FRIDAY FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING STRONG FOR JFR AT LAS VEGAS
LAS VEGAS – John Force Racing started the 15th annual Toyota NHRA Nationals with strong performances from all three of their Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Cars. Led by Courtney Force’s provisional No. 2 run, Robert Hight’s No. 3 and John Force’s No. 5 effort the trio of Funny Cars are poised to have their best qualifying effort of the season.
Courtney Force rocketed to the No. 2 position tonight in her Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. She was awarded two bonus points for the 3.933 second pass at 325.77 mph which is a career-best for the 27-year-old driver.
“I had to shut it off really quick. I couldn’t get my parachutes out until I got the car straightened out and get the car over to the right a little bit. I’m really happy to get this Traxxas Camaro running a 3.93,” said Force, who hasn’t qualified No. 2 or better since she claimed the pole position 19 races ago at Charlotte for the Four-Wide Nationals.
“Thanks to everyone on the crew and all the brain trust. We’re really excited. There are still a lot of good cars out there, but we’re excited to get our Traxxas car down there and run a number like that. It was good.”
Courtney’s speed was a track record effort for the 2012 Automobile Club Road to the Future Award winner, as NHRA rookie of the year.
The most consistent JFR Funny Car was Hight’s Automobile Club of Southern California Chevy Camaro SS Funny Car. After two sessions Hight will go into Saturday as the No. 3 Funny Car and the owner of two additional qualifying bonus points as the third quickest race car of each session today.
Hight started the day with a strong 3.982 second pass and he followed that up with a near career best 3.937 second run in the night session.
“That is the kind of consistency we are looking for. (Crew chief Mike) Neff told me he thought it would run good both sessions. This team has a lot of confidence running here at The Strip. You look at how well all three of the JFR Chevys ran and I am pretty excited. I am proud to be driving this Auto Club Camaro and we can keep getting bonus points and go some rounds on Sunday,” said Hight.
If these qualifying times hold up through Saturday with Courtney Force qualified No. 2, Robert Hight No. 3 and John Force No. 5 this would be the best collective start for JFR in 2015. Previous best this season was Epping’s New England Nationals when John Force raced to victory from the No. 3 qualifying position and he was followed in qualifying by Courtney Force No. 4 and Robert Hight No. 5.
In the last session John Force driving for new one race sponsor EiKO Lighting blew the tires off his Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car just past the starting line. With conditions improving rapidly Force knew his team was going after a monster number.
“Robert Hight stepped up with Mike Neff and that Auto Club Chevrolet. It motored right on down through there. Robert said he stepped off early because he thought it dropped a cylinder. Courtney ran that 3.93 early with the help of the brain trust. I am in with a 3.98. I blew the tires off this EiKO Lighting Camaro. Mine was really aggressive. This was the night to go for it. We’ll go after it again tomorrow,” said a focused Force.
Force will carry his 3.980 second run from the opening session into Saturday along with the two qualifying bonus points for having the second quickest run to start qualifying. The winner of the spring race will be looking to double up at The Strip for the second time. Previously Force won both NHRA National events here in 2010 on the way to his 15th Mello Yello Funny Car championship.
The Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster and driver Brittany Force had tough first day in Las Vegas. In the first session Force launched and was powering to a solid when her Goodyear slicks shook loose and she slowed to a 4.72 4 second run at 155.45 mph. In the night session Force suffered a mechanical issue at the hit of the throttle and her Monster dragster immediately lost traction. Force will not carry a time over to Saturday as the thirteenth quickest dragster but will have two more opportunities to race her way into the field.
