Monster Energy driver Brittany Force snared the provisional No. 1 qualifying spot for the Auto Club NHRA Finals and inched closer to the Top Fuel points lead with an Auto Club Raceway-track record on Friday.
Force ripped down Auto Club Raceway with a pass of 3.667 seconds at 330.31 mph, breaking the track record for elapsed time.
Force earned four qualifying points for that pass, helping to cut into Steve Torrence’s points lead. Torrence came into the race 20 ahead and earned one bonus point in Q2, meaning Force now trails by 17 with two qualifying sessions remaining.
“We’re trying to push the car, and Q1 we put it behind us and I knew our team would get this car figured out and I would make a decent run,” said Force, who didn’t make a full pass in the first session. “To jump up to the No. 1 spot is huge for us, but that’s where we need to be. We’re chasing down the No. 1 spot, and to have a killer run like that sets us up good for tomorrow and have us ready for race day.
“It’s not just a confidence-builder for me, but for our entire team to get that number on the board. It just pushes us forward. It gives us that momentum going into the weekend.”
Younger sister Courtney Force also had a stellar run in Q2, putting her Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS in the No. 2 spot with a run of 3.871 seconds at 334.578 mph. Carrying a special Taylor Swift paint scheme to support the release of the Big Machine Records’ superstar’s sixth studio album, reputation, Force also made a big improvement from the first session, in which she slid sideways early before collecting the car and finishing the pass.
“It was a wild first run, in which we stayed on the throttle a little too long and got loose, dropped all four holes on the left side, took Taylor for a wild ride and showed fans both sides of the racecar,” Courtney Force said. “But we got it fixed up for Q2 and took the top spot momentarily before ending in P2. It’s a great start to the weekend for the Advance Auto Parts team.”
Funny Car points leader Robert Hight will look to improve on a tough Friday, as his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS wasn’t able to get down the track in either qualifying session. Track conditions plagued a lot of Funny Cars on Friday, and Hight and his team are more than capable of vaulting into the top half of the field.
Hight still held serve in the championship battle. He leads by 14 points, as second-place Ron Capps earned only one qualifying bonus point on Friday.
John Force sits in the No. 6 spot after a solid run of 3.955 seconds at 315.60 mph with the PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet.
The final two qualifying sessions are slated for Saturday at 12:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Pacific, and Fox Sports 1 will provide one hour of live qualifying coverage Saturday at 3 p.m. Pacific.
John Force Racing PR/Photo Gary Nastase and Auto Imagery
