John Force Racing News

TEAM JFR RACE REPORT
2010 NHRA Saturday Qualifying Summary
4th of 23 races in the NHRA Full Throttle Series
Inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals
March 26-28, 2010
zMax Dragway at Concord
Concord, NC

* * * *

Professional Results for Inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals

FUNNY CAR – John Force, Yorba Linds, Calif., Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang, 4.036, 316.23 mph def. Ashley Force Hood, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 4.042, 316.38 mph as well as semi-finalists Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., NAPA Dodge Charger, 4.088, 306.33 mph and Matt Hagan, Christiansburg, Va., DieHard Dodge Charger, 6.736, 105.27 mph

TOP FUEL – Cory McClenathan, Brownsburg, Ind., FRAM Dragster, 3.820, 319.60 mph def. Doug Kalitta, Ypsilanti, Mich., Technicoat dragster, 3.825, 316.60 as well semi-finalists Antron Brown, Brownsburg, Ind., Matco Tools Dragster, 3.862, 312.64 and Doug Herbert, Lincolnton, NC, Irwin Tools dragster, 4.268, 193.79 mph.

PRO STOCK – Mike Edwards, Coweta, Okla., 6.596 at 210.05 mph, def. Jason Line, Mooresville, NC, 6.632 at 209.36 mph as well as semi-finalists Bob Yonke 6.862 at 207.98 mph and Greg Stanfield, 12.558 at 69.69 mph.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE – Matt Smith, 6.937 at 189.84 mph def. Hector Arana 7.000 at 190.92 mph as well as semi-finalists Steve Johnson, 7.305 at 157.32 mph and Michael Phillips, 7.031 at 191.95 mph.

* * * *

FORCE WINS DELAYED FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS

CONCORD, NC --- After a nearly 24 hour rain delay it only took 4.036 seconds for John Force to win the Inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway in Concord. Severe storms and rain forced the postponement of the final round of the historic event to Monday but that did not dampen the enthusiasm for Force as he hoisted the Wally trophy in the winner’s circle.

“I’d like to personally thank Bruton Smith and his son Marcus because they took money in this economy and they spent it. He deserves that reward. For me to be able to win this first race is big. The hardest part was racing Ron Capps. He is always tough. He is killer on that tree. Racing (Matt) Hagan now that John Medlen is over there will put the fear in you, too and through all of that racing my own daughter. That is the hardest thing. I have to be honest she told me that when she pulls up beside me she doesn’t leave anything on the table. I had to get that attitude,” said Force in the media center.

“Her mother was proud. I joke about her mom beating me up but she even said to me not bad for an old guy. Your daughter was right out the window. I am just really proud of Ashley because she is learning the game and I know the pressure. My old knees were knocking and I have been doing this for 33 years.”

“I also really want to thank my sponsors. For three years now I have struggled. They were paying me big money. Castrol, Auto Club, BrandSource, Mac Tools, and Ford signing me to a five year deal. I want to clarify what I said on TV. I said some of my other sponsors are pushing me out. I didn’t mean they were pushing me out of the seat I meant they were trying to push my contracts out more years. In this economy that is so important. At the end of the day I am having Ashley car come up into the winners circle because we do this as a team. We have to race against each other on Sundays we delivered for the fans, for the NHRA and for Bruton Smith.”

The win continued an impressive streak of specialty race wins for John Force and John Force Racing. Force opened the season winning the 50th annual NHRA Winternationals. He also won the Winston Showdown Top Fuel vs. Funny Car Invitational at Bristol Dragway in 1999 as well as the 50th anniversary NHRA specialty race in Pomona. This is Force’s 128th national event win and his second of the season. Force has reached three final rounds in the first four races of the 2010 Full Throttle Drag Racing season. John Force’s teammate Gary Densham won the 50th annual Mac Tools US Nationals in 2004

“It is just a little taste of history. I gave the comparison of Shirl Greer who was the first Funny car championship. We recently lost Shirl and there will only be one first champion. I hear about that wherever I go whether it is shows or events. This is special like beating the dragsters at another one of Bruton’s races at Bristol. The biggest thing for me is the money that Bruton Smith has invested in this sport is that NHRA gave him the chance to run four lanes. I don’t know how it is going to play out. There are a lot of positives and negatives. We have to see what the fan response is. What ESPN thinks. How the racers feel. How the NHRA and Bruton feel.”

Force leaves the “Bellagio of Drag Strips” with the points lead and a lot of confidence in himself and his entire John Force Racing operation thanks to the strong runner-up finish by daughter Ashley Force Hood on Monday. Ashley’s final round result of 4.042 seconds at 316.38 mph set the national speed record and moved her into the No. 5 position in the Full Throttle point standings. The JFR tandem out ran the Don Schumacher pairing of Ron Capps (4.088 at 306.33 mph) and Matt Hagan (6.736 at 105.27 mph).

Force Hood was filled with mixed emotions at the top end not because she lost to her father but rather because she had no idea where she stood in the final standings.

“I was frustrated at the top end only because I was confused. The light came on in my lane and no one was talking to me at all on the radio. I got out and the first person I yelled at was my husband. I was like, ‘Dan you guys have a radio up there you need to tell me something.’ I got out thinking I won and totally confused,” said Force Hood.

“I was the final car to pull up (on the starting line) so I didn’t know who was in which lane. I was very thankful to see him (John Force) with a crowd around him. I figured he must have won. In the big picture it is more important that we were consistent and the two of us were able to come out on top over the two Schumacher teams.”

“Our teams were pumped about that. My team was happy we were able to make such a good run. That was one of the best runs I have ever made. I have run a 4.04 before but I rolled in on that run. It probably would have had a better ET and been one of our best runs ever since the 1000 ft. We are really excited about our speeds. I think the biggest thing about leaving this weekend with a car where we wanted it. We have all our parts and pieces together and we can get back and be focused on this championship.”

Force Hood and her Castrol GTX Mustang team will head to Houston Raceway Park as the defending event winner.

“It felt good to get our car back. It has been really consistent this weekend. We haven’t gone a lot of rounds this year so to get to the final here was big especially considering everything that was going on this weekend. We were really excited to maneuver our way through all the competitors and get to race against dad and two of the Schumacher cars. You have two top teams battling it out against each other. I think the new day brought us all new challenges for everybody. We were able to figure ours out,” said Force Hood.

For 2009 Full Throttle Funny Car champion the Inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals is an event he is glad to have in this proverbial rearview mirror.

Hight lost half his 8,000 horsepower early in the run when four cylinders briefly misfired. However, when three of the four uncooperative cylinders re-fired, the 14-time tour winner still thought he might be okay. Unfortunately the damage already had been done. The Auto Club Ford had already moved to the left of the desired racing groove and crew chief Jimmy Prock’s supposition is that as it drifted nearer the centerline, the left tire began to spin while the right tire continued to track forward. That shot the blue-and-white Mustang across the centerline and into the path of the Toyota of Jeff Arend. The two cars came together as Hight’s Mustang slowed and Arend’s brushed past him in the left side.

Although the damage was confined primarily to the carbon fiber bodies and the headers, it was an unexpectedly early end of the day for both drivers.

* * * *

FULL THROTTLE POINT STANDINGS (unofficial after the Inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals)

FUNNY CAR - 1. John Force, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang, 397; 2. Ron Capps, 308; 3. Jack Beckman, 278; 4. Matt Hagan, 255; 5. Ashley Force Hood, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, 247; 6. Bob Tasca III, 236; 7. Tim Wilkerson, 230; 8. Robert Hight, Auto Club Ford Mustang, 223; 9. Tony Pedregon, 212; 10. Del Worsham, 166.

TOP FUEL - 1. Cory McClenathan, 379; 2. Tony Schumacher, 327; 3. Doug Kalitta, 326; 4. Larry Dixon, 302; 5. Antron Brown, 273; 6. Shawn Langdon, 221; 7. Steve Torrence, 193; 8. Morgan Lucas, 173; 9. Brandon Bernstein, 168; 10. David Grubnic, 154.

PRO STOCK – 1. Mike Edwards, 484; 2. Allen Johnson, 285; 3. Jason Line, 303; 4. Greg Anderson, 256; 5. Greg Stanfield, 233; 6. Bob Yonke, 209; 7. Rodger Brogdon, 198; 8. Jeg Coughlin, 182; 9. Ron Krisher, 172;10. Ronnie Humphrey, 147.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE - 1. Hector Arana, 175; 2. David Hope, 170; 3. Eddie Krawiec, 160; 3. Matt Smith, 160; 5. Shawn Gann, 129; 6. Steve Johnson, 127; 7. Karen Stoffer, 115; 8. Craig Treble, 108; 9. Michael Phillips, 104; 10. Andrew Hines, 94.

* * * *

THE DRIVERS

JOHN FORCE, 60, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang
Final Qualifying: 6th with a 4.067 at 306.05 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: +3 (2nd quickest of Q1 and 3rd quickest of Q3)
Race Results: Round 1 – John Force and Jack Beckman beat Bob Tasca III and Tony Pedregon
Round 2 – John Force and Ron Capps beat Tim Wilkerson and Jack Beckman
Round 3 - John Force beat runner-up Ashley Force Hood as well as semi-finalists Ron Capps and Matt Hagan
Quotable: “I really want to thank my sponsors. For three years now I have struggled. They were paying me big money. Castrol, Auto Club, BrandSource, Mac Tools, and Ford signing me to a five year deal. I want to clarify what I said on TV. I said some of my other sponsors are pushing me out. I didn’t mean they were pushing me out of the seat I meant they were trying to push my contracts out more years. In this economy that is so important.” – JOHN FORCE

ASHLEY FORCE HOOD, 27, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang
Final Qualifying: 4th with a 4.062 at 314.24 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: +3 (quickest of Q4)
Race Results: Round 1 – Force Hood and Cruz Pedregon beat Bob Gilbertson and Del Worsham
Round 2 – Force Hood and Matt Hagan beat Paul Lee and Cruz Pedregon
Round 3 – Lost to winner John Force and beat semi-finalists Ron Capps and Matt Hagan
Quotable: “In the big picture it is more important that we were consistent and the two of us were able to come out on top over the two Schumacher teams. Our teams were pumped about that.” – ASHLEY FORCE HOOD

ROBERT HIGHT, 40, Auto Club of Southern California Ford Mustang
Final Qualifying: 1st with a 4.024 at 314.24 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: +4 (3rd quickest of Q1 and quickest of Q2)
Race Results: Round 1 – Lost to Paul Lee, Jeff Arend, and Matt Hagan

* * * *

FOLLOW JOHN FORCE RACING AT www.twitter.com/jfr_racing.com

****

NEXT EVENT:
23rd annual O’Reilly Spring Nationals, April 9-11, Houston, Texas
11th annual SummitRacing.com Nationals, April 16-18, Las Vegas, Nev.
14th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals, April 30-May 2, Madison, Ill.