Rough outing at Dallas has Advance Auto Parts
driver Courtney Force looking toward next race

ENNIS, Texas (Oct. 15) – Courtney Force was hoping a change in weather conditions would be helpful in taking her Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS several rounds in Sunday’s AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex.

Unfortunately, an unknown problem in the first round of eliminations put an early end to her day, as she fell to No. 11 Daniel Wilkerson after the car lost traction early in the run. She officially finished the pass at 5.842 seconds at 140.66 mph, while Wilkerson went 3.975 seconds at 317.05 mph.

The team had set the car up similar to the way it had in the previous race at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill., hoping to run something in the 3.88-range.

“Our Advance Auto Parts team had a rough race day,” said Force, the 2014 race winner. “Obviously, the conditions were a lot different from what we were used to in qualifying, and everybody knew going in that it was going to be a drastic change today. We set the car up like we had in St. Louis to run in the 80s. It should have gone through and been a good run.

“We’re not sure why it didn’t make a clean pass. We lost traction and it’s unfortunate to give that round away. We’re going to have to turn things around when we get to Vegas. We have a good race car.”

There are two rounds left in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, and Force knows there is still time to make up the points gap at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Calif.

“Hopefully, we can continue to go rounds because this championship isn’t over yet and we know that there’s points and a half when we get to Pomona,” said Force, who remains third in the Funny Car points standings.

The penultimate round of the 2017 season is the NHRA Nationals, which take place Oct. 27-29 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

4-Second Reads:
Best Qualifying Effort: 3.928 seconds/331.94 mph (Round 1, Qualified No. 6)
Elimination Round 1 (Right Lane): 5.842 seconds/140.66 mph (RT – .113 seconds), lost to No. 11 Daniel Wilkerson, 3.975 seconds/317.05 mph (RT – .117 seconds); lost traction early and couldn’t get the car to hook back up; vs. D. Wilkerson – now 0-1 all-time; 0-1 this season; 0-1 at Dallas
Now 156-132 (288 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds (.542)
Now 8-12 (20 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds after qualifying No. 6 (.400)
Now 6-5 (11 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds at St. Louis (.545)
Now 25-21 (46 rounds) this season in elimination rounds (.543)
Funny Car Points Standings: 1. Ron Capps 2495; 2. Robert Hight 2471; 3. Courtney Force 2324; 4. Jack Beckman 2309; 5. Matt Hagan 2269; 6. John Force 2252.