Monster Energy driver Brittany Force ready to keep rolling at Reading

Monster Energy driver Brittany Force
ready to keep rolling at Reading

READING, Pa. (Sept. 19) – Monster Energy driver Brittany Force is in her fifth season in a Top Fuel dragster and just started her third Countdown to the Championship.

Each year, Force has improved, finishing seventh in 2015 and sixth last season. She’s learned how to deal with the pressure of contending for a title, and she intends to put those lessons learned to good use in the NHRA Nationals this weekend at Maple Grove Raceway – the second of six Countdown races.

“Pressure plays a big role in it, and you can’t let that get to you,” Force said. “You climb in that car, and it has to be like any other run. At the end the day, you’ve got your team behind you, you’ve got your sponsors behind you. I have the best group of guys around me. They always have my back, no matter where we end up.

“What gives me confidence this team can go after a championship is the team itself. They are the hardest-working guys I know, and I’m so proud to be teamed up with them. They never give up, they never quit, they keep pushing. Even on tough weekends when we’re down, they pull together and pick me up when I’ve screwed up. They’re a great team, and I’m grateful for all of them.

“Every team wants the championship, every team wants to win. The Monster team, we’re going to hang in there, never give up, keep pushing – and we’re going for the championship.”

Force moved up to fourth in the Top Fuel standings with a semifinal finish in Charlotte, and she’s only 56 points, less than three rounds, out of first. And now she heads to one of her best tracks in Maple Grove. Force has raced to two final rounds in her four races here, including a final last season. She has one No. 1 qualifier at Maple Grove and owns an 8-4 round-win record.

“I’m pumped to get to Reading,” Force said. “We’ve always had a good race car there. We’ve been No. 1 in points after there, we’ve been to finals there. Now, this year, we just need to take it a little bit further.”

If she does, it would be an impressive start to the Countdown, but Force also know her Monster Energy team needs to keep rolling.

“Not only is it important to start off strong, but also to continue being a strong team all the way to the end because there’s only six races in the Countdown, and you have to bring it every single time you go out there – every qualifying pass, every pass on race day,” Force said. “There’s no place for mistakes, and you have to bring it all the way through until the end, and that’s how you win the championship.”

Two qualifying rounds each are scheduled for Friday (2:30 p.m., 5 p.m. Eastern) and Saturday (1:30 and 4), with final eliminations slated for noon on Sunday.

Fox Sports 1 will television one hour of qualifying on Friday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern (live) and Sunday at 2 a.m. FS1 will broadcast three hours of live coverage on Sunday at 2 p.m.

4-Second Reads:
Brittany Force has competed in four races at Reading and every race since 2013, her rookie season.
Force is still looking for her first victory at Reading, though she’s been to the finals twice – in 2014 and 2016.
Force is 8-4 in 12 elimination-round races at Reading.
Force is 3-1 in four first-round matchups at Reading.
Force has one No. 1 qualifier at Reading – in 2015. She also qualified No. 2 in 2014. Her finals appearance last season came from the No. 12 position.
Force is currently fourth in the Top Fuel points standings.
In 2017, Force has one victory, a 25-18 elimination-round record, and one No. 1 qualifier. She has set the event quick elapsed time twice, and event top speed a series-high six times.
In her career, Force has four victories, 112 elimination-round wins and seven No. 1 qualifiers.
Most recent NHRA victory – 2017 New England Nationals in Epping, N.H.
Most recent No. 1 qualifying effort – 2017 NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Ill.
Best time/speed at Reading – 3.707 seconds (2015); 331.53 mph (2015 Q1)
Best time/speed of career – 3.674 seconds (2017 Topeka Q3); 333.66 mph (2017 Topeka E1)