John Force Racing News

TEAM JFR RACE REPORT
18th of 24 races in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
55th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals
O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Ind.
Sept. 4-7, 2009

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ASHLEY FORCE HOOD WINS MAC TOOLS US NATIONALS
-Robert Hight reaches fourth consecutive final, makes Countdown to 1-

INDIANAPOLIS – Castrol GTX Ford Mustang driver Ashley Force Hood let a plethora of distractions pass her by as she cruised to her second Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, first as a professional, becoming the first female to win in the funny car category at the oldest and most prestigious drag race in the country. Force Hood defeated her brother-in-law Robert Hight in the final 4.170 to 4.217.

“I am really excited this has been a great weekend for Team Force. Winning the race couldn’t get any better for me. We have struggled in the summer and haven’t done as well as we’d hoped we would. Two weeks ago in Reading (PA) we really had a tough one. We came into this racing looking to get back into our groove. Let’s do what we know we can do. Let’s go rounds. Let’s get this car down the track. I can’t give (co-crew chiefs) Ron (Douglas) and Guido (Dean Antonelli) enough credit. They have had a lot on their shoulders this weekend. They were trying to figure out the track and working really hard. My team is the best bunch of guys out here. I couldn’t ask for any more from them. I am just so proud to have won the Mac Tools US Nationals again I just can’t believe it happened,” said Force Hood.

Force Hood joined Shirley Muldowney (Top Fuel) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) as the only female Mac Tools U. S. Nationals professional winners.

Hight’s day was also special even though he did not win his third Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in four years, he extended his streak to four consecutive U.S. Nationals final rounds and most importantly he earned enough points to grab the coveted 10th spot in the Countdown to 1 out racing Cruz Pedregon and rookie Matt Hagan for the last spot.

“It is unbelievable. At the beginning of every season your biggest fear is to not make this Countdown. When you look at the class and the field of these Funny Cars and how good the cars are that are out there it is not that easy to make this top ten. Cruz Pedregon is a great racer, reigning world champ. He is an awesome driver. They have a great team over there. It just shows you how tough this is. We just pulled this out. What is best though is we are getting to go to the finals against our teammate Ashley Force Hood so a John Force Mustang will win this race. It doesn’t get any better than that,” said Hight, the last funny car driver to clinch a Countdown position

“Jimmy Prock picked the right weekend to fix this Auto Club Ford Mustang. It is on a string every run. That is awesome so good job Jimmy Prock.”

John Force dispatched Cruz Pedregon in a classic Force versus Pedregon battle and that win paved the way for Hight to secure his Countdown spot. In the semi-final round Force’s Castrol GTX High Mileage Mustang lost traction at about 200 feet and Hight won a decisive round win.

Mike Neff was already clinched in the Countdown to 1 and almost made it an all Force semi-final but he dropped a close race to Tony Pedregon in the second round. The 2008 rookie of the year is looking forward to taking his second crack at the championship and grabbing his first win.

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Race Winners At-A-Glance:

FUNNY CAR – Ashley Force Hood, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 4.170, 294.75 mph, def. Robert Hight, Yorba Linda, Calif., Automobile Club of Southern California Ford Mustang, 4.217, 271.19 mph.

TOP FUEL – Tony Schumacher, Long Grove, Ill., U.S. Army dragster, 3.861, 314.17 mph, def. Larry Dixon, Indianapolis, Ind., Al-Anabi dragster, 4.208, 228.58 mph.

PRO STOCK – Jeg Coughlin Jr., Delaware, Ohio, Jeg’s Chevrolet Cobalt, 6.689, 206.48 mph, def. Greg Stanfield, Bossier City, La., Attitude Apparel Pontiac GXP, 6.691, 206.35 mph.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE – Hector Arana, Milltown, Ind., Lucas Oil Buell, 7.026, 189.10 mph, def. Michael Phillips, Baton Rouge, La., Suzuki, 7.086, 185.84 mph.

PRO MODIFIED – Roger Burgess, Duluth, Ga., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 5.956, 241.80 mph, def. Danny Rowe, Laguna Hills, Calif., 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, 6.585, 160.00 mph.

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER – Ken Perry, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, supercharged dragster, 5.404, 260.66 mph, def. Mike Manners, Willis, Texas, supercharged dragster, 5.402, 266.49 mph.

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR – Bobby Martin, Beaver Falls, Pa., 2009 Dodge Charger, 5.670, 254.18 mph, def. Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 6.187, 166.60 mph.

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Unofficial pro points following Monday’s 55th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park (adjusted Countdown to 1 points in parentheses):

FUNNY CAR – 1. Tony Pedregon, Q Racing Chevrolet, (2110) 1364; 2. Ron Capps, NAPA Dodge Charger, (2080) 1250; 3. Ashley Force Hood, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, (2060) 1245; 4. Bob Tasca III, Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang, (2060) 1061; 5. Jack Beckman, Valvoline/MTS Dodge Charger, (2050) 1027; 6. Tim Wilkerson, Levi, Ray and Shoup Ford Mustang, (2040) 1014; 7. John Force, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang, (2030) 993; 8. Del Worsham, Al-Anabi Toyota Solara, (2020) 963; 9. Mike Neff, Ford Drive One Ford Mustang, (2010) 928; 10. Robert Hight, Auto Club of Southern California Ford Mustang, (2000) 861.

TOP FUEL – 1. Antron Brown, Matco Tools dragster, (2110) 1473; 2. Larry Dixon, Al-Anabi dragster, (2080) 1343; 3. Tony Schumacher, U.S. Army dragster, (2070) 1311; 4. Brandon Bernstein, Budweiser dragster, (2060) 1105; 5. Cory McClenathan, Fram dragster, (2050) 1094; 6. Spencer Massey, US Smokeless Tobacco dragster, (2040) 1051; 7. Morgan Lucas, GEICO Insurance dragster, (2030) 1035; 8. Shawn Langdon, Lucas Oil dragster, (2020) 984; 9. Doug Kalitta, Kalitta Racing dragster, (2010) 798; 10. Clay Millican, Nitrofish dragster, (2000) 713.

PRO STOCK – 1. Jeg Coughlin Jr., Jeg’s Chevrolet Cobalt, (2110) 1550; 2. Jason Line, Summit Racing Pontiac GXP, (2080) 1450; 3. Mike Edwards, Young Life/Penhall Pontiac, (2070) 1427; 4. Greg Anderson, Summit Racing Pontiac GXP, (2060) 1256; 5. Allen Johnson, Team Mopar Dodge Stratus, (2050) 1111; 6. Greg Stanfield, Attitude Apparel Pontiac GXP, (2040) 956; 7. Ron Krisher, Valvoline Chevrolet Cobalt, (2030) 880; 8. Kurt Johnson, ACDelco Chevrolet Cobalt, (2020) 834; 9. Rickie Jones, Quarter-Max/RJ Race Cars Dodge Stratus, (2010) 773; 10. Johnny Gray, Johnny Gray Racing Dodge Stratus, 758.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE – 1. Eddie Krawiec, Englishtown, N.J., Harley-Davidson V-Rod, (2110) 1059; 2. Andrew Hines, Brownsburg, Ind., Harley-Davidson V-Rod, (2080) 873; 3. Hector Arana, Milltown, Ind., Buell, (2070) 839; 4. Matt Smith, King, N.C., Suzuki, (2060) 778; 5. Douglas Horne, Aberdeen, Md., Buell, (2050) 757; 6. Craig Treble, Harvey, La., Suzuki, (2040) 724; 7. Michael Phillips, Baton Rouge, La., Suzuki, (2030) 595; 8. Matt Guidera, Loomis, Calif., Buell, (2020) 583; 9. Shawn Gann, Stoneville, N.C., Buell, (2010) 529; 10. Karen Stoffer, Smith, Nev., Suzuki, (2000) 511.

TEAM CASTROL Details:

JOHN FORCE, 60, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang
Qualifying position: 5th at 4.107 seconds, 307.09 mph
Race results: Beat Jim Head, Cruz Pedregon. Lost to Robert Hight

ASHLEY FORCE HOOD, 26, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang
Qualifying position: 2nd at 4.093 seconds, 309.23 mph
Race results: Beat Matt Hagan, Jeff Arend, Tony Pedregon, Robert Hight

ROBERT HIGHT, 39, Automobile Club of Southern California Ford Mustang
Qualifying position: 1st at 4.082 seconds, 308.35 mph
Race results: Beat Grant Downing, Bob Tasca III, John Force. Lost to Ashley Force Hood

MIKE NEFF, 42, Ford Drive One Mustang
Qualifying position: 3rd at 4.093 seconds, 308.85 mph
Race results: Beat Jack Beckman. Lost to Tony Pedregon.

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NEXT EVENTS:

COUNTDOWN TO 1

2nd annual NHRA Carolina Nationals, Sept. 17-20. Charlotte, NC
24th annual O’Reilly Super Start Batteries NHRA Fall Nationals, Sept. 24-27, Ennis, Texas
22nd O’Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals, Oct. 2-4, Memphis, Tenn.
4th annual Virginia NHRA Nationals, Oct. 9-11, Richmond, Va.
9th annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals, Oct. 29- Nov. 1, Las Vegas, Nev.
45th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, Nov, 12-15, Pomona, Calif.

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