NHRA: Brittany Force re-sets national Top Fuel speed record (see video); is 2nd championship next?
Brittnay Power manufactured historical past all over again on Friday.
Past month, the daughter of drag racing legend John Pressure set the national history for the swiftest Prime Gasoline run in NHRA history by operating a whopping 338.43 mph in the opening round of the Midwest Nationals at Planet Large Technological know-how Raceway.
Friday, during the 1st of two times of qualifying for the year-ending Auto Club Finals at Automobile Club Raceway in Pomona, California, Brittany the moment once again re-set the nationwide velocity record, bumping up her earlier-ideal pace to 338.94 mph, at an elapsed time of 3.641 seconds.
“Setting an additional new speed history is rather amazing,” Drive said. “I’m just pretty proud of this Monster Electrical power team and what we’ve attained. We’re chasing a championship that’s going to lock up on Sunday and I’m energized about it.
“My frame of mind is where it is been all year extended: the self-assurance that I have with this staff. We know how to get this auto down (the keep track of). We know how to flip gain lights on. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I’m confident with these men that we can get the career carried out. It’s heading to be enjoyment.”
Test OUT FORCE’S Report-Setting Operate IN THIS Video clip:
Drive gained the provisional No. 1 qualifier as a end result of Friday’s achievements — and potentially could out-do herself all through Saturday’s two remaining rounds of qualifying right before Sunday’s eliminations.
Power came into the weekend with a seven-stage lead in excess of Justin Ashley in the standings. She a little bit enhanced that lead to nine details just after Friday’s fireworks.
The third of 4 daughters for John and Laurie Drive, Brittany is not only chasing her second Top Gasoline championship, but if brother-in-legislation Robert Hight can also clinch the Humorous Auto title for the fourth time in his possess job, John Pressure Racing can win the two most vital championships in the NHRA.
The feat would be a repeat of the 2017 season when both customers of the “First Household of Drag Racing” achieved the feat for the 1st time.
“I really feel fantastic,” Pressure explained of her title hopes in an job interview with Automobile Racing Digest on Thursday. “Overall, our Monster Strength/Flav-R-Pac workforce has experienced a superior year.
“We struggled a very little bit in the beginning of the Countdown (the 6-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs). We have been solid all time long and we shed our footing for a tiny whilst, but we sort of gained it back in Las Vegas (two months back). That is what pushed us to the top rated, scarcely, only by 7 points. But we’re out in the direct and we’re feeling fantastic coming off a gain into Pomona.”
The 2022 time marks a return to dominance in a way for JFR. Immediately after the full organization opted out of the the greater part of the 2020 year thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, the team returned in 2021 in which Pressure finished 2nd total in the closing place standings but only picked up one particular victory.
But the JFR has designed a whole lot of improvements following returning to competitiveness, significantly to Brittnay’s crew. Those alterations surface to be shelling out off.
“I have a full new crew from best to bottom,” Power explained. “(Co-crew chiefs) David Grubnic and Mac Savage arrived on board and an fully new team of guys. We experienced a ton of significant variations that we experienced to change to and I imagine we discovered our footing pretty swiftly.
“We had a very solid year general and this team that we have had so significantly this year is the strongest that we’ve had jointly. I’m really very pleased of these guys. We’ve had a selection of wins, and a selection of track information and we’re presently the details chief. This is our most effective season but collectively.”
While Drive enters her house keep track of with the factors guide, numerous other Top Gas contenders even now have a chance to win it all as well. It’s fairly achievable that she’ll want to win the race to win the title, as Justin Ashley, Mike Salinas, Antron Brown, and four-time defending Best Gas champion Steve Torrence are all still in contention as effectively.
But Power nonetheless has the slight edge in the standings, and arrive Sunday afternoon, she might really perfectly make the title of “champion” as soon as yet again.
“You just cannot forecast how this point is heading to stop up,” Power said. “It’s going to go a single way or the other. I have all the self confidence in my fellas – every single one just one of us – that we’re going to push through to the conclude.”
