NHRA NEWS: FUNNY CAR DRIVER C. FORCE VICTORIOUS AT O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA WINTERNATIONALS; LANGDON, NOBILE ALSO WINNERS AT MELLO YELLO SEASON-OPENER

Photo credit Ron Lewis Photography

Courtney Force raced to victory in Funny Car Sunday at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel) and Vincent Nobile (Pro Stock) also were winners at the first of 24 events in the 2013 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

Force powered her Traxxas Ford Mustang past NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger driver Ron Capps with a pass of 4.025 seconds at 317.12 mph to earn her second career victory.

“It was definitely unbelievable,” Force said. “My team, (crew chiefs) Ron Douglas and Dan Hood, thanks to them, they had given me great race car all weekend long. I just try to keep it straight down the center and they really made my job easy. I really owe it to those guys. It was kind of bittersweet finishing here (at the NHRA Finals in November) and not getting that win, then coming back and picking up where we left off and finishing our job. We got the win and I’m just proud of my team.”

In Top Fuel, Langdon drove his Al-Anabi Racing dragster to the win with his pass of 3.721 at 322.27, defeating seven-time champion Tony Schumacher and the U.S. Army team. In front of a hometown crowd, Langdon said the second victory is so much sweeter than the first.

Photo credit Will Lester/Staff Photographer

 “Couldn’t have scripted it any better really,” Langdon said. “We struggled a little in qualifying. We didn’t really have the car that we thought we should have had, but we qualified seventh. We knew the things we learned in testing that we had a car capable of winning. It showed today.”

Photo credit Will Lester/Staff Photographer

“I am feeling good,” Brown said. “I’ve got some scrapes on my legs and my back is a little sore, but overall I feel good. The best feeling was seeing how quickly the NHRA Safety Safari got to my car after it stopped. The car did its job and we’ll be ready for Phoenix.”In the second round of eliminations, 2012 world champion Antron Brown’s Matco Tools dragster went out of control and crashed near the finish line. Brown emerged from the crashed car under his own power and was checked and released by NHRA emergency services officials. He received only very minor injuries in the incident.

Nobile claimed his sixth Pro Stock victory with a performance of 6.571 at 211.03 in his Mountain View Tire Dodge Avenger, taking the automatic victory over Jeg Coughlin, who turned on the red light at the starting line and fouled out in his JEGS.com/Mopar Dodge Avenger.

“It’s pretty awesome leaving here with the points lead,” said Nobile. “That’s every team’s goal. Now we just want to stay there, stay consistent and keep the wins coming.”

The Mello Yello Drag Racing Series rolls in to Phoenix Feb. 22-24 for the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird International Raceway which will be aired on ESPN2HD. 

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POMONA, Calif. -- Final finish order (1-16) at the 53rd annual O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.  The race is the first of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

1.  Shawn Langdon; 2.  Tony Schumacher; 3.  Khalid alBalooshi; 4.  Antron Brown; 5.  Brandon Bernstein; 6.  Steve Torrence; 7.  Doug Kalitta; 8.  David Grubnic; 9.  Spencer Massey; 10.  Morgan Lucas; 11.  Bob Vandergriff; 12.  Clay Millican; 13.  Brittany Force; 14.  Sidnei Frigo; 15.  Leah Pruett; 16.  Larry Dixon.

FUNNY CAR:

1.  Courtney Force; 2.  Ron Capps; 3.  Johnny Gray; 4.  Bob Tasca III; 5.  Todd Lesenko; 6.  Cruz Pedregon; 7.  Matt Hagan; 8.  Gary Densham; 9.  John Force; 10.  Del Worsham; 11.  Tony Pedregon; 12.  Robert Hight; 13.  Jack Beckman; 14.  Alexis DeJoria; 15.  Phil Burkart; 16.  Tim Wilkerson.

PRO STOCK:

1.  Vincent Nobile; 2.  Jeg Coughlin; 3.  V. Gaines; 4.  Greg Stanfield; 5.  Allen Johnson; 6. Shane Gray; 7.  Kurt Johnson; 8.  Chris McGaha; 9.  Jason Line; 10.  Steve Kent; 11.  Deric Kramer; 12.  Greg Anderson; 13.  Erica Enders-Stevens; 14.  Matt Hartford; 15.  Mike Edwards; 16.  Rodger Brogdon.

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POMONA, Calif. -- Sunday's final results from the 53rd annual O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. The race is the first of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Shawn Langdon, 3.721 seconds, 322.27 mph  def. Tony Schumacher, 3.747 seconds, 324.12 mph.

Funny Car -- Courtney Force, Ford Mustang, 4.025, 317.12  def. Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 6.090, 116.32.

Pro Stock -- Vincent Nobile, Dodge Avenger, 6.584, 210.05  def. Jeg Coughlin, Avenger, foul.

Top Alcohol Dragster -- Jim Whiteley, 5.245, 273.39  def. Chris Demke, 5.271, 270.86.

Top Alcohol Funny Car -- John Lombardo Jr., Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.555, 261.17  def. Jason Rupert, Monte Carlo, 5.653, 255.63.

Competition Eliminator -- Ross Wilson, Sunfire, 8.167, 165.50  def. Alan Ellis, '23-T Ford, 6.604, 204.54.

Super Stock -- Jimmy DeFrank, Cobalt, 9.316, 113.03  def. Mike Cotten, Barracuda, foul.

Stock Eliminator -- Jimmy DeFrank, Camaro, 10.372, 126.42  def. Michael Iacono, Camaro, 11.069, 115.53.

Super Comp -- Phil Dion, Dragster, 8.934, 168.14  def. Scott Taylor, Dragster, 9.123, 165.33.

Super Gas -- Rick Beckstrom, Grand Am, 9.904, 160.71  def. Peter Bothe, Porsche, 9.927, 148.09.

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POMONA, Calif. -- Final round-by-round results from the 53rd annual O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the first of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Shawn Langdon, 3.803, 294.37 def. Clay Millican, 3.811, 321.42; Antron Brown, 3.855, 293.60 def. Larry Dixon, 3.881, 310.34; Brandon Bernstein, 3.785, 324.44 def. Brittany Force, 3.822, 323.43; Tony Schumacher, 3.756, 326.40 def. Sidnei Frigo, 3.849, 317.57; Doug Kalitta, 3.799, 326.71 def. Leah Pruett, 3.850, 309.56; David Grubnic, 3.741, 325.69 def. Morgan Lucas, 3.764, 328.14; Khalid alBalooshi, 3.769, 326.40 def. Bob Vandergriff, 3.810, 324.36; Steve Torrence, 3.787, 322.81 def. Spencer Massey, 3.763, 326.63;

QUARTERFINALS -- Langdon, 3.738, 327.43 def. Bernstein, 3.775, 323.89; alBalooshi, 3.782, 320.66 def. Kalitta, 3.800, 325.22; Brown, 3.848, 308.64 def. Grubnic, 4.976, 139.07; Schumacher, 3.756, 322.19 def. Torrence, 3.782, 324.28;

SEMIFINALS -- Schumacher, 6.465, 96.17 def. Brown, broke; Langdon, 3.749, 324.67 def. alBalooshi, 4.326, 195.25;

FINAL -- Langdon, 3.721, 322.27 def. Schumacher, 3.747, 324.12.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 5.165, 247.75 def. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 5.416, 201.04; Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.137, 311.56 def. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.615, 234.21; Courtney Force, Mustang, 4.066, 316.97 def. Phil Burkart, Chevy Monte Carlo, 7.183, 88.37; Todd Lesenko, Dodge Charger, 5.013, 176.33 def. Jack Beckman, Charger, 5.457, 149.45; Gary Densham, Charger, 5.023, 173.21 def. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 5.071, 151.58; Ron Capps, Charger, 4.108, 313.58 def. John Force, Mustang, 4.119, 313.07; Johnny Gray, Charger, 4.056, 314.31 def. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 6.255, 107.43; Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.346, 227.84 def. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, foul;

QUARTERFINALS -- Capps, 4.251, 241.84 def. Densham, 5.808, 105.41; Gray, 4.038, 307.72 def. Lesenko, 4.202, 307.30; C. Force, 4.070, 312.64 def. Hagan, 5.668, 140.31; Tasca III, 4.154, 311.20 def. C. Pedregon, 4.523, 189.15;

SEMIFINALS -- Capps, 4.036, 316.23 def. Gray, 4.056, 301.07; C. Force, 10.422, 49.91 def. Tasca III, foul;

FINAL -- C. Force, 4.025, 317.12 def. Capps, 6.090, 116.32.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Greg Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 6.599, 209.56 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.686, 208.88; Allen Johnson, Dodge Avenger, 6.602, 211.10 def. Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 13.918, 62.30; Jeg Coughlin, Avenger, 6.572, 211.10 def. Steve Kent, Pontiac GXP, 6.600, 209.33; Kurt Johnson, GXP, 6.596, 210.14 def. Erica Enders-Stevens, Chevy Cobalt, 8.682, 92.42; Chris McGaha, Avenger, 6.599, 210.31 def. Mike Edwards, Camaro, 12.362, 61.44; V. Gaines, Avenger, 6.557, 211.93 def. Deric Kramer, Avenger, 6.614, 209.04; Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.604, 209.88 def. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.570, 212.19; Vincent Nobile, Avenger, 6.580, 210.60 def. Matt Hartford, Avenger, 10.367, 88.35;

QUARTERFINALS -- Stanfield, 6.616, 208.68 def. McGaha, DQ; Nobile, 6.592, 210.01 def. Gray, 6.644, 209.33; Gaines, 6.566, 211.06 def. A. Johnson, 6.575, 210.77; Coughlin, 6.569, 210.47 def. K.

Johnson, 6.672, 207.75;

SEMIFINALS -- Nobile, 6.575, 210.34 def. Stanfield, 6.588, 209.75; Coughlin, 6.574, 208.42 def. Gaines, 6.538, 212.23;

FINAL -- Nobile, 6.584, 210.05 def. Coughlin, foul.

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POMONA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) following the 53rd annual O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the first of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel

1.  Shawn Langdon, 116; 2.  Tony Schumacher, 106; 3.  Khalid alBalooshi, 74; 4.  Antron Brown, 67; 5.  Brandon Bernstein, 60; 6.  Doug Kalitta, 59; 7.  David Grubnic, 55; 8.  Steve Torrence, 53; 9. Spencer Massey, 34; 10.  Clay Millican, 33.

Funny Car

1.  Courtney Force, 124; 2.  Ron Capps, 94; 3.  Johnny Gray, 76; 4.  Bob Tasca III, 71; 5.  Gary Densham, 60; 6.  Cruz Pedregon, 56; 7.  Matt Hagan, 52; 8.  Todd Lesenko, 51; 9.  Jack Beckman, 43; 10.  Del Worsham, 38.

Pro Stock

1.  Vincent Nobile, 118; 2.  Jeg Coughlin, 95; 3.  V. Gaines, 81; 4.  Greg Stanfield, 72; 5.  Allen Johnson, 52; 6.  (tie) Shane Gray, 51; Kurt Johnson, 51; Chris McGaha, 51; 9.  Mike Edwards, 45; 10.  Erica Enders-Stevens, 42.

NHRA NEWS: FORCE DEFENDS FUNNY CAR TITLE

The last two seasons, he has finished no better than ninth in NHRA driver points.  In pre-season testing, his Castrol GTX Mustang was the slowest of the three Fords on his own team.  And, at 63, he is the oldest full-time driver in the entire Funny Car class.

          Nevertheless, betting against John Force in this week’s 53^rd annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Winternationals – or any other event at Auto Club Raceway, for that matter – is like betting that the federal government suddenly is going to quit spending our money on frivolous projects and programs.  It’s just not a smart bet. 

          That’s because nowhere has drag racing’s all-time biggest winner celebrated more often than he has at the Los Angeles County Fairplex track on which the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Series season will begin this week. 

          One of only two drivers to have won at Pomona in three different events (including 2001's 50^th anniversary NHRA Nationals), Force has won a total of 15 races and 110 racing rounds.  Both are records for a single track.

          As if that wasn’t enough, he also is the defending event champion and will pursue his seventh season-opening victory at the wheel of an 8,000 horsepower Castrol Mustang prepared by the man he beat in last year’s final round.

          After two successful years as both driver and crew chief, years in which he finished fifth and third in points, Mike Neff successfully lobbied to return to the singular role in which he enjoyed his greatest success – and Force couldn’t be happier about the decision.

         That’s because the last time Neff concentrated solely on his tuning skills, back in 2010, the result was a championship with, guess who?  John Force.

          “It was Mike Neff’s decision,” Force said.  “He obviously proved he could do the job as a driver but he thought that to do both, drive and tune, was getting to be too much.  At the end of the day, though, I’m excited to have him back tuning my hot rod.”

          Although he has won an NHRA tour event in 25 of the last 26 seasons and has posted a record 28 consecutive Top 10 finishes, all of them in Castrol-backed Funny Cars, Force is not without motivation as he begins his 36^th NHRA season. For one thing, he has had a winning record in only one of the last four campaigns (he was 18-22 a year ago), prompting some skeptics to question whether he can any longer be considered a legitimate contender. 

           After all, after 15 championships, 134 tour victories and 12 “special event” wins, the most recent in last year’s inaugural Traxxas Nitro Shootout, what more is there for him to prove? 

           “It doesn’t matter how many you win, trophies or championship rings, you always want to win one more,” said the 2012 inductee into the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Ala.

           “As a driver you want to win for the crew chiefs, the sponsors, the people in the office, the people in the chassis, paint and machine shops because without them you wouldn’t be able to do the job you love,” he said. 

           “On top of that, there’s your own personal satisfaction.  I still want to prove to Robert (Hight, driver of the Auto Club Ford) and my two daughters that drive (Courtney, 24, and Brittany, 26) that I’m still in championship form,” he said.  “I work out every day to stay in the game.  That’s really what it’s all about.”

           No one has “stayed in the game” at such a high level for as long as Force.

          Although he was winless in his first nine seasons and was the Funny Car runner-up in his first nine NHRA finals, the former truck driver has been part of the championship conversation for the last 26 seasons.  The bad news for rivals who have waited to fill his shoes is that, right now, those shoes are still full of Force.  Don’t bet against him.   

DESTINATION FORCE FUNNY CAR MAKES LAS VEGAS DEBUT

Prior to the Big O Tires NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway NHRA Funny Car superstar Ashley Force Hood and her legendary father, John Force, will participate in the NHRA Fanfest on Fremont Street (at the intersection of 3rd and Fremont Street) on Thursday, October 27 along with the 8,000 hp Destination Force Castrol GTX HIGH MILEAGE Ford Mustang Funny Car that the 15-time Funny Car champion will race. The NHRA Fanfest will commence from the 3rd Street Stage starts at 5 p.m. and is free to the public.

“I wanted to race this Funny Car the minute Ashley showed me the comic book. The whole story behind Destination Force was my story and to take it in a whole new direction with a comic book was great. I know the fans loved the book and we have been selling a lot of them at the car shows, through our John Force Racing website and the John Force Racestation apparel store,” said John Force. “We’ll be selling them at Fremont Street too, so I want everyone to come on down and see this hot rod, say hello to me, Ashley and Courtney plus get excited about this race in Las Vegas. I want to get this Destination Force Funny Car in the winner’s circle for me, my sponsors, my team and especially Ashley.”

Force Hood released her first comic book titled, Destination Force, which chronicled the futuristic adventures of her Funny Car champion father John Force at the end of last season to very positive fan feedback. The Destination Force Funny Car was originally unveiled August 26th at the Indianapolis Comic Book Show but this will be the first and only time NHRA Full Throttle fans will be able to see the Funny Car on the track.

“We got a great response when we unveiled the Funny Car at the Indianapolis Comic Book Show and we had the car on display at our shop before the Mac Tools US Nationals. Finally racing the car in Las Vegas just seemed like the perfect place to debut the Destination Force Funny Car on the race track. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from the first Destination Force comic book and it was so much fun to work on we thought it would only make sense to have an actualDestination Force Funny Car. My dad is excited about racing the car and I think he has a few surprises to go along with the Funny Car,” said Force Hood.

In addition to the Destination Force Funny Car being on display at the NHRA Fanfest at Fremont Street on Thursday night Lionel NASCAR Collectables has produced commemorative hero cards for the Destination Force Funny Car. The collectible hero cards will be available on Thursday night as well as throughout the week at the Big O Tires NHRA Nationals. John Force and Ashley Force Hood will be signing along with Courtney Force and many stars from the NHRA.   

The 1:24 scale die-cast collectible of the Destination Force Castrol GTX HIGH MILEAGE Funny Car will be available before Christmas and can be purchased atwww.johnforceracestation.com and www.nhradiecast.com – home of the officially licensed die-cast of the NHRA.

C. FORCE AND TRAXXAS TO RUN PINK BREAST CANCER AWARENESS CAR AT READING

As the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing season winds down John Force Racing driver Courtney Force takes advantage of the month of October and the Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway  to show her support for those who have been affected by breast cancer.

This weekend in Reading, Penn., Force will sport a pink Traxxas Funny Car Ford Mustang to commemorate breast cancer awareness month and to raise support for breast cancer prevention and research.

“I’m really excited to be able to run my first specialty car at our next event in Maple Grove. Being that it is pink and brings awareness to breast cancer makes me really proud to showcase this car in Reading. I really hope to get a lot of people’s attention with it and show our support from Traxxas and John Force Racing. It’s really cool to kick-off October with this. My crew guys are just as excited as I am even though it is hot pink because it’s for a great cause,” said Force.

The Action Racing Collectables die-cast of Courtney's Traxxas Pink Ford Mustang Funny Car is now available to order onwww.lionelracing.com.  A portion of the proceeds from each die-cast sold will benefit breast cancer awareness, research and prevention.

“So many women and families have been affected by breast cancer. Driving the Traxxas Pink Funny Car is just one small way I can show that I care and support them as we try to find a cure for this terrible disease,” said Force.

JFR Racing Images from the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis

Mike Neff celebrates his win as he exits his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang at the top end on Sunday. Neff has won back-to-back events in 2011 and 2012.

Courtney Force scores her first career No. 1 qualifying effort at Indy. She also posted her career-best time with a 4.049 ET and set a new track speed record for Funny Car.

Robert Hight was not in the show as of Sunday before NHRA postponed the U.S. Nationals to the following weekend due to weather and track conditions. Hight later made the field in the No. 6 spot.

Courtney and Alexis DeJoria went on Indy Style to promote the race weekend before heading downtown for the Traxxas Shootout lottery drawing and press conference.

John Force suiting up and being closely followed by ESPN cameras during qualifying.

John Force takes photos with fans at the BrandSource Midway display between qualifying rounds.

COURTNEY FORCE WINS FAN VOTE, LOTTERY JFR READY TO TAKE WIN AT TRAXXAS SHOOTOUT

While this is the inaugural year for the Traxxas Shootout it is not the first time John Force Racing will be looking for bonus money success at the Mac Tools US Nationals. Eight times John Force Racing has hoisted the bonus race trophy and cash whether it was the Big Bud Shootout or the Skoal Showdown. This year all four JFR drivers will be battling three Don Schumacher teams (Ron Capps, Johnny Gray and Jack Beckman) and Jeff Arend from Kalitta Racing for the $100,000 top prize on Sunday, September 3rd.  Today rookie sensation Courtney Force won the lottery for the final spot in the Traxxas Nitro Shootout at Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis. The driver of the Traxxas Ford Mustang garnered 63% of the fan vote leading up to the lottery with the other eligible Funny Car drivers.

“This was awesome. I am so excited to make the Traxxas Nitro Shootout. I want to thank my fans and all my sponsors Traxxas, Castrol, Auto Club, Ford, BrandSource, Mac Tools, Weld Racing, and Lionel/NASCAR for their support over the past week. I was nervous during the lottery because every driver had ping pong balls in the hopper. It was anyone’s lottery to win and I am just thankful my ping pong ball popped out,” said Courtney Force, the winner of the Seattle Northwest NHRA Nationals.

Courtney Force will join her father John Force, a six-time Funny Car bonus race winner, along with Robert Hight and Mike Neff. Three times a JFR driver has won the bonus race and then gone on to double up in the U.S. Nationals. Force doubled in both 1993 and 1996 and Gary Densham did so in 2004.

JFR team record in the Shootout/Showdown is 54-35. The team has won $1,677,500 in Shootout/Showdown bonus money. John Force has earned $1,083,500 himself.

“This is going to be a battle and I am glad I have all four of my drivers in the fight. Robert Hight and Mike Neff have been doing great this season and my Castrol hot rod has been coming around these last couple of races. I am excited my daughter Courtney won the fan vote and the lottery to get her shot at this Traxxas money with her Traxxas Ford Mustang. It will be a great race and I want to thank Mike Jenkins and Traxxas for giving the Funny Car and Top Fuel guys this bonus race,” said John Force.

The first round match-ups for the Traxxas Shootout include three classic JFR vs. DSR match-ups along with No. 2 qualifier Robert Hight taking on Kalitta Racing’s Jeff Arend, the No. 7 qualifier.

2012 Traxxas Shootout Bracket

1. Ron Capps vs. No. 8 Courtney Force

2. Robert Hight vs. No. 7 Jeff Arend

3. Jack Beckman vs. No. 6 John Force

4. Johnny Gray vs. No. 5 Mike Neff

FORCE BACK IN HIS COMFORT ZONE AT BRAINERD

With his record streak of 27 consecutive Top 10 finishes in jeopardy, John Force could not find himself in a more comfortable environment this week when the NHRA Full Throttle Series moves to Brainerd International Raceway for the 31^st renewal of the Lucas Oil Nationals.

After all, the 63-year-old drag racing icon, who is battling Bob Tasca III, Tim Wilkerson and reigning series champion Matt Hagan for one of the last two spots in the Countdown to 1 playoffs, has won more races at BIR (11) than the combined total of every other Funny Car driver in the field (eight). 

The father of Rookie-of-the-Year contender Courtney Force has gone to the finals in every other appearance at Brainerd (13 times in 26 races) and has compiled a 66-15 individual record, a winning percentage of 81.5 percent.

That said, it’s been five years since his Castrol GTX® HIGH MILEAGE™ Ford last rolled into the winners’ circle and three years since he last won a racing round at BIR.  The reality of the situation is that if he is unable to recapture his old form, he faces the prospect of watching from the sidelines when his teammates vie for the $500,000 Funny Car title he’s won 15 times in his career.

Despite his struggles since winning the season-opening Kragen O’Reilly Winternationals at Pomona, Calif., Force for once expects to benefit from the Countdown format that was introduced in 2007 largely to prevent the kind of runaway championships the former truck driver manufactured in the 1990s and early 2000s when he won 10 straight titles.

Currently ninth in points, the recent inductee into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Ala., is focused this week on one goal and one goal only.

“Robert (teammate and son-in-law Robert Hight) won the championship in 2009 from No. 10,” Force said, “so we know you can do it.  Whoever gets the hot hand can win it all.  They say, ‘you gotta be in it to win it,’ so we’re just fighting to get in – me and ‘Guido’ and Danny D (crew chiefs Dean Antonelli and Danny DeGennaro).”

Coming off a solid, if not spectacular performance in the grueling Western Swing (reaching the semifinals in the first and last events in the three-races-in-three-weeks grind), the 134-time tour winner earned himself some breathing room, moving from 10th to ninth in Full Throttle points. 

However, his participation in the six-race Countdown still is no sure thing especially with Hagan just 69 points behind with two races remaining before the points are re-adjusted. 

“We still have to do our jobs,” said the first drag racer to earn Driver of the Year honors for all of American motor racing (1996).  “We’ve been struggling but we’ve addressed the issues.  We’re all working together – ‘Guido’ and Danny with Jimmy Prock and Mike Neff and Ron Douglas plus we’ve got John Medlen and Ron Armstrong on board.  That’s the ‘brain trust.”Prock, Neff and Douglas are crew chiefs on the other three John Force Racing Ford Mustangs.  Medlen is a former NHRA championship-winning crew chief for JFR (2003) who now manages the team’s R&D program and Armstrong is a former NASCAR engine builder and offshore boat racer who was instrumental in developing the RacePak data collection system that today is the standard in many motor sports.

“I told my guys, ‘as long as we work as one team, we’ll win as one team,’” Force said.

It’s a formula that has delivered NHRA Funny Car championships in all but five of the last 22 years.  Force sees no need to change it now.

FORCE ON TRACK TO CLINCH COUNTDOWN SPOT IN BRAINERD

One event on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing series tour stands between Rookie Funny Car driver Courtney Force and her first ever Funny Car attempt at “The Big Go” that is the Mac Tools US Nationals in Indianapolis Labor Day weekend. Before Force can look ahead to such an event, she is faced with the pressure of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd and all the pressure surrounding it.

“I’m so excited going into the Brainerd race, especially coming in fresh off a win in Seattle.  I’m looking forward to hopefully doing well enough at the race to get my Traxxas Ford Mustang locked into the Countdown to the Championship, going into The Big Go,” said Force.

This weekend in Brainerd, several drivers have the opportunity to clinch spots in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing series Countdown to the Championship. The 24-year-old out of Yorba Linda, Calif., can clinch by winning the first round of eliminations depending on qualifying position and qualifying bonus points, or will clinch by making it through the second round of eliminations.

“We’ve got a great race car and a pretty consistent one at that.  As a driver I just want to do my job right by keeping this Mustang straight in the groove, leaving good,  get it in the show and go rounds on Sunday,” said Force.

This past week Force launched her campaign for the 8th and final spot into the “Traxxas Nitro Shootout,” the race within a race that will be held during the Mac Tools US Nationals in Indianapolis.

“I had so much fun filming the campaign video for the Traxxas Nitro Shootout and hope that fans can see another side of me. I really wanted to show how much I want to be competing in that Traxxas Nitro Shootout against my teammates. I need the fans’ support and their votes on NHRA’s Facebook page following this weekend’s race in Brainerd.  My Traxxas team has put together a great race car for me all season long, so I really want to get into that Traxxas Shootout and show everyone what we’ve got,” said Force. 

With the fan vote/lottery style drawing, Force has a chance to join her fellow John Force Racing teammates in the Traxxas Nitro Shootout. You can view Force’s comical campaign video  http://youtu.be/YLvT9FL6qbw.

Two weeks ago at the NHRA Northwest Nationals in Seattle, Force wrapped up the Western Swing by taking home her very first Funny Car Wally. There was a little bit of struggle during qualifying on the Traxxas team’s end, but the youngest Force daughter swept past previous World Funny Car Champions Cruz Pedregon, John Force and Matt Hagan as well as Bob Tasca III in eliminations on her way to victory, and did it all the way from the no. 14 qualifying spot.

Force’s win put her back into the No. 6 spot in the points standings and placed her about two and a half rounds in front of Cruz Pedregon in the No. 7 spot.

“Getting my first win in Funny Car was such a huge accomplishment for our Traxxas team, but I really owe all the credit to the guys working on my car, as well as everyone at John Force Racing.  This was a dream come true; seeing that win light in the final round against defending champ Matt Hagan, and getting to hold that Wally in the Winner’s Circle was so surreal.

“Making it to three final rounds and getting that victory in only our 15^th race of my Rookie Season was huge! I’m so proud of my team, and hope to continue having a great season while hopefully clinching into the top 10 for the Countdown to the Championship,” said Force.

The rookie driver has been busy the last four weeks. She and father, 15-time Champion John Force attended Summit Motorsports Park’s annual “Night Under Fire” in Norwalk, Ohio the weekend after Seattle, where Courtney took home the trophy. Fellow Funny Car drivers including Alexis DeJoria, Jeff Arend, Jim Head and Dan Wilkerson were also in attendance along with over 850 sportsman racers.

“It’s always exciting getting to go to Night Under Fire and just race without any pressure.  Racing is what I love to do and am passionate about so it was exciting for me to get out there and race against some of the best while putting on another great show for the fans!  Bill Bader puts on a great show every year so it was really cool to be apart of it for the first time in a Fuel Funny Car,” said Force.

NEFF CAN LOCK UP PLAYOFF BERTH AT BRAINERD

Last year, Mike Neff inexplicably “lost the handle” on the tune-up that had carried his Castrol GTX® Ford Mustang to the regular season championship in the NHRA’s Full Throttle Series.

Unfortunately, the timing of such a stumble could not have been any worse.  After piling up a 215-point lead in the first 16 races and winning five times, the 45-year-old with the quiet demeanor and the Hollywood good looks saw everything slip away in the six-race Countdown to 1 NHRA playoffs.

As a result, this year has been all about getting ready for “crunch time,” determining what works and what doesn’t, analyzing graphs and charts and stockpiling enough proven parts to get through as many as 48 rounds of playoff racing.

Drag racing is all about making adjustments,” Neff said as he prepared for this week’s 31^st annual Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, the next-to-last race before the points are adjusted in a system designed to add more drama to the championship chase. 

“Whether it’s Brainerd or Charlotte or Vegas, the track may be the same but the conditions that you have to deal with are never the same,” said the man who, as the driver and crew chief on the Castrol Ford, is trying this year to become the first in 37 seasons to win an NHRA Funny Car title in that dual capacity. 

“We’ve had a good car all year and I feel good about our chances this week,” said the former motocross racer and off-road truck mechanic, “but I really feel a lot better about the Countdown.  We learned from what happened last year (when he slipped from first to fifth in the final order) and we made a new plan.

“We’ve been kinda racing under the radar, trying different things,” he said.  “Some of them have worked and some of them haven’t.  Like everybody, we’ve been fighting some clutch issues but when they reshuffle the points after Indy (and the Labor Day Mac Tools U.S. Nationals), I think we’ll be ready to go.”

Instead of pushing himself and his resources to the absolute limit every week, Neff has opted this year for a more measured approach to winning his first driving championship and John Force Racing’s 18^th in the last 23 years.

“We’re just trying to improve in areas where we might have been a little weaker last year,” said the two-time championship-winning Funny Car crew chief (2005 with Gary Scelzi and 2010 with John Force).  “Nobody accumulated more points than we did last year but, like it or not, (the championship is) just based off six races and you have to try and plan so your program is strongest in those last six races.”

Although he hasn’t been as dominant as he was a year ago when he went to nine final rounds, Neff has kept himself very much in the middle of the championship conversation with wins at Houston, Texas, and Norwalk, Ohio. 

As a result, even though he suffered a rare qualifying failure at Atlanta, he will clinch a playoff spot simply by making a qualifying attempt this weekend.  His goal was to finish the regular season somewhere among the Top 5, which now is virtually certain.   

That means that he would start the playoffs no more than three rounds (60 points) behind teammate Robert “Top Gun” Hight or whomever winds up No. 1. Regardless, he will be far better prepared for the blitz that is the playoffs than he was a year ago. 

“The tricky thing about racing is sometimes it just doesn’t work the way you want it to,” Neff observed.  “The thing is, if it was easy, everybody’d be winning.”

HIGHT WANTS REDEMPTION IN BRAINERD

There are some tracks where drivers love to pull their race cars to the starting line because they have seen more win lights than anything else. Brainerd International Raceway is not one of those tracks for Full Throttle points leader Robert Hight and the Auto Club Ford Mustang team. This will be Hight’s eighth trip to the Brainerd, Minnesota track and his best finish has been a semi-final loss to John Force. He has four first round losses and a DNQ to go along with two second round losses.

“For whatever reason Brainerd has not been that good to me. Bristol used to be another track where we just didn’t go rounds. Last year we finally conquered Bristol and this year I want to get a win in Brainerd and hold onto the No. 1 spot in the points heading into Indy,” said Hight, a four-time winner in 2012.

Hight’s championship season of 2009 actually started turning around at Brainerd International Raceway in the most unlikeliest of ways. Hight, in dire need of round wins to get into the Countdown, shockingly did not qualify for the event and team owner John Force shook up the team moving himself to the Auto Club team for a race and Hight over to the Castrol GTX team. The move worked as Hight clinched the final spot in the Countdown that year and went on to win his first championship.

“That DNQ in 2009 hurt but even then we never got our heads down. John always has a plan and a back-up plan. We got fixed by Indy and then had a good race there losing to Ashley (Force Hood) in the final. Once we got into the Countdown (crew chief) Jimmy (Prock) had a great tune-up and the rest is history,” said Hight.

“Even though I haven’t raced well in Brainerd I love coming up here. The fans are always great. They love their drag racing and it is a unique event because you see everything from my 8000 horsepower Auto Club Ford Mustang going down the track to snowmobiles,” added Hight.

Hight has won four races this season and he has held the points lead most of the season but a late season charge by veteran Ron Capps has Hight sitting on a 31 point lead with two races to go before the Countdown begins. Hight, Capps and Jack Beckman have all clinched their Countdown berths. This weekend the trio of drivers should be joined by Hight’s teammate Mike Neff and veteran Johnny Gray. Rookie of the Year front-runner Courtney Force could clinch her first Countdown with some success on Sunday.

“The Countdown is where you win championships but it is the races leading up to the Countdown where you can get some momentum. We were really hot in the early part of the season,” said Hight. “We were going for five race wins in a row and Capps beat us in Houston. His car has come around but I know Jimmy Prock has a great tune-up for my Auto Club Mustang. I want to dominate and lead the points the whole season. I am sure Capps will be charging but so will a lot of other guys and women. Courtney has had a really good race car these past couple of races so there are no easy round wins.”