June – a span of 11 races.
In Charlotte, Force qualified No. 6 and was quickest in the final qualifying session on Saturday. She continued that momentum into Sunday, beating No. 11 qualifier Pat Dakin in the first round with a solid run of 3.751 seconds at 327.90 mph.
She then faced upset-minded Wayne Newby, who had beaten No. 3 qualifier Leah Pritchett in the first round. But Force and her team were up to the task. Force left first with a .066-second reaction time and then neat Newby on the race track: 3.791 seconds at 316.52 mph to 3.824 seconds at 314.75 mph.
In the semifinals, Force made her slowest run of the day, 3.859 seconds at 312.71 mph, and dropped a close race to Richie Crampton. Crampton blew up in the lights, but his pass of 3.809 seconds at 308.28 mph was enough to advance to the final.
“We take each run and everyone seriously,” Force said. “You have to have your game face on. You have to bring it every single run because there’s no easy team to beat. That last one was a struggle for us. We’ll pick up and go to the next one.”
Force and her team race again this weekend in the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa.
“Our car was running pretty consistent, especially in the heat,” Force said. “We have a great team around us, and we’re going for more wins and going for the championship.”
4-Second Reads
Best Qualifying Result: 3.749 seconds/329.18 mph (Round 2, Qualified No. 6)
Elimination Round 1 (Right Lane): 3.751 seconds/327.90 mph (RT – .082 seconds), def. No. 11 Pat Dakin, 3.866 seconds/314.39 mph (RT – .067 seconds); second off the line but took the lead by 60-feet mark and increased gap at every increment to take victory; vs. Dakin – now 5-2 all-time; 2-0 this season; 1-0 at Charlotte (four consecutive victories vs. Dakin, all in the first round)
Elimination Round 2 (Right Lane): 3.791 seconds/316.52 mph (RT – .066 seconds), def. No. 14 Wayne Newby, 3.824 seconds/314.75 mph (RT – .068 seconds); got the starting advantage and never trailed, winning by about 16 feet, or about half a car; vs. Newby – now 1-0 all-time; 1-0 this season; 1-0 at Charlotte
Elimination Round 3 (Left Lane): 3.859 seconds/312.71 mph (RT – .082 seconds), lost to No. 7 Richie Crampton, 3.809 seconds/308.28 mph (RT – .069 seconds); Force fell behind at the start and couldn’t catch up, falling about 30 feet short of the win; vs. Crampton – now 4-9 all-time; 0-1 this season; 0-1 all-time
Now 112-107 (219 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds (.511)
Now 12-10 (22 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds after qualifying No. 6 (.545)
Now 8-9 (17 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds at Indianapolis (.471)
Now 25-18 (43 rounds) this season in elimination rounds (.581)