CHEVROLET AT CHARLOTTE
What: NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals
When: Friday, April 26-Sunday, April 28
Where: zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina
TV: FS1 will telecast eliminations and finals at 6 p.m. ET April 28
Chevrolet drivers take momentum into four-wide race
Brittany Force in Top Fuel, Robert Hight in Funny Car coming off wins
DETROIT (April 24, 2019) – Victories in the last National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event have Team Chevy drivers Brittany Force and Robert Hight determined to extend their momentum in the NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.
The 10th anniversary of the event at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina, is the second and final four-wide race of the season.
Force, driver of the Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet dragster, registered her first Top Fuel victory of the season and ninth of her career at Houston two weeks ago from the No. 1 qualifier spot. Force, who will compete in her 150th career Top Fuel event, has vaulted to second in the class standings.
She was runner-up in the four-wide final earlier this month in Las Vegas and in 2016 became the first – and to date only — female to win a nitro category four-wide event.
“This Advance Auto Parts team has worked incredibly hard this season with so many challenges thrown our way and the hard work is starting to pay off,” Force said. “In Houston, David Grubnic took some risks and pushed our car to steal another No. 1 qualifier putting a 3.66 on the board. That run at 332 mph gave us a confidence boost and we pulled off another incredibly quick run at 3.67, took on some heavy hitters and fought our way to the winner’s circle. Pulling off a win this soon in the season with a new team has me so pumped going into the Charlotte four-wide and the rest of the season.”
Her father, 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force, will seek to record his record-extending 150th career victory. He has advanced to the semifinals three times in the five races in the PEAK Coolant & Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS, falling each time to teammate Robert Hight.
Hight is the Funny Car points leader courtesy of three wins and three No. 1 qualifier honors in the Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS.
“This season has been off to a really great start for this team. I’ve never seen a more focused group of guys and they get the job done,” said Hight, who has two wins in the four-wide format at the racetrack. “The weather conditions were all over the place in Houston and we were able to get this thing where it needed to be to get the win. We had a week off and now we’re getting back into it and hoping to come back out on top in Charlotte.”
Chevrolet Pro Stock drivers, who have visited the winner’s circle in all four of their NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series races, are off until the May 17-19 Virginia NHRA Nationals.
The race weekend also features the second round of the SAM Tech.edu NHRA Factory Stock Showdown. Arthur Kohn of Richmond, Texas, who won the 2018 race at the track, leads drivers competing in their Chevrolet COPO Camaros.
That list also includes Stephen Bell of Shreveport, Louisiana; Randy Taylor of Artesia, New Mexico; Leonard Libersher of Wilmington, Illinois; David Barton of Robesonia, Pennsylvania; L. Scott Libersher of Wilmington, Illinois; Doug Hamp of York, Pennsylvania; Waldemar Rodriguez of Cidra, Puerto Rico; Jesse Alexandria of West Bend, Wisconsin; Bruno Massel Jr. of Elmhurst, Illinois; David Janac of Caldwell, Texas; Robert Falcone of Pleasant Valley, New York; Peter Gasko Jr. of Monroe Township, New Jersey; Kevin Lumsden of Caddo Mills, Texas; Ryan Priddy of Chino, California; and Terry Munroe of Beaver, Pennsylvania.
Driving their COPO Camaros in Stock Eliminator will be 2017 class champion Jeff Strickland of Red Bay, Alabama; Thomas Fletcher of Churchville, New York; Vic Cagnazzi of New York City; Adam Badgett of Mount Airy, North Carolina; Darren Poole-Adams of Shelby, North Carolina; Chip Johnson of Fayetteville, North Carolina; and Marion Stephenson of Williamsport, Indiana.
Entered in Super Stock in their COPO Camaros are Jeffery Myers of Decatur, Indiana; Jeffrey Bragg of Fort Myers, Florida; L. Scott Libersher of Wilmington, Illinois; and Cagnazzi.
Fans will have the opportunity to tour the Chevrolet Performance display, featuring a 2019 Corvette Grand Sport and 2019 Silverado LD, in the midway and meet Chevy Racing Top Fuel driver Austin Prock at 1 p.m. April 27.
FOX will telecast eliminations and finals at 6 p.m. ET April 28.
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (2017 class champion; two-time No. 1 qualifier; won at Houston; runner-up in Las Vegas four-wide; holds track Top Fuel elapsed time record): “My new crew chiefs and my entire new crew took on the Vegas four-wide a few weeks back where we were runner-up, so we got in our practice there and are hoping to do the same this time but come out with a win. I’ve won the Charlotte four-wide before and it would be great to do it again with my Advance team. We’re confident and ready to get after it on race day.”
AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (Making sixth start; has won two rounds): “Our Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Top Fuel dragster is hot right now. We turned things around at the last race in Houston and this next race is going to be a big one. I like the fact that you can beat three guys at once and you can even beat three guys on a holeshot. For a driver, that gets me pumped to try and leave on three people. That’s a cool part of the race, but this is just something that’s different. It’s exciting to switch things up every once in a while, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
FUNNY CAR:
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (2017 class champion; class points leader; has won three of the five races; five-time winner at the track, including 2012 and 2014 in four-wide format; holds track Funny Car speed record): “We came out swinging in Houston and made some really good runs so I’m proud of this Auto Club team. They really keep me in check. After the weekend we had we’re really looking to keep it up in Charlotte and leave there with our fourth win of the season. I think we can do it.”
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, CHEVROLET ACCESSORIES PEAK CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (has 149 class victories; three-time semifinalist): “The better the car, the more confidence I get. I’ve been struggling but I have a good team now. I think we’re getting there. Brian Corradi and Dan Hood, they’re getting us there and 150 is coming. Racing the Charlotte four-wide is always exciting and it’s at the Bellagio of dragstrips. I won the first four-wide in 2010 and last year went to the final quad, and I want to do that again, but we’ll see. I want to get back in the game where I can race.”