CHEVROLET AT EPPING
What: NHRA New England Nationals
When: Friday, July 5-Sunday, July 7
Where: New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire
TV: FS1 will telecast eliminations and finals live at 1 p.m. ET July 7
Chevrolet drivers lead title races entering second half of season
Robert Hight, John Force take aim at milestone victories in New Hampshire
DETROIT (July 3, 2019) – Entering the second half of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, Chevrolet drivers sit 1, 2 and 3 in the championship standings in their respective categories.
Robert Hight, who has four victories and two runner-up finishes in the AAA Northern New England Chevrolet Camaro SS, has paced the Funny Car field since the opening race in Pomona, California. Teammate John Force, driver of the PEAK High Mileage Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS, is second through the 12 events.
Brittany Force, the 2017 Top Fuel champion, is third in the standings. The driver of the Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet dragster has one win and a pair of second-place finishes to complement her four No. 1 qualifier honors.
John Force and Hight will also be aiming to secure milestone victories in the NHRA New England Nationals at Epping, New Hampshire. Force, the 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion, will seek to extend his NHRA record total to 150 wins.
“I know 150 will happen soon and after this weekend off we had, it might even come then,” said Force, who has come close with one runner-up and seven semifinal appearances. “All the John Force Racing teams are ready to get to Epping this weekend.”
Hight is tied with Don Prudhomme for 13th on the all-time list with 49 victories and is third among Funny Car drivers.
“I’m looking forward to Epping. I’ve had some time off to recharge and I’m ready to get back in the driver’s seat and go some rounds on race day in this new AAA car we have,” said Hight, who owns the Funny Car elapsed time and speed records at New England Dragway, set in 2017. “I’ve never won in Epping and it would be really cool to get it done somewhere I haven’t won before, so I’m excited to see what we can do.”
There are six races remaining in the regular season before the Countdown to the Championship.
Pro Stock competitors are off until the first round of the Western Swing on July 19-21 in Denver. Chevrolet drivers have won all seven races, with four-time winner Bo Butner in the Jim Butner Auto Sales Chevrolet Camaro SS leading the standings.
Scheduled to drive Chevrolet COPO Camaros in Stock Eliminator competition are Vic Cagnazzi of New York City; Bob Lettelier of Biddeford, Maine; Mike Lettelier of New York City; Jack Matyas of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Philip Lankford of Langhorne, Pennsylvania; and Dan Fletcher of Churchville, New York.
Cagnazzi and Bob Lettelier will do double duty this weekend, driving COPO Camaros in Super Stock competition. Also entered in his COPO Camaro is Steve Szupka of Northampton, Pennsylvania.
NHRA announced that Sportsman class competition, including drivers of the COPO Camaro in Stock and Stock Eliminator, that was postponed at Norwalk, Ohio, on June 23 because of significant rainfall, has been rescheduled for Sept. 6.
FS1 will telecast eliminations and finals live at 1 p.m. ET July 7.
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL:
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (2017 class champion; four-time No. 1 qualifier; won at Houston; runner-up at Las Vegas and Atlanta; third in points): “Norwalk was a huge turning point for this team and we feel like we finally got our car back and are heading in the right direction. The Advance Auto Parts team grabbed a No. 1 qualifier, made a semifinal round appearance and moved up to three in points. Overall, it was an awesome weekend. We ended the four in a row on a high note. That semifinal round appearance in Norwalk has me feeling confident heading into Epping. I’ve had success in the past at New England Dragway and this team is ready to get back in that winner’s circle.”
AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (Making 13th start; No. 3 qualifier at Kansas, a career best, and advanced to semifinals for first time): “I’m excited to get to New England Dragway. The entire Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team is looking forward to it and I think we have a Wally in sight. I’m confident in this team and it would be great to get our first win here behind the Forces (John, Brittany and Courtney). We’ll see what we can accomplish. We (tested after Norwalk and) made four passes and picked up early numbers and ran quicker than we have been, so I think things are looking good.”
FUNNY CAR:
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (2017 class champion; class points leader; has won four races and has six No. 1 qualifier honors; owns both ends of the Funny Car records track records, set in 2017): “We left Norwalk in the points lead, but what we really wanted was to leave in that winner’s circle. We weren’t able to get it done but it was the first race day round in the new car, so I know we’ll get it figured out. We just had a weekend off and we’ve had time to regroup so I’m confident heading into this next race. My AAA team and Jimmy Prock and Chris Cunningham, they’ve put in work this last week and they’re feeling good with the car, so we’ll see what we can get done in Epping.”
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK HIGH MILEAGE MOTOR OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (has 149 class victories; two-time No. 1 qualifier this season; seven-time semifinalist): “We had a good weekend in Norwalk. We went to the semis and didn’t get it done but my hot rod is good and its coming around. I’m learning every day with this PEAK team and I’m excited about it. (Epping) is a special race for me because I’ve won here, and Brittany and Courtney have also won here. It just makes it special for all of us. I’m also excited to be racing for PEAK and showing off their High Mileage Motor Oil on my hot rod. It will be a good weekend, we’ll put on a good show for the fans and our sponsors.”