CHEVROLET AT BRAINERD
What: 37th Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals
When: Friday, Aug. 17-Sunday, Aug. 19
Where: Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota
TV: FS1 live qualifications, 6 p.m. ET Aug. 17
FS1 live eliminations and finals, 2 p.m. ET Aug. 19
Chevrolet Aims to Continue Momentum at Lucas Oil Nationals
Team Chevy drivers seeking consistency in penultimate regular-season race
DETROIT (Aug. 16, 2018) – Second-year Pro Stock driver Tanner Gray enters the penultimate race of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Mello Yello Drag Racing Series regular season with great memories, momentum and motivation.
Memories: Gray, driver of the Gray Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro SS, will seek to repeat his victory this weekend in the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. In 2017 at the Minnesota racetrack, the 18-year-old claimed his third No. 1 qualifier honor of the season and raced to his fourth career Pro Stock victory by defeating eventual class champion Bo Butner in the final.
Gray’s crew chief, Dave Connolly, claimed his first Pro Stock win at Brainerd and his paternal grandfather, Johnny Gray, picked up his initial Funny Car win at the racetrack.
Momentum: Gray has a class-leading four victories, with the most recent garnered at Pacific Raceways two weeks ago on the final leg of the Western Swing. He has three wins at a runner-up finish in the past seven races. Through 40 career events, Gray has nine wins and 75 elimination-round victories.
Motivation: Gray is second in the Pro Stock standings – 42 points behind four-time champion Greg Anderson (Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS — with two races left before the Countdown to the Championship. Though points are reset entering the six-race playoff, the top spot is awarded a points advantage over the other nine competitors. Anderson, who has one victory and nine low-qualifier spots, has accumulated 96 bonus points. Gray has 21 bonus points, though has yet to earn a pole position.
“I like the fans at Brainerd. They’re very passionate about racing and ‘The Zoo’ is always cool to check out,” Gray said. “The racing is tough and I think it will make for a good Countdown. We took last year as a learning experience. You have to learn all what not to do. We’re going into the Countdown a little bit more prepared this year. Everybody has the same goal in mind. It’s all about consistency.”
Chevrolet teams/drivers have posted 24 victories combined in Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock through the 16 events. Additionally, drivers of the Chevrolet COPO Camaro have recorded four Stock Eliminator wins and two victories in the SAM Tech NHRA Factory Stock Showdown.
Reigning Top Fuel champion Brittany Force, driver of the Advance Auto Parts Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster, will seek to lock in a spot in the Countdown at Brainerd, where she won in 2016 and set the track Top Fuel speed record in ‘17. Sixteen-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force, who has 11 wins at Brainerd International Raceway, is also aiming to punch a playoff ticket with a strong performance in the PEAK Coolant & Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS.
John Force Racing teammates Courtney Force (Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS) and Robert Hight (Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS) have secured playoff berths in Funny Car. Courtney Force, with four wins and 10 No. 1 qualifier honors, has a sizable points advantage, but she’s not taking anything for granted.
“I’m just feeling really good with the fact that we picked up a lot of bonus points in Seattle, we qualified in the No. 3 spot and found a lot of consistency with this race car,” said Force, who will be competing in her 160th Funny Car race. “We can move forward to Brainerd and feel good about the race car that we have. Our Chevy Camaro has been flying and we had a solid car. We’re going to turn our focus to Brainerd and head there feeling positive.”
Driving their Chevrolet COPO Camaros in Stock Eliminator competition will be Dustin Nelson of New London, Minnesota; Jeff Taylor of Sellersburg, Indiana; Marion Stephenson of Williamsport, Indiana; and Al Corda of Elk Mound, Wisconsin.
FS1 will telecast qualifications live at 6 p.m. ET Aug. 17. FS1 will telecast eliminations and finals live at 2 p.m. ET Aug. 19.
CHEVY RACING ENGINEERING OUTLOOK
ROGER ALLEN, CHEVY RACING NHRA PROGRAM MANAGER: “After a week off to regroup following the grueling Western Swing, Chevrolet teams and drivers are ready to resume competition at Brainerd International Raceway. The penultimate race of the NHRA regular season always has teams looking for momentum heading into the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals and the Countdown to the Championship. With great fans and great competition on the racetrack, the event is always exciting. We look forward to continued success from the Team Chevy stable.”
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK COOLANT & MOTOR OIL MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (reigning class champion; No. 2 qualifier and winner at Houston; No. 1 qualifier at Charlotte; No. 2 qualifier at Denver; holds track Top Fuel speed record, set in 2017): “We have two more races before the Countdown is on and we have to hang in there. We’re eighth right now, but we really have to go some rounds the next two races to make sure we’re safe in there, and then it’s time to hit it hard in that Countdown. We go into Brainerd, where we’ve had some luck. We’ve won there before and we always seem to do really well there. Maybe that will be our weekend.”
FUNNY CAR:
COURTNEY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (10-time No. 1 qualifier and winner at Phoenix, Atlanta, Topeka and Richmond; runner-up at Seattle and Norwalk; competing in 160th career race; class points leader): “This Advance Auto Parts team is ready to head back to Brainerd. With how we’re running right now, it will be a good weekend. We’ve never won there before but we’ve qualified pretty well and been able to go some rounds. We’ll be looking to get that win heading into the Indy race hoping to improve on our points lead and be ready for the Countdown.”
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning class champion; two-time winner and three-time runner-up; holds track Funny Car elapsed time and speed records, set in 2017; third in points): “It’s a great race track with great fans and usually great racing conditions. If the conditions are there, we’ll be able to run good there again this year. Ending the Swing, we’re learning still but, the good news is, the performance is there. We just need to get some more consistency. When we get it right, I feel we are going to be quicker than the rest of them. We went to Norwalk this past weekend for Night Under Fire and got to do some testing, some learning. That’s how you get better. We’ll roll into Brainerd ready to put a win on the board before we get to Indy.”
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK COOLANT & MOTOR OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (has 1,305 round wins and 149 class victories; 11-time winner at track): “We’ve got a young team with (crew chiefs) Jon Schaffer, Ronnie Thompson and Joe Veyette leading the way. These kids are learning every week and I’m learning about this Chevrolet Camaro. We struggled, but right now I think we’ve got a car that can compete – and that’s all you can ask for.”
PRO STOCK:
GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier nine times this season and 102 in career, tying Bob Glidden for third all time; won at Denver; his 152 final rounds is most in Pro Stock history; three-time winner at track; class points leader): “A win in Brainerd is really important right now, and not having to sweat it out at Indy would be a very good thing. Yes, I have the points lead – but it’s points and a half at Indy and that means that you’re not safe no matter what kind of lead you have. I made a mistake in Seattle, and I have to clean it up. The best thing to make up for the error I made on Sunday at the last race is to go to Brainerd and get the most points they have to give. We’re on the right path to peak at the right time this year, and I’m excited.”
TANNER GRAY, GRAY MOTORSPORTS, VALVOLINE GRAY MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (four-time winner this season and runner-up at Atlanta; 2017 winner at track; second in points): “We have to be fast, put down good runs and be consistent. I think that goes to show that when you have good equipment behind you it makes you drive better and everything else, so it’s definitely the team that’s gotten me to where I am today. They’ve worked with me through the mistakes I’ve made and I have a couple of driver coaches with (crew chief) Dave (Connolly) and my dad (Shane Gray) and my grandpa (Johnny Gray) when he puts his advice in.”
ERICA ENDERS, ELITLE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE/ELITE MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (winner at Charlotte; five-time runner-up; holds track Pro Stock elapsed time record, set in 2015; third in points): “It’s exciting to have been in six finals, but at the same time it’s a little disheartening to only have one win. But I think the tide will turn. We’re blessed to be in the position we’re in and we have a consistent, good race car. We’ve got a tremendous team and I’m confident there are a lot of good things to come.”
JEG COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM/ELITE PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (three-time winner this season; four-time winner at track): “We’ve got a great car. We’re still riding high from our victory in Sonoma (two races ago) and it’s made for a great second half of summer. We put together eight great runs there and it was a wonderful weekend at a track we really enjoy. We were No. 1 in Seattle (last race) and the car was strong again there but we just got nipped in Round 2 by our teammate, Vincent Nobile, who obviously has all the same gear we have. That happens at times when you have five Elite Motorsports cars in the field.”
JASON LINE, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (three-time runner-up; seeking 50th national event win – 47 in Pro Stock, two in Stock Eliminator; has 100 final-round appearances in Pro Stock and Sportsman classes): “My Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro ran well in Seattle two weeks ago, and I had a car that could win. That means a lot to me going into Brainerd. I’ve been saying it all season long, but I can’t wait to get my 50th win. To do it at Brainerd International Raceway, the place where I got my first win, would be super cool, especially because this is the 50th anniversary year for Summit Racing. I’m definitely hungry for it, and all the pieces are there. I just have to execute.”
BO BUTNER, KB RACING, JIM BUTNER AUTO GROUP CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning class champion; winner at season opener; runner-up at Gainesville): “We’re going to Brainerd on a high note after going rounds in Seattle. All the KB Racing cars are strong right now – we have five good Chevrolet Camaro Pro Stockers in this camp, and it’s going to be fun out there and on through Indy and the Countdown to the Championship. It isn’t going to be easy, because there are so many good cars right now in the field. But I’m having a good time, racing is fun again, and I’m looking forward to that cool atmosphere up there in Brainerd.”
VINCENT NOBILE, MOUNTAIN VIEW RACING, MOUNTAIN VIEW TIRE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time winner and runner-up at Charlotte four-wide; fourth in points): “We didn’t have the success we wanted on the Western Swing, but it’s a new start at Brainerd. There’s two races left before the Countdown and consistency is our goal. We want that to start right off the truck and continue through the finals this weekend.”
DREW SKILLMAN, RAY SKILLMAN MOTORSPORTS, RAY SKILLMAN AUTO GROUP CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier at Charlotte four-wide; earned 100th round win at Richmond; seventh in points): “We had a decent Western Swing but we still have work to do before the Countdown. These next two races are important to us to solidify a spot in the Countdown and to get more consistency out of the race car.”