SONOMA, Calif. (July 26, 2023) – Brittany Force and the Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster team enter this weekend’s DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway as the defending event champions. Still looking for their first win of the season, they’ll hope to repeat their dominating performance from last year. En route to her breakthrough 2022 win, Force and the Flav-R-Pac team improved their performance each run ultimately leaving the weekend having set both ends of the track record. They would set the track elapsed-time record at 3.662 seconds against teammate Austin Prock in the first round. For three consecutive runs, Force would better the track speed record from 336.07 mph in the first round to 336.49 in the second round and finally the standing track record 337.75 in the semifinals. In addition to her win in 2022, Force also has two No. 1 qualifier starts in 2014 and 2021. “Heading into our final race of the Western Swing in Sonoma, California this season. This Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team is excited to get there just because of how we dominated on Sunday last season. We set records and had four solid runs running in the 3.60s which was just unbelievable. We got to bring home a win and the specialty wine goblet. It was probably one of our best wins of the season last year,” Force said. “Our game plan going into Sonoma Raceway this season is we want to repeat, we want to do that again. We want back-to-back Sonoma Nationals victories. So we’re looking forward to getting the weekend started.” Force enters the final race in the Western Swing in fourth place in the Camping World Drag Racing Series points standings, just one point behind third. Already this season she’s secured four No. 1 qualifying positions including the final event at Bandimere Speedway, the Mile-High Nationals where she set her 14th NHRA track speed record.

LET’S GET TO KNOW MIKE SALINAS

Event: 

Denso Sonoma Nationals

            Sonoma Raceway; Sonoma, California

Scrappers Racing Competitors:

            Mike Salinas, Top Fuel

            Jianna Evaristo, Pro Stock Motorcycle

SONOMA, Calif. (July 26, 2023) – NHRA’s Western Swing is coming to a close this weekend with the Sonoma Nationals at Northern California’s Sonoma Raceway. This also marks the end of the Salinas family’s three-week motorcycle road trip as they come home to San Jose – marking nearly 3,500 miles on their journey. 

And with Sonoma being the home track for Scrappers Racing, there’s no better time to take a moment and get to know team owner and driver, Mike Salinas. The 62-year-old father of four daughters (Jasmine, Jaquelin, Jianna and Janae) and husband of wife, Monica spent time answering 10 questions and a bonus 11th prior to the Sonoma race weekend to give fans a glimpse into the mind of a successful business owner and Top Fuel driver.

10 Questions with Mike Salinas

Why did you choose Top Fuel and not Funny Car?

“Because Top Fuel is the king of the sport. You don’t buy a penthouse on the bottom floor.”

What are your racetrack rituals?

“Relax, have fun and make sure you enjoy yourself. Before I get in the race car, I always hit the chutes, the tires and the injector – every time. Those are signs to remind me of something. I have little things to remind myself and everything I do is steps to remind myself of something.”

Describe a normal day when you’re not at the racetrack.

“Controlled chaos.”

What’s it like being surrounded by your wife Monica and four daughters?

“It’s awesome actually. It’s like being in high school and harassing our friends and of course getting harassed back. It’s great.”

Best advice you can give someone.

“Integrity, happiness and harmony in life will allow you to see the positive side of things and allow you to do good in your life.”

What made you want to become a NHRA Top Fuel driver?

“I saw somebody else doing it and Janae (Salinas) told me at nine years old, ‘I don’t think you can do it.’ So, I said, ‘Let’s go see, I can do it.’ That’s actually how we got here. We were watching it on TV and J.R. Todd was driving way back when and Janae and I saw him qualify number one at Sonoma and we were watching the drag races and she says, ‘How come you don’t go do that?’ And I said, ‘We can.’ And she said, ‘I don’t think you can.’ That’s how it started.”

Do you get more nervous racing your Top Fuel car or watching your daughters compete?

“Not nervous at all for any of it. You have to trust that you’ve put them with the right people and you have the right people behind you. If you’re nervous or scared, you can’t be in this sport because you’ll get hurt.”

What is your favorite vacation destination and when you’re on vacation, are you able to unwind?

“Kauai, Hawaii is my favorite because we already know people there. I can’t unwind, but I’m trying really hard to learn how to relax.”

What is the secret to your success in the business world and life overall?

“Be positive, have integrity and do the right thing when nobody is looking.”

What was it about NHRA drag racing that initially got your attention?

“I used to come do this to relax and it started out as relaxation. But it turned into another business.”

Bonus Questions – What is something no one knows about you?

“I like serenity and I like being by myself. I like just being a great person, that’s all.”

SONOMA, Calif. (July 26, 2023) – Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster team come into this weekend’s DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway sitting fifth in points, just 31 away from entering the top three. Prock’s current points position is a result of winning the Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals alongside teammate Robert Hight whose crew chiefs include Prock’s father, Jimmy, and brother, Thomas. Austin also earned runner-up honors in the Winternationals at Pomona, Calif. in a Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster now tuned by the crew chief tandem of Chris Cunningham, formerly of Robert Hight’s team, and Joe Barlam who has been with Prock since 2022. “I’m excited to get going at the final race of the Western Swing in Sonoma, California. This Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist car is running well, we see it,” Prock said. “I believe we can leave Sonoma Raceway with a Wally. I’m looking forward to making sight solid runs and getting the job done.” At Sonoma Raceway, Prock has yet to advance beyond the quarterfinals, and last year, after qualifying 12th, had a first-round loss to eventual race winner, teammate, and reigning world champion Brittany Force. In his rookie season, the only other start he has in Northern California, Prock was the No. 6 qualifier and lost to that year’s eventual world champion Steve Torrence in the second round. The DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway starts with qualifying Friday at 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. and Saturday at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Eliminations will begin Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with two qualifying shows Saturday at 12:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will be on FOX Broadcasting Network Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET.