Courtney Force confident Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet team can find some luck in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (March 28) – Courtney Force has shown plenty of speed from her Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car through three races of the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.
But the drag racing superstar hopes that can translate into some consistency, beginning with the NHRA Nationals this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Force has qualified second, third and fourth in the first three races this season, and she went to the final round of the season-opener at Pomona, Calif. But first-round defeats in Phoenix and Gainesville has her and her Advance Auto Parts team determined to bounce back.
“Our Advance Auto Parts team is looking forward to going out to Vegas,” Force said. “Obviously, we’ve struggled the last couple races and had a rough start, heading out on in the first round of eliminations. I know our team is better than that, and I know we have a car that can out-run these other guys.”
Force opened 2017 by making a pass under the national ET record during Nitro Spring Training. That speed continued into Pomona, as crew chief Daniel Hood, co-crew chief Ronnie Thompson and the rest of the team have given Force a fast Camaro. Continue reading Courtney Force confident Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet team can find some luck in Las Vegas →

Auto Club driver Robert Hight ready
to make more history at Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (March 28) – Past NHRA Funny Car champion Robert Hight brings a strong history and a strong Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car to the NHRA Nationals this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Hight qualified No. 2 and ran career-bests in elapsed time and speed during the Gatornationals two weeks ago. That came after a crew swap at John Force Racing brought crew chief Jimmy Prock and co-crew chief Chris Cunningham to Hight’s team.
Continue reading Auto Club driver Robert Hight ready to make more history at Las Vegas →

John Force Racing’s 2,500th Funny Car round win
another milestone in team’s stellar history
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (March 21) – John Force’s Funny Car victory Sunday in the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., was memorable for many reasons, including yet another milestone over the team’s 40-year existence in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

After winning all four rounds, and coupled with Robert Hight’s first-round victory, the team achieved the 2,500-round victory threshold for Funny Cars. Force’s final-round win over rookie Jonnie Lindberg sealed the deal. Continue reading John Force Racing’s 2,500th Funny Car round win another milestone in team’s stellar history →

Auto Club driver Robert Hight records career-best time, speed in Sunday’s NHRA Gatornationals

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 19) – Defending NHRA Gatornationals Funny Car winner Robert Hight set a career-best time and speed in Sunday’s 48th annual NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, which he believes are good takeaways from the third round of this year’s NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

Hight won his first-round matchup against Bob Tasca with his 3.828-second, 334.82-mph pass, both career bests and the fourth quickest elapsed time in series history. That run followed up a string of solid runs during qualifications that netted him the No. 2 position (3.844 at 331.61 mph). Both elimination first-round time and speed were also quickest and fastest of the weekend. Continue reading Auto Club driver Robert Hight records career-best time, speed in Sunday’s NHRA Gatornationals →

Monster Energy driver Brittany Force can’t repeat
2016 Gatornationals glory
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 19) – Monster Energy driver Brittany Force couldn’t repeat her blockbuster victory in the NHRA Gatornationals, falling in the second-round Sunday at Gainesville Raceway.

Force scored her first professional victory here in 2016, sharing the winner’s circle with John Force Racing teammate Robert Hight, who won in Funny Car.

“It was a tough weekend,” Force said. “We went out early in the second round, and that’s obviously not what we wanted. We wanted to come back here and win this race because we did it last year.” Continue reading Monster Energy driver Brittany Force can’t repeat 2016 Gatornationals glory →

PEAK Chevy driver John Force takes Gatornationals, gives John Force Racing 2,500th Funny Car round win
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 19) – He may have been serenading the tune “Singin’ in the Rain,” but John Force was winning under the Florida sunshine Sunday in a perfectly-tuned PEAK Motor Oil and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car.

The 16-time NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series champion earned his record-extending 148th career victory and eighth in the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. Force defeated rookie Jonnie Lindberg – competing in his first Funny Car race – in a solid final-round matchup, giving John Force Racing its first victory of 2017 and first since last year’s fall race at Las Vegas. Continue reading PEAK Chevy driver John Force takes Gatornationals, gives John Force Racing 2,500th Funny Car round win →

QUICK FACTS: John Force wins NHRA Gatornationals
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 19) – Quick facts following PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car driver John Force’s victory at the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway:

Force has an NHRA-record 148 victories in his career
The Gainesville win came in Force’s 248th career final round
Force scored his 1,269th career round victory in the final round
The victory was the 248th Funny Car win for John Force Racing
The victory was the 251st overall win for John Force Racing (248 Funny Car, three Top Fuel)
Force’s final-round win was the 2,500th Funny Car round win for John Force Racing
Force has advanced to the final round of the NHRA Gatornationals 13 times, winning eight times (1992-1996, 1999, 2001, 2017)
Force’s record in elimination rounds for the NHRA Gatornationals is 62-31
Force has been the No. 1 qualifier for the NHRA Gatornationals seven times
Force has won the NHRA Gatornationals four times from the No. 1 qualifying spot (1992, 1995, 2001, 2017)

Gatornationals success: Auto Club driver Robert Hight reaches season-best No. 2 qualifying spot
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 18) – Defending NHRA Gatornationals Funny Car winner Robert Hight is in a terrific spot to retain his race title and return to winner’s circle in the 48th edition of one of NHRA’s most prestigious races.

Hight set a mark of 3.844 seconds at 331.61 mph in his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS, strong enough for the No. 2 spot in Sunday’s race. He also had passes of 3.885 and 3.868 seconds, and all three of those passes reached speeds in excess of 330 mph. Continue reading Gatornationals success: Auto Club driver Robert Hight reaches season-best No. 2 qualifying spot →

Career-best speed propels Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force to No. 4 spot in Gainesville

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 18) – Even with John Force Racing teammates qualifying 1-2 in Funny Car, Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS driver Courtney Force was able to make her mark on qualifying for the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

Force snared the No. 4 qualifying spot with a pass of 3.860 seconds at 333.25 mph. The speed was a Gainesville Raceway record and a career-best for the 28-year-old from Yorba Linda, Calif. Continue reading Career-best speed propels Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force to No. 4 spot in Gainesville →

PEAK Chevrolet driver John Force corrals 155th career
No. 1 ahead of Sunday’s Gatornationals
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 18) – The last time John Force qualified No. 1 for the NHRA Gatornationals, he drove his Funny Car all the way to the 2006 final round.

And the most recent time Force earned the No. 1 spot for any event, he took his hot rod to the finals of the 2015 Mile-High Nationals in Denver.

Now, the Yorba Linda, Calif., driver, chasing his 17th NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car championship, seeks to continue both trends heading into Sunday’s 48th NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.
Continue reading PEAK Chevrolet driver John Force corrals 155th career No. 1 ahead of Sunday’s Gatornationals →

Monster Energy driver Brittany Force looks for Gatornationals repeat
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 18) – Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster driver Brittany Force begins her defense of Sunday’s NHRA Gatornationals title from the No. 4 spot.

Force, who scored her first NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series victory here in 2016, made a top pass of 3.719 seconds at 326.79 mph during qualifying this weekend.

“We ended up No. 4 and we won here last year,” Force said. “There is just so much going into this race track because we won here and we want to do it again. We want to reclaim our title tomorrow.” Continue reading Monster Energy driver Brittany Force looks for Gatornationals repeat →

Monster Energy driver Brittany Force hopes
history repeats itself at 2017 Gatornationals
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 14) – Monster Energy Top Fuel driver Brittany Force fought through three seasons chasing her first professional victory, racing to six final rounds and posting four No. 1 qualifiers before finally breaking through.
Then, on March 20, 2016, Force battled past four competitors to secure her first Top Fuel victory, in the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway – site of this weekend’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event.
“Gainesville was huge, bringing home our first win,” Force said. “It’s something we’d been after since 2013, so to finally capture that at a race like the Gatornationals is something I’m very proud of. Continue reading Monster Energy driver Brittany Force hopes history repeats itself at 2017 Gatornationals →

Monster Energy driver Brittany Force hopes
history repeats itself at 2017 Gatornationals
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 14) – Monster Energy Top Fuel driver Brittany Force fought through three seasons chasing her first professional victory, racing to six final rounds and posting four No. 1 qualifiers before finally breaking through.
Then, on March 20, 2016, Force battled past four competitors to secure her first Top Fuel victory, in the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway – site of this weekend’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event.
“Gainesville was huge, bringing home our first win,” Force said. “It’s something we’d been after since 2013, so to finally capture that at a race like the Gatornationals is something I’m very proud of. Continue reading Monster Energy driver Brittany Force hopes history repeats itself at 2017 Gatornationals →

Courtney Force, Advance Auto Parts Chevy team
carry lots of speed to Gatornationals
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 14) – Courtney Force and her Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS team are looking to carry the speed they achieved in the opening two races of the season to the NHRA Gatornationals this weekend at Gainesville Raceway.
Force has qualified No. 2 and No. 3 in the first two NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series races of 2017, reaching the final round in the season-opener at Pomona, Calif.
The fast start to the season came after a successful test session in Phoenix where Force made a pass of 3.804 seconds – under the current national elapsed time record for Funny Car.
Now, Force would love to add a victory to her 2017 resume. Continue reading Courtney Force, Advance Auto Parts Chevy team carry lots of speed to Gatornationals →

Change in the air at John Force Racing:
John Force, Robert Hight swap Funny Car teams
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (March 9) – Change is in the air at John Force Racing.

Heading into next weekend’s NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, team owner John Force and JFR president Robert Hight announce crew chief and team changes involving two Funny Car teams.

The teams of Force and Hight will essentially swap: crew chief Jimmy Prock will move to Hight’s Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car team, with crew chief Mike Neff switching to Force’s PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car. Continue reading Change in the air at John Force Racing: John Force, Robert Hight swap Funny Car teams →

Auto Club Chevrolet driver Robert Hight has a plan to bounce back from defeat in Phoenix

CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 26) – Robert Hight said his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS team has a game plan to combat a rough start to the two-race-old Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, which included Sunday’s NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.

Scoring John Force Racing’s lone Funny Car victory of the weekend, Hight advanced to the quarterfinals despite peddling the car both rounds. He bested Del Worsham in the opening-round of eliminations, smoking the tires. But Worsham also lit up his tires, and Hight crossed the line first, timing in at 4.699 seconds. Hight’s car shook in the second round, while a solid run by No. 1 qualifier Tommy Johnson Jr., ended Hight’s day. Continue reading Auto Club Chevrolet driver Robert Hight has a plan to bounce back from defeat in Phoenix →

Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force ready to put Phoenix race weekend in rear-view mirror
CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 25) – Courtney Force is ready to put Sunday’s NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park behind her and focus on an upcoming test and then the Gatornationals.

Force, the No. 2 qualifier for Sunday’s race, suffered a disappointing first-round exit against No. 15 qualifier Jim Campbell. Force said her Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS shook at the start, and while she tried to pedal the car, Campbell had already gotten through the lights. It marked Force’s first opening-round loss in five races, and the first loss against Campbell, who eventually made it to the semifinals. Continue reading Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force ready to put Phoenix race weekend in rear-view mirror →

16-time Funny Car champion John Force confident in
PEAK Chevy team despite first-round loss

CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 26) – PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil/Republic Services driver John Force delivered an Aaron Rodgers-type message on Sunday.

Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers quarterback, famously reminded nervous fans after a 1-2 start to 2014 to “r-e-l-a-x.” Green Bay finished 12-4 and reached the NFC championship game that season. Continue reading 16-time Funny Car champion John Force confident in PEAK Chevy team despite first-round loss →

John Force ready to take PEAK Chevrolet
to Arizona Nationals winner’s circle
CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 25) – Sixteen-time Funny Car champion John Force isn’t intimidated by starting from the No. 12 spot for the NHRA Arizona Nationals on Sunday at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.

After all, the PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil/Republic Services Chevrolet Camaro SS driver is the all-time leader in Funny Car victories with 147, and he’s won from nearly every qualifying position. Continue reading John Force ready to take PEAK Chevrolet to Arizona Nationals winner’s circle →

Monster Energy driver Brittany Force ready to make another run at Arizona Nationals victory

CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 25) – Brittany Force and her Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster team are trending positive after a productive Saturday at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.

Force made solid runs in the final two qualifying sessions, saving her best pass for last and snaring a spot in the top half of the field. Continue reading Monster Energy driver Brittany Force ready to make another run at Arizona Nationals victory →