CHEVROLET AT EPPING
What: NHRA New England Nationals
When: Friday, July 6-Sunday, July 8
Where: New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire
TV: FS1 live qualifications, 1:30 p.m. ET July 7
FS1 live eliminations and finals, 1 p.m. ET July 8
Chevrolet Seeks to Add to Substantial Victory Total
NHRA New England Nationals kick off second half of the season
DETROIT (July 5, 2018) – Erica Enders’ steady progress on the racetrack this season is due in large part to a labor-intensive commitment by team personnel, which incorporates the driver of the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS.
The two-time Pro Stock champion has advanced to the final round in three of the past five National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Mello Yello Drag Racing Series races, including the most recent in Norwalk, Ohio. Points garnered during the stretch have allowed Enders to climb from seventh to third in the standings entering NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, New Hampshire.
A second consecutive victory at New England Dragway this weekend would further support her footing as a title contender and continue Elite Motorsports’ turnaround from a frustrating 2017 season.
Drivers of the Chevrolet Camaro SS with Elite Motorsports power have appeared in the past nine final rounds, with Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Chicago, Bristol), Vincent Nobile (Las Vegas, Atlanta), Matt Hartford (Houston), and Enders (Charlotte) visiting the winner’s circle.
“Our team has had many peaks and valleys together in our four seasons together. Our camp knew we were on the verge of success again,” she said.
Enders, with 23 wins and 21 runner-up finishes in 258 career races, is among eight Chevrolet Pro Stock drivers who have recorded victories. Everyone is chasing points leader Tanner Gray with six races remaining before the six-event Countdown to the Championship commences.
Gray claimed his class-high third victory of the season by defeating Enders in the final of the June 24 event at Norwalk. The second-year driver of the Gray Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro SS has eight wins and three second-place finishes in 36 career races.
“I’m really pleased with the car. We’ve struggled in qualifying it seems, but we have really good speed in the race, so that’s all that matters,” said Gray, who won two of the four events in the June stretch. “It definitely doesn’t hurt to have those points in qualifying, so we need to work on that side of it. For the most part, I feel like we’ve been executing really well on race day and if we keep doing what we’re doing we can stay first, second, maybe third in the points going into the Countdown.”
The New England Nationals is the 13th of 24 events in 2018, with Chevrolet teams/drivers posting 18 victories combined in Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock. Additionally, drivers of the Chevrolet COPO Camaro have recorded four Stock Eliminator wins and two victories in the SAM Tech NHRA Factory Stock Showdown.
Brittany Force, who has contributed a Top Fuel victory at Houston, won the first race of her 2017 Top Fuel world championship season at New England Dragway.
“We are halfway through the season and in the No. 8 spot, but we are determined to step up our game and keep moving up that ladder. We qualify well but have been struggling on race day,” said Force, who was the No. 2 qualifier in three of the past four races in the Advance Auto Parts/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster. “After some testing in Norwalk this team is feeling confident going into the rest of the season and ready to bring home another win.”
Bob Lettelier of Biddeford, Maine; Mike Lettelier of New York City; Philip Lankford of Langhorne, Pennsylvania; and Thomas Fletcher of Churchville, New York, will drive their Chevrolet COPO Camaros in Stock Eliminator competition.
Bob Lettelier will also drive a COPO Camaro in Super Stock.
Fans can view an impressive array of Chevrolet production vehicles, including the Traverse High Country, Corvette Grand Sport, Silverado 1500, 2018 Equinox and immersive displays at the Chevrolet Racing Tour property.
FS1 will telecast qualifications live at 1:30 p.m. ET July 7 and will telecast eliminations and finals live at 1 p.m. ET July 8.
CHEVY RACING ENGINEERING OUTLOOK
ROGER ALLEN, CHEVY RACING NHRA PROGRAM MANAGER: “After a weekend off from competition, Chevrolet teams and drivers embark on the second half of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season. There are only six events remaining to solidify a spot in the Countdown to the Championship and claiming one of the top five positions among the 10 drivers in each professional category will be the goal. It starts with New England Dragway, where Brittany Force earned her first victory of 2017 that started her on the path to the Top Fuel championship. We’re looking forward to another exciting weekend of racing from all the Team Chevy drivers.”
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (reigning class champion; No. 2 qualifier and winner at Houston; No. 1 qualifier at Charlotte; 2017 winner at track): “I’m excited to be heading back to Epping and to be getting back in my race car after a weekend off. We’ve had some success at this track over the years and won there last season. Our Monster Energy team is looking for another win this season and would love to repeat our success from last year.”
FUNNY CAR:
COURTNEY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (Eight-time No. 1 qualifier and winner at Phoenix, Atlanta, Topeka and Richmond; runner-up at track in 2017; class points leader): “This is the track that we won the inaugural event at. Last year, we were No. 1 qualifier on Friday after a huge explosion during Friday qualifying. We were really able to make a strong comeback and take our team all the way to the final round that weekend. We almost sealed the deal last year, so we’d really like to get it done this weekend.”
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning class champion; won at Chicago and three-time runner-up; holds track Funny Car ET and speed records): “We were running bigger cylinder heads, a different camshaft and a different supercharger to start the year because we were trying to go faster and set records. (Crew chief) Jimmy (Prock) decided (for Norwalk) to go back to what we ran last year, the same stuff Courtney’s running right now, because with the NHRA’s new track prep, we just can’t run as hard as we want to. It won’t take long for Jimmy and Chris (Cunningham) to figure it out. We’ll be ready when we get to Epping.”
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK COOLANT & MOTOR OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (has 1,298 round wins and 148 class victories; ninth in points): “The car’s starting to go rounds. That’s what we’ve been working for. (Crew chief) Jon Schafer, these young kids, Ronnie Thompson, they’re starting to prove themselves. After we crashed (at Chicago, in the first race of a four-race stretch), we came back and went to the finals at Richmond and the semifinals at Norwalk.”
PRO STOCK:
TANNER GRAY, GRAY MOTORSPORTS, VALVOLINE GRAY MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (three-time winner this season; runner-up at Atlanta; class points leader): “We struggled a lot at the beginning of the season. We did a lot of testing and couldn’t really see where that hard work was because the results weren’t showing. It feels good to have finally turned a corner and see where all of the hard work has paid off.”
GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier seven times this season and scored 100th of career at Bristol; holds track Pro Stock speed record; two-time winner at track; second in points): “The Northeast is such a good place for Pro Stock. Our Summit Racing Chevy Camaros just love the cool air up there, and with Englishtown off the schedule – another place with air like this – we kind of have all our eggs in one basket up here in Epping. We’ve been looking forward to this one, and it reminds us a little bit of racing back home in Minnesota with the cool weather at night, even if it’s warm during the day. This race is another one that’s in our wheelhouse, and after a little bit of a break after that four in a row, we’re ready to see if what we’ve done in the shop is going to pay off on the racetrack.”
VINCENT NOBILE, MOUNTAIN VIEW RACING, MOUNTAIN VIEW TIRE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time winner and runner-up at Charlotte four-wide; fourth in points): “I’m really looking forward to racing in New Hampshire this weekend. Just like Norwalk, New England Dragway is another track I grew up watching my dad race at. This track still holds one of the most memorable times of my life. It was here back in 2003 where my father won his very first race in Pro Stock racing in the IHRA. It was a very emotional win, not only because it was his first but because he won the race in honor of his friend who had passed away that Friday. After flying back to New York to visit his friend Bob Losardo for the last time, my father flew back to New England on Saturday night and went on to win the race on Sunday.”
BO BUTNER, KB RACING, JIM BUTNER AUTO GROUP CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning class champion; earned sixth Pro Stock win and second in a row at Auto Club Raceway in season opener; runner-up at Gainesville; seventh in points): “”It was great to enjoy some time with the family and get back to work after those four races in a row, but now we’re ready to get back to work. I think the guys got a few things figured out over the break, and I’m excited to get back to New England Dragway. This will only be my third time being there, but I really enjoy the area, and the fans are awesome up there. Hopefully, the fans from Englishtown will come up, and that will make it really special. My mom, Dottie, is traveling with us, and this is the first time she’s gone on the road with us for this race. It should be a fun weekend all around.”
JASON LINE, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (runner-up in first two races of season; seeking 50th national event win – 47 in Pro Stock, two in Stock Eliminator): “I think the best part about racing at New England Dragway is that the fans really love Pro Stock, and they sure know how to show it. There is certainly something special there, and every time we’ve raced there, we’ve felt like the stars of the show. I haven’t made much of an impact there in the past when it comes to final rounds or wins, but hopefully we can change that this year. I’d like to check this one off the list, and we’ve been making improvements steadily these past few races. This could be where we turn it around. That would be a nice boost at this point in the season.”
JEG COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM/ELITE PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time winner; No. 1 qualifier at Norwalk; sixth in points): “It’s exciting to pull into the track knowing you have a great chance of winning. It’s still not easy by any stretch, but knowing you have the car underneath you to match the talent you have in the pits and back at the engine shop, that certainly gives you a lift.”
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; fifth in points): “We’ve advanced to the semifinals six times in the 12 races but have yet to reach the final round. We had another shot at Norwalk, but I red-lighted. Our performance does show that the car is fast. We just have to make it consistent in the changeable track and weather conditions throughout the summer.”