NHRA NEWS: COURTNEY FORCE GRABS FIRST SPOT IN TRAXXAS SHOOTOUT $100,000 SPECIALTY RACE

Last year it was John Force grabbing the first spot in the inaugural Traxxas Shootout, the $100,000 specialty race, with a win at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals. This year at the season opening Winternationals it was sophomore driver and 2012 Traxxas Shootout fan vote winner Courtney Force who grabbed the first spot winning for the second time in her career. Force took out veteran driver and Traxxas Shootout finalist Ron Capps to secure her spot in the $100,000 race within a race at the Mac Tools US Nationals Labor Day weekend.

“I am so glad Mike Jenkins the president of Traxxas was here today to share in this win with my team. I have to thank him for giving me this chance to live out my dream. I am so excited but I owe this win to my team. My guys worked so hard trying to get that Traxxas Ford Mustang back up to the starting line for the final. They didn’t have a lot of time but they did a great job. They gave me a great car that ran a 4.02. Every single one of those guys in those Traxxas uniforms earned this. I have to thank Ron Douglas and Dan Hood they gave me a quick and fast race car. I love driving it,” said Force, the 2012 Automobile Club Road to the Future winner.

The first seven winners in Top Fuel and Funny Car by the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota are guaranteed a spot in the Traxxas Shootouts. If there are not seven winners then the remaining slots will go to the highest drivers in the point standings. The eighth and final spot will be decided by a fan vote and then a lottery style drawing the Wednesday before the Mac Tools US Nationals.

Shawn Langdon Top Fuel driver for Al-Anabi Racing took the title today at the O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals to secure the first Top Fuel spot in the Top Fuel Traxxas Shootout. The Top Fuel Traxxas Shootout will be contested on Saturday of the Mac Tools US Nationals and the Funny Car Traxxas Shootout will be contested on Sunday.