Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force is more than ready to get back into the winner’s circle at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals just outside of Cleveland. After back-to-back semifinal finishes the past two years, Force will be racing for her first win at Summit Racing Motorsports Park, a track she is familiar with from her Sportsman days and the popular Night Under Fire match race held in August.
“I have so many great memories from racing at Norwalk in A-Fuel and I’d love to bring home a win in my Advance Auto Parts Monster Energy dragster,” Force said. “I’m anxious to finish up the four in a row and hopefully end it in the winner’s circle. We’ve had some success here over the past couple years but my team and I are hoping to get the job done and get in the winner’s circle.”
Over the past four years, Force has progressively improved her performance at the 12th of 24 events on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Her semifinal finishes came from the No. 3 and No. 2 spots in 2016 and 2017, respectively. In 2015 she improved on her No. 9 position in 2014 up to No. 6 and raced to the second round both years.
Currently tied for seventh in the NHRA Mello Yello points standings, Force has raced her way back from the lowest low of her career after a horrific crash at the Winternationals began her championship defense. Since then, Force has qualified inside of the top five seven times including securing a No. 1 qualifier alongside sister and Funny Car points leader Courtney Force at the Four Wide Nationals in Charlotte and she picked up an emotional win from No. 2 qualifying position at the NHRA SpringNationals in Houston.
“The win was big for us. It put Pomona behind us and it helped to push us towards another championship,” said Force. “Last year we didn’t get our first win until we went to Epping, N.H., so we’re ahead of schedule. We are setting ourselves up to be ready for the Countdown. That’s where we made it all happen.”
Last season, Force had three wins and a runner-up finish for a total of 18 out of 24 round wins during the six-race playoffs to clinch the championship on the final day of the season. Their effort earned Force a nomination for “Best Driver” from The ESPYS, just announced on Wednesday.
“It’s an honor to be nominated as Best Driver with my Monster Energy team after our 2017 NHRA Championship season,” Force said. “It’s incredible to just be recognized alongside some of motorsports greatest drivers like my dad, Josef Newgarden, Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson. It would be amazing to be the first female and NHRA driver to win this award, but I’m proud just to be nominated. It really goes to show what the Monster Energy team accomplished last year.”
Sports fans can vote for Force and their other sports heroes in variety of categories via an online poll at: ESPN.com/ESPYS. Voting is underway and concludes at 9 p.m. (ET) on July 17. Fans can vote once per day.
While fans vote, Force will continue to chase a second championship by heading into qualifying for the 12th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals beginning with two session at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. on Friday and two more sessions on Saturday at 1:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
JFR PR/Photo Credit Auto Imagery
