Younger Force wins Top Fuel to cap weekend
Things went exceptionally well this weekend for Brittany Force. She was No. 1 Top Fuel qualifier at the NHRA SpringNationals, setting track records at both ends. And when it really counted, the driver of the Advance Auto Parts Top Fuel dragster won on race day.
All that was missing was doubling up with her father John Force, who was the top qualifier in Funny Car. At least she was able to double up with her John Force Racing teammate Robert Hight, who joined Brittany in the winner’s circle at Houston Raceway Park.
“A good qualifying weekend,” said Force, who won at the Baytown track for the second consecutive year. “My dad and I, No. 1 (qualifiers). That’s something very special that my dad and I will share.
“We were looking for a win, but to be able to do it with Robert Hight by my side, is awesome. We’re happy.”
In the final, Force laid a clean 3.749-second pass at 302.14 mph from the right lane. It was more than enough to down the threetime world champion and No. 11 qualifier Antron Brown. Brown, in his Matco Tools Toyota dragster, and Force were running sideby-side before Brown started to haze the tires just past the midway point, giving Force the victory.
“People saw what we are capable of,” said Brown, who has 66 career wins and in the final had an elapsed time of 3.995 seconds at 233.48 mph. “It feels good to get back to what’s been the norm.”
Brown eliminated last week’s winner Mike Salinas, Leah Pritchett and 2018 champion Steve Torrence in reaching his first final round of the year and 56th of his career.
Force has nine Top Fuel wins, but Sunday was her first of the year in five races. She has a new team in 2019, headed by crew chiefs David Grubnic and Mac Savage. In Friday’s second qualifying session, Force covered the Houston Raceway Park track in 3.661 seconds at 332.18 mph.
“You felt the energy in our pits Friday night, after that .66 we put on the board. You felt it Saturday night,” said Force, who moved up to second in points, 18 behind (367-349) Doug Kalitta. “We were hungry for our first win.
“We thought we had it last weekend (Las Vegas) and let it slide. To be able to come out here and pull it off together is awesome. We’re ready for the next one.”
John Force, in his PEAK Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS, qualified at the top spot In Funny Car. It was the first time in NHRA history a father and daughter qualified No. 1 in both nitro classes at the same race.
Before reaching the final, Brittany Force disposed of Cameron Ferre, Kalitta and Clay Millican.
In winning for the third time in the first five races of the NHRA Mello Yello Racing Series, and the 48th time in his career, Hight took down No. 6 qualifier Matt Hagan in the Funny Car final from the right lane.
Driver of the AAA Texas Chevy Camaro SS, Hight had an ET of 3.941 seconds at 310.84 mph, to a 3.966 at 311.70 to Hagan’s Pennzoil Dodge Charger.
Hight had a tough road in winning his third race of the year and 48th for his career, starting with Jonnie Lindberg. In the second round, the three-time winner of the SpringNationals went up against reigning class champion J.R. Todd. In the semifinals, Hight opposed John Force, a 16-time world champion who has 149 national-event wins and is owner of John Force Racing.
A two-time world champion, Hight became the first driver to have beaten John Force in four straight head-to-head matchups. Hight acknowledged it’s not pleasant having to race against his boss.
“John wants me to have the same intensity when I race him as I do anybody else,” Hight said. “But it’s tough. It is a bummer because he wants it as bad as anybody else. You know every day he’s going to the racetrack looking for 150.”