Disappointed by an early exit following an impressive qualifying performance last week at Seattle, Wash., two-time Top Fuel World Champion Brittany Force is looking for redemption this week at one of her favorite venues in the Mission Foods drag racing series.
“Sonoma (Raceway) is one of my favorite tracks and I’m excited to get right back in my Monster Energy dragster after a tough weekend in Seattle,” she said.
The 38-year-old, who earned her teaching credentials before deciding to follow her dad John and sisters Ashley and Courtney into the family business, knows that she quickly is running out of time to gain ground in the driver standings before the start of the NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship.
“The Countdown is coming up quickly,” said the 16-time tour winner, “and we have to put ourselves in the best possible starting position.”
That means moving up from the tenuous No. 10 spot she currently occupies. Nevertheless, she is confident that her David Grubnic-led team will put a Monster of a car beneath her, one capable of returning her to the winners’ circle in which she raised the trophy just two years ago.
“We celebrated a significant win here in 2022,” said the 2013 NHRA Rookie-of-the-Year. “We qualified fifth, ran high 3.60s all day and then ran 3.70 in the final to win my first ever Sonoma Nationals.”
She’ll try to build on that victory and the momentum borne of her car’s measurable improvement over the past several events. Nevertheless, the team’s strategy is far from complicated.
“Our game plan is simple,” she said. “One, qualify in the top five; two, get down the track every qualifying pass and, three, go rounds on race day.”
SONOMA NATIONALS SCHEDULE
Friday, July 25
Nitro qualifying, session #1 at 5:30 p.m., PDT; session #2 at 8:15 p.m., PDT
Saturday, July 27
Top Fuel qualifying session #3, 12:30 p.m., PDT
Funny Car qualifying, session #3 and first round of Mission Foods 2Fast/2Tasty NHRA Challenge, Austin Prock vs. J.R. Todd and Paul Lee vs. Blake Alexander, 1:05 p.m., PDT
Top Fuel qualifying, session #4, 3 p.m., PDT
Funny Car qualifying, session #4 and final round of 2Fast/2Tasty Challenge, 3:30 p.m., PDT
Sunday, July 28
First round eliminations, 10:30 a.m., PDT
JFR ON FS1 and FOX Broadcast Network
Saturday, July 27
Qualifying show, 7-8 p.m., EDT, on FS1
Sunday, July 28
Qualifying wrap-up show, 2:30-4 p.m., EDT, on FS1
Sunday, Jul 28
Race coverage, 4-7 p.m. EDT, on FOX
JFR PR
