FORCE STILL A FACTOR AS COUNTDOWN MOVES TO LVMS.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 24, 2018) — In a career spanning 42 seasons, John Force routinely has defied the odds while paying little attention to conventional wisdom. It’s a strategy that has worked out okay for the former big rig truck driver if you call 16 championships and 149 tour victories okay. The upshot is that even though he is only seventh in Mello Yello driver points entering this week’s 18th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the sport’s most successful pro driver still believes he can win another title at the wheel of a much-improved PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro. “This PEAK Camaro has gotten better every week,” said the former Driver of the Year for all American motorsports (1996). “It has consistency now. (At the last race at Charlotte) it went down the racetrack every run in qualifying and every run (on race day). Overall, as a team, we’re doing good. “It’s a long way to that championship and we are running out of races,” he grudgingly admitted, “but I never give up as long as there’s a chance. Things happen. It’s drag racing. I know we’ve got our work cut out for us but if we go out and win Vegas, we’ll see where it goes?” Winning Vegas” is something Force knows how to do. After a horrid first 10 years at The Strip during which he won just one time in 17 attempts, the Hall of Famer has turned things around, winning five of his last 16 Vegas starts including Toyota Nationals’ titles in 2010, 2013 and 2016, the first two paving the way to championships. After a start to the 2018 season where Force made multiple trips to the hospital after on track incidents, the racing icon turned around and won the Mile-High Nationals at Denver and extended to 31 the number of different seasons in which he has won at least one tour event, a feat unparalleled in professional sport. “I want to win and I know I still can,” Force said. “This isn’t NASCAR. I don’t have to drive around for three or four hours. I’ve been doing this a long time. I know the drill. When it’s over, I’ll know it’s over – but it ain’t over yet!” Although he is on the verge of win 150, Force will be focused on something much grander. “It’s all about the championship,” Force said. “If I can’t get it and Courtney (youngest daughter Courtney Force, driver of the Advance Auto Parts Camaro) can’t get it, then I’m going to try to take out the guys who are chasing Robert (Hight, the current points leader and president of John Force Racing) so he has the best chance of winning.” Nitro qualifying at the Toyota Nationals is scheduled at 12:30 and 3 p.m. on Friday, 12:30 and 2:45 p.m. Saturday. The single elimination tournament will begin at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Photo Credit: Gary Nastase, Auto Imagery

COURTNEY FORCE RACED TO THE FINAL ROUND SUNDAY AT THE STRIP AT LVMS.

LAS VEGAS (April 9, 2018) — Courtney Force steered her Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car to the final quad of the DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. John Force raced to the second quad and defending world champions Brittany Force and Robert Hight had first round finishes. Courtney Force, starting the day from the No. 1 qualifying position, had the best time of her first-round quad with a 3.967-second pass at 317.87 mph and was second quickest in the second round with her 4.126 pass at 298.67. In the final quad, Force and her Advance Auto Parts Camaro had a 4.007-second pass at 300.53 that was third to race winner J.R. Todd and runner-up Jack Beckman. “It was a great day for our Advance Auto Parts team with CarQuest onboard we got this Chevrolet Camaro all the way to the last quad of the day,” Force said. “We picked up a lot of points and made it all the way to the semifinals. This was a great outing for the first Four-Wide in Las Vegas. We had a good race car that qualified No. 1. We dropped a hole in the second round today and that slowed us down which we gave up lane choice in the final quad. We dropped a hole in the final and I think we will get that corrected before we get to Houston. This is a great team and I think overall we had a great weekend.” Force is second in the Funny Car points standings after the semifinal finish. The weekend came to a close during the second round of eliminations for 16-time world champion John Force. He powered his BOSS Shops branded PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevy Camaro SS to a 4.050 pass at 315.34, only missing out on a trip to the finals by 0.015 seconds of reaction time. “Bottom line we are finding our problems. We didn’t get the wins in Top Fuel or Funny Car but Courtney was close. I feel confident with this team,” said Force, who moves up to 11th in the points standings, just 18 points out of the top 10. “It was great to have Boss Shop on this PEAK Camaro this weekend. Bruton Smith had a great crowd our here all weekend and we put on a good show for the fans. I am going to get with my team and we will do some testing tomorrow. For all my sponsors from Auto Club to Chevrolet to Monster to PEAK and Advance Auto Parts we are going to keep fighting.” Brittany Force, the No. 3 qualifier of the event, had a first round exit after her Monster Energy dragster smoked the tires and she pedaled to a 4.690 pass at 175.52. Force was bettered by Doug Kalitta’s 3.819 and Richie Crampton’s 3.832. “It’s tough. Our team is looking for its first win of the season and it would have been great to accomplish that here at the inaugural Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals,” Force said. “It would have been cool to be the first Top Fuel team to do that. We had some good qualifying passes and we ended up No. 3. We went up there in lane 2 and it blew the tires off the Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster and I tried to pedal it. There were too many cars out in front of me so we had to let it go. We will regroup and head to Houston in another week.” After her crash in Pomona that landed her an overnight hospital stay, Force has all but put the nightmare of pedaling the race car behind her and turned the incident into a learning experience that she was able to practice during her efforts on Sunday. “That pedal definitely took me back to Pomona. It is race day. It is game on and we are looking for a win. What happened in Pomona is behind us and we are ready to fight it out for that first win of the season. When it wasn’t running smooth down there and it smoked the tires you have to pull your foot out of it and make sure you let it settle. That is the one thing I learned coming out of Pomona. You have to make sure the car is completely settled. I got back on it and it started to go. I think it was a good pedal job on my end but it wasn’t enough to turn on a win light,” added Force who remains ninth in points. Robert Hight ended his weekend when his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car crossed the finish line with a 6.165 pass at 109.93 after it got into to trouble at half-track. “That wasn’t the way we wanted to start our race day. We had some troubles throughout qualifying. We started strong with a great first run and then couldn’t find consistency," Hight said. "This Auto Club team will get it figured out. We tested before this race and we’ll test tomorrow. I feel good about our chances to get some momentum for Houston and the next four-wide in Charlotte. The crowd the last two days here in Las Vegas was amazing. I have a lot of confidence in this Auto Club team.”

COURTNEY FORCE ENDS WINLESS STREAK WITH NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS VICTORY

CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 26 2018) — A weekend filled with a well of emotions ended on the ultimate high-note for John Force Racing at the 34th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Worse Pass Motorsports Park outside of Phoenix. Courtney Force will head back to Yorba Linda, Calif. with a Wally while her father, 16-time world champion John Force, will head home with another hospital visit. The drag racing legend ended his race day with an engine explosion during the second round. John Force won the round before his PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevy Camaro burst into flames, went out of control, made contact with the retaining wall, and collided with opponent Jonnie Lindberg in the opposite lane. Force was transported to a local hospital for evaluation while Lindberg exited the car under his own power. Force was later cleared and returned to Wild Horse Pass after racing had ended. “My struggles continue, but I’m a big boy, I’ll fix it,” said Force who is 11th in points. “Really glad to know that Jonnie Lindberg is okay. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I think I still have another championship in me. Depending on what the doctors say, I’m gonna come out and watch Robert test his Auto Club Chevrolet tomorrow and then get ready for Gainesville.” On the opposite side of the spectrum, Courtney Force powered her Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car victory ending her 43-race winless streak. Force over powered Tommy Johnson Jr. in the final round with a 3.834-second pass at 337.16 mph. Her speed bettered the track record she set during qualifying. Johnson Jr. smoked the tires to the 6.814 at 101.57. “Every single one of my guys on the Advance Auto Parts Chevy Camaro has been working so hard. Today was a tough day,” said Force who last won on May 1, 2016 at the NHRA SpringNationals in Houston. “We had a 40-minute turnaround in the semifinals and didn’t have lane choice in the finals but we were able to go down there and lay down a killer number. “Thanks to my guys. They helped give me the confidence to get in that car today. They make me feel safe in that car because of the amazing job they do on it,” explained Force who now has nine career victories. “Brian Corradi and Dan Hood, they’ve been unbelievable, getting us the No. 1 qualifier hat and then to top it off get the Wally at the end of the weekend. Pretty incredible. Definitely a great start to our season. Been looking for a win for a long time now. Feels like forever. This one definitely feels good and I know it will make my dad feel better.” The victory puts Force second in the points standings behind only Matt Hagan who she defeated in the second round, just moments after seeing her father’s wreck. “Hagan actually came up to me when I had to race him and told me you’re a great driver you know how to do this, just clear your head,” Force said. “I know he didn’t want me to beat him but it was really nice of him as a competitor to tell me you know what to do out here and just remember that. It’s great to have competitors out here that are so amazing and so supportive even when you have to race them.” Force also had a win against two-time world champion Del Worsham before facing Hagan. She would have raced her father in the semi-finals but instead made a solo run. “Coming from Pomona trying to get our heads on straight and focus on putting that behind us and have a fresh start when we come to Phoenix and then dad goes up and has a huge explosion in the lights,” said Force who recorded her first win at the Arizona Nationals. “That’s one of the things that’s out of your control. I’m glad to see that Lindberg’s okay. You have to just switch your focus and get back in your car. My dad and my crew chiefs are the ones that gave me the confidence to get back in my race car and battle it out all day long. These cars are unpredictable. We know that as drivers. You just have to go out there and fight hard.” Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force piloted her Monster Energy dragster to a second-round finish just two weeks after a scary crash at the season-opening Winternationals. Force put up a 4.661 run at 156.12 and was out done by Billy Torrence’s 3.723 pass at 320.74 “Overall, looking at our weekend, I’m happy with it. I’m not disappointed in anything,” Force explained. Coming back from a wreck like we did in Pomona, that first run, climbing back in that car, it’s not easy. It’s definitely tough. And especially, also doing it again in that first round. It takes you back. I think it’s a work in progress. It’s going to take some time,” said Force. “I’m happy with our Monster Energy team. We pulled out our old car, didn’t have time to test it, just took it down there and made some pretty good passes. I pulled my foot out of it on that first run. It moved around a little bit and I clicked it a little bit early. But I’d rather play it safe than end up like we did last weekend.” Force had a first-round win against Clay Millican to put her eighth in the Top Fuel points standings. Two-time and reigning Funny Car would champion Robert Hight fell in the first round to Tommy Johnson Jr. after the pair both pedaled to the finish-line. Hight’s 4.806 pass at 273.44 was bettered by Johnson Jr.’s 4.715 at 225.60. “It was a racetrack that was in the 90s (temperature-wise). We’ve run 3.79 on a racetrack in the 90s so you go up there anticipating running a low .80 to win,” Hight explained. “Obviously, we didn’t make enough changes based on what we were seeing out there with the cars not making it (down the track). We needed to make a lot bigger move than we ever anticipated we needed to. If we had gone up there trying to run 3.95, we probably could have navigated it. We’ll test tomorrow (with) some new stuff that hopefully we’ll have on our car at Gainesville and get ‘em there.”

BRITTANY FORCE ESCAPES SERIOUS INJURY FROM POMONA, CALIF. INCIDENT

POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 12, 2018) — NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series racer Brittany Force escaped serious injury after a racing incident in the first round of Sunday’s eliminations at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Force’s Monster Energy dragster went out of control during the pass, made contact with the guard wall and came to rest past the finish line. She was responsive, speaking with medical personnel, and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Force suffered no major internal injuries but does have some bruising of the lungs. A CT Scan was negative and the MRI showed subtle findings likely from previous injuries. She was admitted overnight for observation simply as a precaution. Much like her father’s explosion on Friday evening, Force’s Simpson safety gear, including her Steilo Helmet, R3 head and neck restraint, fire suit, neck collar and belts, kept her conscious and securely strapped into the driver’s seat. “You look at how these cars evolved over 40-50 years. We made a lot of changes after the loss of Eric (Medlen, former JFR driver who lost his life in a 2007 testing accident). A lot came out of that. Building better chassis, safer. Want to thank Simpson safety for building helmets, equipment and everything to keep our drivers safe. The car giving way when it hit the wall head on allowed it to take the impact and fold up (as it was designed to do),” John Force said. “I want to thank Schumacher Racing for creating the canopy (over the driver’s seat). When the car was upside down, you know that protects the drier’s head. Want to personally thank Don Schumacher for his investment (in the canopy program). Very important. Thanks, Don. Safety Safari was right on top of it, as always, that’s why they’re the best in the business. Finally, John Medlen, was one of the first to come to me, and want to know if she was okay. I didn’t have an answer at the time. But he’s lived it. He knows what all of us go through: owners, friends, parents and sponsors. End of the day, we keep addressing it to get it better.” Brittany Force, the No. 2 qualifier, was racing Terry Haddock in the first round when her Monster Energy dragster smoked the tires. Force attempted to pedal her 11,000 hp race car before it took a hard left and made contact with both guard walls.

PROUD JOHN FORCE ACCEPTS HONORARY DOCTORATE FROM UNOH

LIMA, OH (January 10, 2018) – An emotional and proud John Force, legendary NHRA Funny Car driver, accepted an honorary doctorate today at the University of Northwestern Ohio in a special ceremony presided over by university president Dr. Jeffery Jarvis. The 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree for his historic motorsports career and his dedication to racing safety.

“I never had this kind of opportunity. I learned on the race tracks and in the boardrooms. I got an education at truck stops across the country,” Force told students and faculty during the special ceremony. “I am honored to receive this doctorate mainly because I saw the passion these UNOH students have for motorsports as well as their other programs. They are really turning their passions into careers here. I could not be more impressed with what I saw around campus and I am excited to be Dr. Force.”

Force, as well as 2017 NHRA Funny Car champion Robert Hight, 2017 NHRA Top Fuel champion Brittany Force and winningest female Funny Car driver Courtney Force, toured the UNOH campus. The group met with students in a variety of degree programs and also spent time with the students on the successful UNOH motorsports team.

UNOH president, Dr. Jeffrey A. Jarvis, presented Force with the honorary degree during a special ceremony at the UNOH Event Center. Current students, faculty, staff and special guests were in attendance filling the center to near capacity.

“John Force is truly a wonderful role model and icon in the motorsports industry. He is not only a championship driver, but he embraces a love for the future of the sport which lies within many of our students today,” said Jarvis. “John Force Racing has employed UNOH graduates for many years. It was an easy decision to honor a man that has had such a large impact on the racing industry, the business community, and educational environment. We are thrilled to have John Force join the UNOH family.” 

The University of Northwestern Ohio is the first university to honor Force in this way. With this degree, Force became the first drag racer recognized in this manner. He became the third motorsports luminary after Richard Petty and Richard Childress to receive honorary doctorates. Childress was honored by UNOH in 2013.

For additional information contact Sara Slaughter, John Force Racing PR at sara@johnforceracing.com or UNOH Director of Public Relations and Marketing, Stephanie Malloy at smalloy@unoh.edu. 

Story courtesy Sara Slaughter, JFR-PR.

All Photos courtesy JFR PR.

Editor's Note: I guess we need to call him Dr. Force now. And it seems only fair since we call Warren Johnson, "The Professor". DW.

John Force Racing's 2,500th Funny Car round win.

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.

JFR’s first round victory was June 1, 1979, when Force defeated Tom McEwen at the Cajun Nationals in Baton Rouge, La. Force himself has accounted for just over half of those 2,500 Funny Car round victories, as he now stands at 1,269, with six round wins this season. He defeated Del Worsham, Jack Beckman, and Tommy Johnson Jr. before beating Lindberg on Sunday.

Even more impressive is that JFR’s 2,500 NHRA Funny Car round wins account for more than 20 percent of wins all-time in the class. 

“It was the reign of terror that started it all, with Austin Coil, Bernie Fedderly and John Medlen,” Force said. “It was really about a group of guys – it wasn’t about me. I just wrote the checks, but I got to drive one of the baddest hot rods on the planet. We won just about everything.

“But those days are gone now. John Force wants to stay in the game, and now we’ve got Robert Hight, my daughter Courtney, young Austin Prock is coming,” he continued. “I’m really excited about this. We put the band back together. Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones said life’s a drag, but today, life’s not a drag – it’s a drag race, and we won.”

Winning races and elimination rounds is one of the things John Force has done best. Overall, nine drivers have won Funny Car rounds with JFR. The total includes:

• John Force 1,269
• Robert Hight 375
• Tony Pedregon 292
• Courtney Force 134
• Mike Neff 118
• Gary Densham 108
• Ashley Force Hood 105
• Eric Medlen 95
• Phil Burkart Jr. 4

Hight added to his total Sunday, besting Bob Tasca III in the first round with career-bests in time and speed, and has two round wins this season. Courtney Force won her first three rounds of the season at Pomona, making it to the final round.

“It’s amazing, but what’s really amazing is when you look at who has most of those wins,” Hight said. “John Force’s records – he’s so far out in front of everybody else – it’s not even achievable. With the competition level and everything else there is today, these records we keep getting will never, ever be broken. I was lucky enough to get the 200th victory for John Force Racing at Topeka (2011), and that was pretty exciting."

To do it at Gainesville, Hight said, was special. In the 1990s, for example, Force participated in 37 rounds out of a possible 40, and won 33 of those 40 rounds. He just kept winning ... and winning ... and winning.

“He’s had good luck at Gainesville,” Hight said. “But I take away from this that all three of our Funny Cars are running good, and we’re not searching for faster cars but right where we want to be. We just need to get a little consistency. I’m just happy to be a little part of those 2,500 round wins. We have three good cars now, and we’re going to get a lot more wins.”

The milestone is more than just a number. It represents tireless efforts by drivers, crew chiefs, team members, fabricators, shop workers, and office staff who have worked with Force since the 1970s.

“If you look at the Tony Pedregons that drove for me, the Eric Medlens, the Gary Denshams, Robert Hight, my girls – if you go down that list, they were all part of that. It wasn’t just about me," Force said. "I’ve done well in the sport, because I’ve lived it and loved it. I give 110 percent to my sponsors, never 100 percent. We overdeliver, you have to.

“With the cast of characters we have, we’re going to keep hitting them with all we’ve got."

The team earned its 2,500th round victory across all NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series classes last year. Including the team’s Top Fuel dragster – piloted by Brittany Force and sponsored by Monster Energy – the team’s round victory total stands at 2,593. Brittany Force added another Top Fuel round victory Sunday, and stands at 93 in her career.

The fourth round of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, the NHRA Nationals, is March 31-April 2 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada. John Force Racing has won five races at the spring race in Las Vegas, most recently with John Force running the table in 2015.

(Story Courtesy: Lee Montgomery JFR-PR).

 Photo Credit: Gary Nastase for Auto Imagery

John Force gets 155th career Pole at NHRA Gatornationals.

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.  Force, in the PEAK Motor Oil and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS, garnered the top spot in Friday’s second round with a run of 3.832 seconds at 333.25 mph, and held it through two rounds of qualifying Saturday to earn the record-extending 155th No. 1 of his illustrious career. Both time and speed are Gainesville bests, while the 3.832-second time is a career best. “It’s exciting to come to Gainesville,” said Force, who now has seven No. 1s at Gainesville. “I haven’t run this good in years. We kept low ET, that’s an honor, I love it. It’s a good weekend for us; the team gelled. I want to thank my guys back in Brownsburg (Indiana shop). They really did the job this week to give us race cars in time to run Gainesville.” Force and several members of his teams and leadership made the decision last week to swap crews with Robert Hight’s team, giving Force the opportunity to work with crew chief Mike Neff and co-crew chiefs Jon Schaffer and Jason McCulloch again. Together, Force and Neff won the 2010 Funny Car title. The decision has already paid dividends – Force made three solid passes in the 3.8-second range this weekend. Those efforts netted him eight bonus points. Force will face No. 16 Del Worsham in Sunday’s opening round. Force has a 53-29 career mark against Worsham, including a 3-3 record last season. It showcases a rematch from last year’s Gatornationals, which Force won, also in a first-round matchup. But it’s not so much who he’s facing next, Force said. It’s all about going from point A to point B. “I want to come out here tomorrow and I want to try to win,” Force said. “Don’t know who I race, don’t matter, I race my lane. I go A to B. But I’m really excited just to be in the hunt. “I don’t want them in my head,” Force said of his competitors. “I want to go up there and race, whether I race my daughter (Courtney Force), Robert Hight or ‘The Hulk’ (Matt) Hagan or Ron Capps, the champ.” Now, Force’s mind is taking a new car to winner’s circle and winning his eighth Gatornationals and first since 2001. “I wanted to do good today with this new car,” Force said. “So, I’m going to be around awhile.” Fox Sports 1 will televise elimination rounds Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern. (Story courtesy of: Lee Montgomery, John Force Racing Public Relations).

PRITCHETT SETS NATIONAL RECORD, FORCE SETS TRACKS RECORDS.

CHANDLER, Ariz. – Leah Pritchett set the Top Fuel elapsed-time national record with her second session pass during the 33rd annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park on Friday.

Courtney Force (Funny Car) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) were also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the second of 24 events on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

Pritchett’s 3.658-second pass at 329.34 mph in her Papa John’s Pizza dragster during the second round of qualifying puts her at the top of the field heading into the final two session of qualifying on Saturday.

“To be behind the wheel of this machine that is constantly putting out time and time again fast numbers and quick numbers is, to be honest, a little bit difficult to comprehend,” said Pritchett who is coming off a win at the season opening event in Pomona, Calif. “It’s everything that dreams are made of. It’s almost too good to be true, but it’s not. Seeing the extra attention to detail that I’ve never seen before and, I’ve been around a lot of crews in my life, it’s paying off on the track so well and so much.”

Don Schumacher Racing teammates Tony Schumacher in his U.S. Army dragster is second with a 3.667 pass at 323.89, the third quickest run in NHRA history, and reigning world champ Antron Brown in his Matco Tools dragster, are in third after a 3.689 pass at 326.56. Rookie Troy Coughlin Jr. is in fourth after running a career best 3.696 in the SealMaster dragster.

Courtney Force set both ends of the Funny Car track record with her 3.838 pass at 332.67 in her Advanced Auto Chevy Camaro during the first session.

“It’s always that first run of the weekend that you’re always the most nervous about,” Force said. “To be able to lay down a number like that for a track record and having (Matt) Hagan right out my window, I knew it was going to be a great pass. We ran killer numbers here during testing, that’s going to be our goal to be able to do it here again this weekend.”

Hagan is in the second position with a 3.839 at 329.67 in his Sandvik Coromant Dodge Charger R/T and Tim Wilkerson, who won the event last year, is in third with a 3.852 run at 329.42 in his Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang.

Friday's results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 33rd annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, second of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.  Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.

Top Fuel -- 1. Leah Pritchett, 3.658 seconds, 329.91 mph; 2. Tony Schumacher, 3.667, 323.89; 3. Antron Brown, 3.689, 326.56; 4. Troy Coughlin Jr., 3.696, 326.48; 5. Doug Kalitta, 3.709, 322.88; 6. Steve Torrence, 3.751, 326.48; 7. Clay Millican, 3.751, 316.30; 8. Troy Buff, 3.764, 321.96; 9. Terry McMillen, 3.768, 322.11; 10. Scott Palmer, 3.971, 278.29; 11. Steven Chrisman, 4.771, 162.96; 12. Steve Faria, 5.295, 129.06; 13. Brittany Force, 6.377, 93.04; 14. Shawn Reed, 9.362, 78.92.

Funny Car -- 1. Courtney Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.838, 332.67; 2. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.839, 330.31; 3. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 3.852, 329.42; 4. Jack Beckman, Charger, 3.873, 329.18; 5. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 3.877, 327.43; 6. Del Worsham, Toyota Camry, 3.896, 328.22; 7. Robert Hight, Camaro, 3.897, 325.45; 8. J.R. Todd, Camry, 3.904, 328.22; 9. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 3.920, 325.14; 10. Gary Densham, Mustang, 3.938, 320.36; 11. John Force, Camaro, 3.941, 313.15; 12. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.035, 256.70; 13. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.226, 215.82; 14. Jeff Arend, Chevrolet Impala, 4.479, 202.91; 15. Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.950, 167.57; 16. Phil Burkart, Charger, 10.652, 90.12.

Pro Stock -- 1. Jason Line, Chevy Camaro, 6.509, 212.19; 2. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.522, 211.73; 3. Tanner Gray, Camaro, 6.538, 211.79; 4. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.540, 211.43; 5. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.542, 211.23; 6. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.557, 210.77; 7. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.558, 211.59; 8. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.561, 211.73; 9. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.563, 210.70; 10. Deric Kramer, Dodge Dart, 6.581, 209.88; 11. Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.583, 209.62; 12. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.584, 210.21; 13. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.600, 209.56; 14. Alan Prusiensky, Dart, 6.614, 209.04; 15. Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.615, 210.08; 16. Val Smeland, Camaro, 21.361, 69.45.

(Story and Stats Courtesy NHRA Communications Dept). 

 John Force TF/FC   Photo by: Dicken Wear

 Ron Capps TF/FC   Crew Person Caden Capps.  Photo by: Dicken Wear

 Robert Hight TF/FC   Photo by: Dicken Wear

Del Worsham TF/FC   Photo by: Dicken Wear

Leah Pritchett TF/D  Photo by: Dicken Wear

 Leah Pritchett TF/D   Photo by: Dicken Wear

Courtney Force TF/FC   Photo by: Dicken Wear

Courtney Force TF/FC   Photo by: Dicken Wear

Open House for all JFR Fans in Riverside and Anaheim areas of SoCal today.

NHRA fans can meet the John Force Racing drivers at  John Force RaceStation Meet and Greet

YORBA LINDA, Calif. (Feb. 3) – John Force Racing is hosting a Meet and Greet with all four of its drivers at the John Force RaceStation before the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season-opener in Pomona. The Meet and Greet will be held Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the John Force RaceStation, 22722 Old Canal Road, Yorba Linda, Calif. Admission is free. Fans can meet all the JFR drivers: PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car driver John Force, Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car driver Robert Hight, Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car driver Courtney Force and Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster driver Brittany Force. An autograph session for all four drivers is scheduled from 5:30-6:30 p.m. The JFR Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and a car show presented by Mac Speed and Custom is scheduled for 4-7 p.m. (please contact Eric Miner for any car show questions: (714) 580-7848). A local Girls Scouts troop will be on hand selling cookies during the event. Also, tickets to the season-opening Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona will be raffled off at 6:30 p.m. You must be present to win. For more information on the RaceStation, visit http://shop.johnforceracestation.com/.

Notice Courtesy of John Force Racing.

NHRA 2016 Winternationals, Pomona, CA.

Robert Hight 2016 NHRA Winternationals. (Photo by Dicken Wear)

John Force 2016 NHRA Winternationals. (Photo by Dicken Wear)

Ron Capps 2016 NHRA Winternationals TF/FC Champion. (Photo by Dicken Wear) 

Ron Capps NAPA TF/FC 2016 NHRA Winternationals winner. (Photo by Dicken Wear)

John Force at 2016 NHRA Winternationals. (Photo by Dicken Wear)

56^th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals

1^st of 24 races in the NHRA Mello Yello Series

Auto Club Raceway at Pomona

Pomona, Calif.
February 14, 2015

Final round results from Sunday’s 56^th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, first race in the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

FUNNY CAR –Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Napa Dodge Charger, 3.981, 324.28 mph, def. Del Worsham, Villa Park, Calif., DHL Toyota Camry, 3.962, 324.36 mph

TOP FUEL – Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Tex., CAPCO dragster, 3.735, 326.48 mph, vs. Doug Kalitta, Ypsilanti, Mich.,  Mac Tools Toyota dragster, 3.753, 324.36 mph.

PRO STOCK – Greg Anderson, Mooresville, NC, Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro, 6.617, 207.85 mph def. Jason Line, Mooresville, NC, Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro , 6.609, 209.82 mph.

* * * *

J. FORCE, HIGHT RACE TO SEMIS AT WINTERNATIONALS

POMONA, CA ---- The 2016 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season started with some success for John Force Racing even though none of the drivers raced into the winner’s circle at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Led by strong performances from seven-time Winternationals winner John Force and three-time winner Robert Hight who each raced to semi-final finishes John Force Racing will leave California as No. 3 and No. 4 in Funny Cars and with quarter-finalist Courtney Force in the No. 6 position.

For the eleventh straight year JFR advanced at least one Funny Car to the semi-finals at the historic Circle K NHRA Winternationals. No. 3 qualifier Robert Hight and the Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car defeated Tommy Johnson Jr in the first round and took out teammate Courtney Force in a close second round battle.

The semi-final race against eventual winner Ron Capps was an even closer race pitting two of the 2016 championship contenders against each other. It was a rematch of last year’s semi-final race with Capps once again getting the win against Hight. The race saw Hight’s 3.949 second run at 313.44 mph just miss getting around Capps’ 3.938 seconds at 321.35 mph. At about 700 feet Hight lost a blower belt and his Auto Club Chevy Camaro went silent as Capps zoomed past the 2009 Funny Car champion at the finish line.

“This Auto Club Camaro is running really good whether it is cool or hot. This car is right there at the top. I am bummed this race car quit quit a bit before the finish line. We lost a blower belt. I think we let one get away there. Those guys are a tough team to race and they definitely threw on at it today. We are going on to Phoenix with some confidence and momentum,” said Hight, who won twice in 2015.

On the other side of the Funny Car ladder 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force and the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevy Camaro SS started from the No. 9 qualified position for just the third time at the Winternationals. In 1984 Force raced to the semi-finals from the No. 9 spot but today he was not able to get to his first final from the bottom half of the field.

In the opening round Force had to outrun veteran Tim Wilkerson and then in the second round Force won a monster match-up against Jack Beckman. Last season Beckman had JFR’s number winning every match-up against team JFR. Today it was Force and his Jon Schaffer tuned Funny Car coming out on top 4.01 seconds to 4.131 seconds.

In the semi-finals Force had to race the defending NHRA Funny Car champion Del Worsham and it was a great race but the results were not what Force was looking for. Force had a starting line advantage but at the finish line Worsham tripped the finish line scoring system with a 3.978 to Force’s 4.033 seconds.

“I feel all the work that we did as a team to get these cars into the 3.8s and to be able to run 3.90s in the heat. We have accomplished a lot. Now we have to polish it. We have a lot of work to do but as a team I think we will be fine,” said Force. “We have Alan Johnson and Brian Husen over on that Monster Energy dragster and I think the alliance with CAPCO is going to be great. I think we have put the team together right. Let Mike Neff focus on the Funny Cars with Danny Hood, Ronnie Thompson and Jon Schaffer. We are going to get a lot better.”

Courtney Force and the Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS team showed the competition this weekend that they’re here to make an impact on the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello series season. Force qualified with a stout 3.945 second pass at 322.88 mph on Friday and showed consistency throughout qualifying. After three impressive passes, Force found herself in the No. 6 position going into race day. She was set to have lane choice over veteran driver Gary Densham in the opening round. Unfortunately, Densham couldn’t make the call Sunday morning and Force had a bye run.

The Traxxas team took advantage of the opportunity to push the car in round one and see how the Traxxas Chevy would respond, knowing they were set to make an appearance in the second round of eliminations. The Traxxas machine lived up to The Fastest Name in Radio Control when Force posted her career-best ET and speed on the single run. Her 3.925 ET at 329.34 mph was low ET and quickest of race day.

“For this Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro team, the Fastest Name in Radio Control, it was awesome to get this car down the track here at Pomona for the Winternationals; my home track. It’s unfortunate Gary Densham wasn’t able to match up against me. Winning a race like that – no one wants to win a race like that. I just want to say I’m glad he’s okay after that crazy crash he had yesterday when he went into the sand,” said Force.

The round win bought her a tough match-up alongside teammate and John Force Racing President Robert Hight in the second round. Hight was 9-5 against Force in prior events going into second round, but Force had a 5-3 edge in previous second round matchups.

The 27-year-old had lane choice by .003 of a second and took the right lane. Both Camaros launched hard together, Force’s .068 light to Hight’s .067. Both were on good runs until Force’s Traxxas machine got loose and Hight sailed across the finish line, 3.955 ET at 324.67 mph to Force’s 4.101 ET at 258.62 mph.

“In the second round my Traxxas Chevy dropped a hole down track. I stayed in it. I tried to drive that thing all the way to the finish line, hoping for a win, but at that point being down a cylinder, we just lacked the power we needed to get past Robert,” said Force.

“We had a good car all weekend so that has me excited for the season and the upcoming race at Phoenix. I’m really happy with how Dan Hood and Ronnie Thompson have been tuning this race car and it’s making me feel more confident as a driver every time I get in it,” said Force.

The Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster and Brittany Force made a solid run in the first round but did not advance. Force was edged off the starting line by J.R. Todd and her quicker elapsed time of 3.756 seconds, which was third quickest of the session, was bested by the combination of Todd’s reaction time and his 3.766 second pass for a margin of defeat of .019 seconds.

Over the course of the weekend the Monster Top Fuel dragster was one of the most consistent dragsters on the property posting times of 3.794, 3.753, 3.800, and 3.744 in qualifying. Her average elapsed time of 3.769 seconds easily puts her near the top of the category for the weekend.

“Even though we went out in the first round I still feel confident leaving the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Every run our Monster Energy dragster went down the track. We ran great numbers all weekend. We came out this morning and ran 3.75 and you can’t be down on that kind of performance,” said Force, a six-time Top Fuel finalist. “I am always proud of my whole team. They have been working their butts off all off-season. We made a lot of changes and a lot of them had to do with getting me comfortable in the dragster. I know we are going to have a good year and we are just getting started. This is the first race and we will let it go and move on to Phoenix.”

(Reprinted from Elon Werner: JFR Public Relations).

First Day of Qualifying at New England Dragway, Epping, NH.

SCHUMACHER, JOHNSON JR. AND MCGAHA TOP QUALIFYING LEADERBOARD FRIDAY AT NHRA NEW ENGLAND NATIONALS

News From: The NHRA Communications Dept.
(Anthony Vestal & Chris Lawyer)

EPPING, N.H.  – Tony Schumacher raced to the qualifying lead in Top Fuel Friday at the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway.

Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car) and Chris McGaha (Pro Stock) also were qualifying leaders at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event near Boston.

Bob Tasca II & III - Image Credit: Dicken Wear (2015)

Schumacher ran a track record 3.742-second pass at 324.12 mph in his U.S. Army dragster to top the leaderboard after the first day of qualifying. Schumacher, the eight-time and defending world champ, is looking for his first top qualifier at Epping and second of the season.

“I think the car is excellent right now,” said Schumacher, winner of this event last season. “There was more there. You look at the computer and there is some room [to improve]. I’m sure most cars that go out there are going to find it.”

Robert Hight  - Image Credit: Dicken Wear (2015)

Schumacher debuted a new car at the national event in Atlanta last month and finally feels that his dragster is starting to pick up steam. The team has struggled since the switch, losing twice in the second round and once in the first.

“We brought the car out at Atlanta and that’s not been many races,” said Schumacher. “We haven’t gone and won rounds, haven’t been to a final with it. It’s a great car. It should benefit us when it gets warm outside. Right now, we are just maintaining.”  

Ron Capps - Image Credit: Dicken Wear (2015)

Richie Crampton currently sits second following a 3.744 at 325.92 in his Lucas Oil dragster. Shawn Langdon, the 2013 world champ, was strong with a 3.745 at 324.98 in his Knuckle Sandwich/Bass Pro Shops/AJPE dragster and is provisionally third. Steve Torrence and Spencer Massey, who reset the track speed record at 327.66 mph in his Red Fuel dragster, are fourth and fifth.

Image Credit: Dicken Wear (2015)

Johnson Jr. claimed the Funny Car top spot during the final pair of the category with his 4.047 at 319.45 in his Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T. Johnson Jr., who entered this event sixth in points, is two sessions away from securing his first No. 1 qualifier since Chicago last season and his first at Epping.

“I was expecting a lot better numbers than what we saw tonight,” Johnson Jr. said. “We got up there and thought we were going to try to run a low zero. The 4.04 was a good number and the guys had a good handle on the tune-up. Track conditions kept getting better and I was thrilled with a 4.04.”

Two-time world champ Cruz Pedregon ran a 4.052 at 306.46 in his Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry to sit second. John Force, a 16-time world champ searching for his first New England win, is currently qualified third with two sessions remaining. Fellow John Force Racing competitors Courtney Force and Robert Hight are fourth and fifth. 

In Pro Stock, McGaha ran a 6.520 at 212.66 in his Harlow Sammons Chevy Camaro to lead the factory hot rod field following Friday’s sessions. McGaha is searching for his fifth career No. 1 qualifier and third of the season. 

“It’s a pretty good start. Starting sometimes is the most important thing but you’ve got to finish in the end,” said McGaha. “We’ve started off No. 1 before and been able to maintain it. You never know what tomorrow leads. We will see what happens tomorrow and will go from there.”

Four-time world champ Greg Anderson, the most recent Pro Stock winner at Englishtown, is second following Friday’s action with a 6.521 at 213.30 in his Summit Racing Chevy Camaro. Two-time world champ Jason Line’s 6.530 at 212.69 in his Summit Racing Chevy Camaro was good enough for the provisional No. 3 spot. Defending world champ Erica Enders and Jonathan Gray sit fourth and fifth.

Qualifying at the NHRA New England Nationals wraps up on Saturday with sessions at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to set the fields for Sunday’s 11 a.m. eliminations.

*** UPDATE ***

Friday's results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the Third annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway and Motorsports Park, tenth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.  

Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.

Top Fuel -- 1. Tony Schumacher, 3.742 seconds, 324.28 mph; 2. Richie Crampton, 3.744, 325.92; 3. Shawn Langdon, 3.745, 324.98; 4. Steve Torrence, 3.765, 323.04; 5. Spencer Massey, 3.773, 327.66; 6. Antron Brown, 3.784, 316.30; 7. Doug Kalitta, 3.795, 323.12; 8. J.R. Todd, 3.813, 322.27; 9. Clay Millican, 3.817, 318.17; 10. Brittany Force, 3.819, 320.89; 11. Larry Dixon, 3.824, 321.88; 12. Leah Pritchett, 3.861, 315.05. 

Not Qualified: 13. Morgan Lucas, 3.908, 302.48; 14. Terry McMillen, 3.921, 305.70; 15. Dave Connolly, 3.968, 302.28; 16. Dan Mercier, 3.998, 295.21. 

Funny Car -- 1. Tommy Johnson Jr., Dodge Charger, 4.047, 319.45; 2. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 4.052, 306.46; 3. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 4.055, 318.24; 4. Courtney Force, Camaro, 4.059, 319.45; 5. Robert Hight, Chevrolet Camaro, 4.068, 320.13; 6. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.070, 318.24; 7. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.073, 313.66; 8. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.075, 309.42; 9. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.081, 315.42; 10. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.095, 310.20; 11. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.187, 288.15; 12. Dave Richards, Toyota Solara, 4.624, 195.17.  

Not Qualified: 13. Jack Beckman, 5.299, 139.39; 14. Dom Lagana, 5.768, 125.67; 15. John Hale, 6.585, 99.05; 16. Jeff Diehl, 6.655, 102.29; 17. Bob Tasca III, 15.097, 49.74. 

Pro Stock -- 1. Chris McGaha, Chevy Camaro, 6.520, 212.66; 2. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.521, 213.30; 3. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.530, 212.69; 4. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.543, 211.99; 5. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.552, 211.83; 6. Jonathan Gray, Camaro, 6.553, 212.09; 7. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.562, 211.63; 8. Allen Johnson, Dodge Dart, 6.563, 212.26; 9. Larry Morgan, Camaro, 6.569, 212.69; 10. Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.590, 211.10; 11. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.602, 210.01; 12. John Gaydosh Jr, Pontiac GXP, 6.641, 209.49.  

Not Qualified: 13. Alan Prusiensky, 6.715, 208.81; 14. Val Smeland, 6.823, 195.14; 15. V. Gaines, 9.394, 98.19.

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[Reposted by: Dana Marino for "The Motorsports Report"]