John Force and the PEAK Coolant & Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS team still dream of winning a championship despite an early exit in Sunday’s NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, the second race of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series’ Countdown to the Championship.
Force, the No. 13 qualifier, fell to No. 4 Jonnie Lindberg in the opening round of the race, despite having a better reaction time. Force got the edge by three hundredths of a second – .053 seconds to Lindberg’s .089 seconds – but Lindberg took control at the 60-foot mark. The pair ran side-by-side before the rear tires on Force’s car started smoking, causing him to slow. Lindberg’s car suffered no glitches, and he moved on to the second round.
Force’s daughter, Courtney, took her Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro to the finals. She is third in the Funny Car points standings, eight points behind teammate and second-place Robert Hight.
John Force remains eighth in the standings with four races remaining.
“It’s not just about me; it’s about teamwork,” Force said. “We may have lost the lead in Funny Car, but we’re second and third (Robert Hight and Courtney Force), and Brittany (Force) moved up to third in the (Top Fuel) Countdown. You don’t know if you’re going to win a championship, but it gives you the dream. I’m trying to find that dream, and I will.”
Force returns to competition for the third race of the Countdown to the Championship and 21st race of the season, the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals this weekend at Gateway Motorsports Park.
4-Second Reads:
- Best Qualifying Effort: 3.978 seconds/324.12 mph (Round 2; Qualified No. 13)
- Elimination Round 1 (Right Lane): 5.384 seconds/134.77 mph (RT – .053 seconds), lost to No. 4 Jonnie Lindberg, 3.946 seconds/324.83 mph (RT – .089 seconds); had the jump but fell behind at 60 feet, then ran side-by-side before smoking the rear tires at the 330-foot mark; vs. Lindberg – now 1-1 all-time; 1-1 this season; 0-1 at Reading
- Now 1,281-562 (1,843 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds (.695)
- Now 5-12 (17 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds after qualifying No. 13 (.294)
- Now 59-26 (85 rounds) all-time in elimination rounds at Reading (.694)
- Now 18-19 (37 rounds) this season in elimination rounds (.486)
- NHRA Funny Car Points Standings: 1. Ron Capps 2273; 2. Robert Hight 2265; 3. Courtney Force 2234; 4. Matt Hagan 2183; 5. Jack Beckman 2173; 8. John Force 2116.
John Force Racing PR/Photo Gary Nastase and Auto Imagery
