QUALIFYING HAS JFR SET UP FOR SUCCESS AT SPRINGNATIONALS

TEAM JFR QUALIFYING REPORT2016 NHRA Saturday Qualifying Summary6th
of 24 races in the NHRA Mello Yello Series 29th annual NHRA SpringNationalsRoyal Purple RacewayBaytown, TexasApril 29-May 1, 2016Photos courtesy of Gary Nastase Photography
(JForce, CForce, BForce) and Ron Lewis Photography (Hight) for media use only * * * *QUALIFYING HAS JFR SET UP
FOR SUCCESS AT SPRINGNATIONALSBAYTOWN, TX –   Courtney Force wrapped up Houston qualifying
at the NHRA SpringNationals in the No. 3 position and drew a first round
match-up against Bob Bode for race day. Her best qualifying pass was 3.915 ET at
320.66 mph in Q2 on Friday night when track and weather conditions were in
their prime. The Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car driver picked up one
bonus point for making the third-quickest pass of Q2 to nab the No. 3 starting
spot.“Our Traxxas
team showed pretty good performance out here in Houston, qualifying in the No.
3 spot and even made a great run in the heat of the day. A lot of cars were
struggling to get down on a 130 degree track out there. I think it’s the
hottest track we’ve had all year,�?? said Force.Force has
qualified in the top four at the last five races. She has qualified in the top
half of the field at every event so far this season and gone into race day with
lane choice. She has only raced Bob Bode once in previous events; two races ago
at the NHRA DENSO Spark Plugs Nationals at Las Vegas. She is 1-0 to the veteran
driver.“I’m just
excited to run a 4.05 in the heat. The 3.98 put us in the No. 3 spot. I’m
feeling good going into tomorrow knowing that we have some data from a good
pass today and hopefully we can use that to our advantage. It’s going to be hot
tomorrow if the rain will hold off and we’re hoping for a long race day for the
Chevy Camaro team,�?? said Force.Right behind
the youngest Force sits two-time SpringNationals winner Robert Hight driving
the AAA Texas Chevrolet Camaro. Last week Hight suffered a significant
explosion and after examining the race car at the shop the team built a new
race car for this weekend and have been shaking it down with every run. The final
qualifying run of the event was third quickest of the session but Hight knows
there is more on the horizon for his team.“(Crew chief
Mike) Neff told me that was a have to go down the race track kind of run. We ran
3.98 in the first round of Vegas on a track that was this hot. We can do that
here. This is a brand new race car this weekend. After we had the explosion last
weekend we took it back to the shop and realized the car was bent severely. We
put a brand new car together with all new control systems and it has taken us
four runs to get a handle on it. I think we will be just fine first round,�??
said a confident Hight.As the No. 5
qualifier on the strength of Friday’s 3.953 second run at 324.98 mph which was
also the second run for the new race car, Hight will race Jack Beckman in the first
round. Hight is 1-1 to Beckman at Houston. In 2014 he beat him in the final
round and in 2009 he lost in the first round.John Force
and the PEAK/Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car will give up lane
choice to Tommy Johnson Jr in the first round. Force’s quickest run of 4.005
seconds will match up with Johnson Jr’s best run of 3.969 seconds. Today Force in
the final session Force and Johnson were matched up when Force posted a solid
4.05 in front of Johnson Jr’s 4.18 second run.“Up on the starting
line I told them I am going to drag my “stuff�?? up there and the old man is
coming here to win. We are in the heat today and it is a whole new ball game.
If it stays that way tomorrow and I haven’t been fast like some of these other
guys my old heap has been pretty consistent. It’s run 4.09 and 4.05 and I can
win a drag race like that. I know this deal here in Houston. Bring them on. It
will be fun,�?? exclaimed and excited Force at the top end.So far this
season Force has not lost in the first round and at the SpringNationals he only
has five first round losses in 27 previous appearances. The entire JFR
organization skipped the 2007 national event following the untimely death of
teammate Eric Medlen.The hottest
Top Fuel driver in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will face a brand new
opponent in the first round and will be trying to hold onto her No. 1 position
in the point standings. Brittany Force and the Monster Energy Top Fuel team
will head into race day as the No. 7 qualifier and will race Kebin Kinsley.Force picked
up three qualifying bonus points on Friday during the first session and over the
next three sessions she was consistent yet aggressive. On her final run she
posted a solid 3.90 second run and moves into race day with confidence.“I am going
into race day with a clear mind. I have a great team behind me like always. We
struggled a little bit in qualifying but I am not going to let that get to me.
I am going to take it one round at a time tomorrow. We have a good match-up in the
first round and we’ll see where we end up,�?? said Force, the only two-time Top
Fuel winner this season.“It is
tricky out here with the heat and the rain. A lot of people are struggling to
get down the track so it feels good to end qualifying on a good note. We made a
decent run in Q4 and we’ll take that positive into race day tomorrow.�??This is
Force’s best qualifying position at the SpringNationals and in the past two
year the fourth year pro has raced to a quarterfinal finish each year. * * * *NHRA ON TVSunday, May 1                    Finals        5:00 PM - 8:00 PM ET/2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
PT (FS1)* * * *THE DRIVERSJOHN FORCE, 66, PEAK/Advance
Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SSFinal Qualifying: 10th
at 4.005 seconds, 322.11 mphBonus Qualifying
Points: 0 First Round Opponent
(W-L): Tommy Johnson Jr (30-8)ROBERT HIGHT, 46, AAA Texas Chevrolet Camaro SS
Final Qualifying: 5th at 3.953 seconds, 324.98 mphBonus Qualifying Points: +1 (3rd quickest
of Q4)First Round Opponent
(W-L): Jack Beckman (18-15)COURTNEY FORCE, 27, Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS
Final Qualifying: 3rd at 3.915 seconds, 320.66 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: +1 (3rd quickest of Q2)First Round Opponent
(W-L): Bob Bode (1-0)BRITTANY
FORCE, 29, Monster Energy Top Fuel DragsterFinal Qualifying: 7th at 3.771 seconds, 319.90 mphBonus Qualifying Points: +3 (Quickest of Q1) First Round Opponent
(W-L): Kebin Kinsley (0-0) * * * *RACE SCHEDULE:Sunday,
May 1Final
Eliminations                      11 a.m. **** FOLLOW
JOHN FORCE RACING AT www.twitter.com/jfr_racing  **** Contacts:Elon Werner                                         Sarah
Adams                                              John Force Racing, Inc.                       John
Force Racing Inc.214-244-1184                                        812-249-9823                Elon@johnforceracing.com                   Sarah@johnforceracing.com    www.johnforceracing.com