Fresh of her third victory of the season and her second in the Countdown to the Championship, Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster driver Brittany Force takes the battle for the 2017 title to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend.
Force sits second in the Top Fuel points standings after her victory in Dallas, just 57 points out of the lead. She’s had a stellar Countdown thus far, winning two of the four races and winning at least one round in all four events.
Two races remain in the 2017 season, Vegas and Pomona. With more than 300 points available in the next two events, Force has ample opportunity to make up her 57-point deficit.
“I’m ready to get to Vegas,” Force said. “With two races left to go, we have a great shot at going after the title. I’m proud with the run the Monster team has had this year, and we’re going to go after it.”
Force won in Epping, N.H., earlier this season, and then won in the Countdown’s second race, in Reading, Pa. She and John Force Racing teammate Robert Hight doubled-up in Dallas, and she hopes to keep the momentum going with a successful race in Vegas.
“I like Vegas,” Force said. “We get to race there twice a year, and I’ve raced there in Super Comp, A-Fuel. I love the track. It’s a new race track, a beautiful facility, a long shutoff area. It’s just a great track, and I love racing there.”
The fight for the 2017 title may bring added pressure to Force and her team, but they’ll keep
the approach simple in the next two races.
“I just can only go at it one round at a time,” Force said. “Yes, there’s the pressure involved in a championship, but there’s also excitement and motivation of winning a championship that’s going to push you and your whole team to do the best job you can. We use it as motivation.
“But, really, I just take it one step at a time, one run at a time. When it comes down to race day, it’s the same thing.”
Two qualifying runs are scheduled for Friday (2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific) and Saturday (2 and 4:30 p.m.). Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. Pacific on Sunday.
Fox Sports 1 will televise one hour of qualifying coverage at 3 p.m. Pacific on Friday and one hour of qualifying coverage at noon on Sunday. FS1 will have three hours of live finals coverage at 1 p.m. Pacific on Sunday.
4-Second Reads:
- Brittany Force has competed in nine races at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and every race since the 2013 Spring race during her rookie season.
- Force is still looking for her first victory at Las Vegas. She has made it to the quarterfinals six times, including each of the last three races.
- Force is 6-9 in 15 elimination-round races (.400) at Las Vegas, and 6-3 in first-round matchups.
- Force’s best qualifying effort at Las Vegas is No. 4, which she has earned twice – the 2016 and 2017 Spring races.
- Force is currently second in the Top Fuel points standings, the highest she has been this season. She entered the Countdown to the Championship sixth in the standings.
- In 2017, Force has three victories, a 34-19 elimination-round record, and one No. 1 qualifier. She has a career-best 55 rounds in 2016 (currently is at 53 this season). She has set the event quick elapsed time three times, and event top speed six times.
- In her career, Force has six victories, 121 elimination-round wins and seven No. 1 qualifiers.
- Most recent NHRA victory – 2017 AAA Texas FallNationals in Ennis, Texas
- Most recent No. 1 qualifying effort – 2017 NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Ill.
- Best time/speed at Dallas – 3.728 seconds (2016 #2); 325.69 mph (2014 #2)
- Best time/speed of career – 3.644 seconds (2017 St. Louis E1); 333.66 mph (2017 Topeka E1)
- Monster Energy crew chief Brian Husen celebrates his birthday Saturday, Oct. 28.
John Force Racing PR/Photo Gary Nastase and Auto Imagery
