CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
NHRA SPRINGNATIONALS
ROYAL PURPLE RACEWAY IN BAYTOWN, TEXAS
POST-RACE DRIVER QUOTES
SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018
An interview with Top Fuel winner BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 2 qualifier; eighth career victory in 125th Top Fuel race; last win was at Pomona, California, in November 2017 when she wrapped up the Top Fuel title):
YOU REALLY LIKE THAT NEW CAR?
“This is our third car that I’ve run in this season. That’s a lot going on for me as a driver and the whole team. But we seem to like it. We pulled it out this weekend and didn’t test. Testing was qualifying for us. We went No. 1 Friday and went to No. 2 and won the thing, so I think we all like the car.
YOU REALLY NEEDED A WEEKEND LIKE THIS AFTER WHAT HAPPENED AT POMONA
“This is a big win for us because our season has been so up and down. Our wreck in Pomona was tough start, but it’s because of the support system I have around me – sponsors and my team – that got us here today.”
DESCRIBE THE PROCESS FROM THAT POINT
“Everything we’ve been through since Pomona. It was not easy getting back in the car, and you dream of this. This is what pushes you, what pushes your team. The Monster team has always had my back and I’ve very proud.”
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE FOUR-WIDE AT CHARLOTTE WITH MOMENTUM?
“I thought we were done with four-wides because we just did it in Vegas. We won there years ago and I love that track, and I would love to win there again.”
An interview with Pro Stock winner MATT HARTFORD, HARTFORD RACING, TOTAL SEAL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 11 qualifier; first career Pro Stock victory in 80th race; 66th different driver to win Pro Stock event and seventh to earn maiden Pro Stock win at Royal Purple Raceway; fifth different Chevrolet Pro Stock winner in five races this season):
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING RIGHT NOW?
“I’m honored to be here (in first final). I’ve had never beaten Erica, but then again I never beat (first-round opponent Chris) McGaha, I never beat Tanner (Gray, quarterfinals) and I never beat (semifinalist) Jeg (Coughlin Jr.). I have to say thank you to my crew and all the people who help me and supports me.”
DESSCRIBE WHAT REPRESENTS THIS MOMENT
“First thing I have to say is thanks to (Elite Motorsports owner) Richard Freeman. He called me and all but begged me to come out and race this year. He wants to save the class; we all want to save the class. This win is a dream come true. Everybody who is involved with this car, I can’t be here without them. They always say to be the best you have to beat the best, and that’s what I did today.”
FUNNY CAR:
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier; fell in final round): “That was a close race. We were the quickest Funny Car every session today until the final. This AAA Texas team was great all weekend on a tough race track. I am excited about the momentum we have now. Like I said coming into this race (crew chief) Jimmy (Prock) and I talked about starting our season with this race and this wasn’t the outcome we wanted but we got very close. Every round today we were focused and working together. We had a lot of teamwork before the final with guys from the Advance Auto Parts team and the PEAK team working with my guys. I am proud of the effort. This track was cool in the morning and hot in the afternoon and we got down to the finish line every time. That is quite an accomplishment under tough circumstances especially with a quick turnaround before the final.”
COURTNEY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 2 qualifier; fell in first round): “It is hard to be too down on how we did here even though we went out in the first round. We were the No. 2 qualifier and I have to give it to my team. They laid it all out there in the first round. The conditions were so good. We watched Robert (Hight) right in front of us run a killer number. We knew what the track was capable of holding. We looked at our incremental times and we were on a run as quick as Robert unfortunately our car didn’t pull through. It shook hard and I had to get off the throttle and pedal it. (Jeff) Diehl was down track about to turn on the win light and I couldn’t catch him. We gave it our best and we will be back in Charlotte going for another win this season. The Texas fans have been awesome.”
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK COOLANT & MOTOR OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (first DNQ since 2008 in Concord, N.C.): “That is hard for me. You earn what you get. We didn’t put it in the show. We couldn’t get to half track. We have had a lot of problems all year. NHRA came up with some automatic shut-off stuff for when you build pan pressure, it shuts you off. We have to stick with that. It shut the car off every run that we made this weekend. At least I got my final shot to get in and I didn’t make it.”
PRO STOCK:
ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, LUPE TORTILLA/ELITE PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 13 qualifier; fell in final round): “I want to be holding the trophy but I couldn’t be happier for Matt (Hartford). It goes to show that great horsepower and great teamwork goes a long way. My guys showed that the strong survive. We’ve had a lot of adversity the last couple of years and the entire race shop worked our tails off the last nine days to get these two (Jeg Coughlin Jr.’s car, too) ready. I’m very proud. I’m happy for Matt and they know we’re back.”
GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier; fell in semifinals): “We still have to work on our Sunday car. The last few races we’ve missed the racetrack just one round on Sunday, and it’s cost us the race. It’s really that simple. We have a great qualifying car, it’s fast, but we have to learn what it wants on Sunday when the track changes and you run behind fuel cars. We’re not making the right adjustments for it. The potential is there to run fast, we just have to make the right adjustments on Sunday.”
BO BUTNER, JIM BUTNER AUTO, JIM BUTNER AUTO GROUP CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 10 qualifier; fell in quarterfinals): “I don’t like losing to Jeg (Coughlin), and I don’t care if it’s in golf carts. Overall, we have to get our game going. We just need to do better than we have these last few races. I have to do better, and we all have to learn. We still had fun, but we’ve got some work to do.”
TANNER GRAY, GRAY MOTORSPORTS, VALVOLINE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 3 qualifier; fell in quarterfinals): “It sucks to go out early with a red light. Especially since my guys gave me a really good car in qualifying. I’m disappointed in the outcome but sometimes that’s racing. We’ll get back out there and get after it next weekend in Charlotte.”
VINCENT NOBILE, MOUNTAIN VIEW RACING, MOUNTAIN VIEW TIRE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 4 qualifier; fell in first round on holeshot to teammate Erica Enders): “It’s always tough to lose on a holeshot, especially when you come off a win and when you have a consistent car all weekend. Can’t win them all. Good news, Charlotte is next weekend and hopefully we can redeem ourselves there.”
JASON LINE, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 5 qualifier; fell in first round): “Today was just not my day. You’ll have that, and the good news is that we have another race in just a few days in Charlotte. I can tell you, I’m really looking forward to getting there and finding a little redemption.”
DREW SKILLMAN, RAY SKILLMAN MOTORSPORTS, RAY SKILLMAN AUTO GROUP CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 7 qualifier; fell in first round): “We didn’t have the weekend we were hoping for to start this three-race swing, but we’ll be back at it to prepare for the four-wide at Charlotte.”
RODGER BROGDON, BROGDON RACING, RBR MACHINE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 12 qualifier; fell in quarterfinals in first Pro Stock start since 2015): “I wouldn’t be telling the truth if I didn’t say I missed it. Racing was such a big part of my life that I figured that I would run this weekend and see how it goes and maybe run two or three more races before the year is over and make a decision on whether I want to race next year or not.”
JOHN GAYDOSH, GAYDOSH PERFORMANCE, GAYDOSH PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 14 qualifier; fell in first round): “I had a big wheelie and when I came down I made a hard turn towards the wall. Sometimes it is hard to handle and maneuver all that power off the line. Chris McGaha and his Dad Lester have been great, giving us some great attention to the Gaydosh Performance Chevrolet Camaro. Their crew chief Adam (Hornberger) has given us a great tune up to make the car go fast.”