Women drivers rule at “Thunder Mountain”

MORRISON» Bandimere Speedway currently belongs to the women — two to be exact.

Leah Pritchett and Courtney Force own their respective ends of the track’s drag racing records, with no man ever reaching Bandimere’s 1,000-foot finish line quicker than Pritchett’s 3.733 seconds or at higher top speed than Force’s 328.30 mph. Both women set their records at the 38th MileHigh Nationals in 2017 when cooler conditions engulfed “Thunder Mountain.”

Last year, Pritchett qualified No. 1 in top fuel and went on to win the race, defeating Doug Kalitta in the final. And Force also qualified No. 1 before losing to her famous father in the funny car semifinals; John Force defeated veteran rival Ron Capps in the final.

Greg Anderson (pro stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (pro stock motorcycle) are also defending event winners.

Pritchett and Courtney Force will again compete at Bandimere this weekend at its 40th national event. Pritchett was present Thursday at the kick-off luncheon — where the 31-year-old Californian proclaimed that her 2018 win at the scenic track was the best moment of her 10-win career.

“It was Hollywood, storybook race,” she said. “It was incredible to be the No. 1 qualifier (a year after) we went to the finals and set the track record. To go out and make eight clean runs — burn out to turn out — and take home that win (was special).”

Pritchett drives a Dodge and is sponsored by Pennzoil — the primary and secondary sponsors of the Mile-High Nationals. Given that, she said winning at Bandimere is as big as winning at the sport’s marquee event — the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis over Labor Day weekend.

“In my opinion this race was huge, and how do you top that, right? Well, you do it by doing it again,” she said. “To win that race last year was based on pure passion and I guarantee you it has flowed into this race.”

Pritchett is seventh in the top-fuel standings, a distant 627 points behind leader Steve Torrence, who has won seven of the last eight races. Because of a lack of funding, Pritchett did not compete in the New England Nationals on July 5-7.

“I don’t think there is another human that can parallel how I feel about getting back in the car at Denver right now, or getting the team back on the track,” Pritchett said. “I’m beyond motivated.

“It doesn’t take missing a race, or Denver being the mother flagship event to get my motor running, but it most definitely has kicked it into overdrive. It will have been 25 days since being behind the wheel of a nitro car, or since my team has been in race pace, but I can promise, everyone is as prepared as ever to defend what I consider a U.S. Nationals-caliber event.”

This weekend’s qualifying begins with sessions Friday and Saturday at 4:15 and 7:15 p.m. Sunday’s eliminations begin at 11 a.m.