HIGHT RACES TO SEMIFINALS AT AAA TEXAS FALLNATIONALS

TEAM JFR RACE REPORT22nd of
24 races in the NHRA Mello Yello Series4th
of 6 races in Countdown to the Championship  31st
annual AAA Texas NHRA FallnationalsTexas
MotorplexEnnis,
TexasOctober
14-16, 2016Photos courtesy of Gary
Nastase (JForce, CForce, BForce) and Ron Lewis (Hight) for media use
only. * * * *Final round results from Sunday’s 31st
annual AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals, twenty-second race in the 2016 NHRA Mello
Yello Drag Racing Series:FUNNY CAR –Matt Hagan, Christiansburg,
Va., Pennzoil Dodge 3.913, 327.03 mph def. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Napa Dodge,
3.906, 322.19 mphTOP FUEL – Antron Brown Brownsburg,
Ind., Matco dragster, 3.744, 321.12 mph def.  Steve Torrence, Kilgore, Texas, Capco
dragster, 3.750, 323.12PRO STOCK – Drew Skillman,
Bargersville, Ind., Chevrolet Camaro, 6.661, 209.36 mph def. Alex Laughlin,
Granbury, Tex., Gas monkey Garage Chevrolet Camaro, 6.708, 208.30 mph.PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE – Eddie Krawiec,
Brownsburg, Ind., Harley-Davidson V-Rod, 6.880, 196.36 mph def. Jerry Savoie,
Cut Off, La., White Alligator Racing Suzuki, 6.856, 196.76 mph.* * * * HIGHT
RACES TO SEMIFINALS AT AAA TEXAS FALLNATIONALSENNIS,
TX --- The AAA Texas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car team and driver Robert Hight
qualified No. 1 and continued a dominant day at the 31st annual AAA Texas NHRA
Fallnationals racing to the semifinals before falling to eventual winner Matt
Hagan. Hight made six consecutive 3.8 second runs including the quickest runs
of the first two rounds of eliminations today. No driver has started a race with six consecutive elapsed times in the 3.8 range and his qualifying time was the third quickest Funny Car time in NHRA history.In
the opening session Hight rocketed past Brandon Welch with a stellar 3.866
second pass at an astounding 329.99 mph run. Welch went up in smoke on his pass
of 5.451 seconds at 133.33 mph. It was the second time Hight had defeated Welch
this season.Heading
into the quarterfinals it was a battle of Countdown contending Funny Cars with
Hight’s Camaro squaring off against Alexis DeJoria in her Patron Toyota Funny
Car.  Hight jumped off the starting line
first and never trailed in the race posting his sixth consecutive run in the
3.8 second range. His winning time of 3.885 seconds at 329.83 mph was
impressive as the track warmed up. It was the quickest run of the second round
and it was enough for lane choice over Hagan in the semifinals."To
run six runs in the 3.80s is pretty impressive. (Crew chief) Mike Neff and this
whole AAA of Texas team they've got it going on," said Hight, after his
second round win over DeJoria. Hight’s
day came to an end in a tough semifinal round that saw Hight leave the starting
line beside Hagan and at half-track both Funny Cars were welded together. Just
as the race cars were approaching half-track at speeds closing in on 300 mph
Hight’s AAA Texas Chevrolet Camaro hazed the tires and lost just enough traction
to let Hagan move ahead of him for the win. Hight was battling in the cockpit
to keep his Funny Car hooked up to reach his second final this season.“We
have a great race car. We made six runs in the 3.8s in a row. That is
outstanding on a cool and hot track. I felt it slip a little in the second
round when it came off the starting line but it stayed hooked up,�?? explained
Hight. “In the semis it slipped and I jerked the steering wheel to catch it. It
hooked up and I stayed with it but it just hazed the tires for the first time.
It was a tough break but this AAA Texas Camaro was so good all weekend. We are
running with the top cars out here and there are two races left. I want to win
those races and see what happens.�??Courtney
Force and pink Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car took out two-time Funny Car
champion Cruz Pedregon in the opening round. Force’s winning elapsed time of
3.894 second at 324.20 mph was enough to move her to the second round.The
2012 Auto Club Rookie of the Year jumped the gun on the starting line trying to
get every inch of advantage to start the race. Force rolled the Traxxas
Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car into the final stage beam and then instinctively hit
the throttle. The early launch disqualified Force and ended her day at the Texas
Motorplex.“My
Traxxas team did a great job; they’ve given me a good race car here in Texas. I
screwed up in the second round against (Matt) Hagan. It felt like a long (staging)
light for me and my foot just wanted to leave,�?? admitted Force. “But being able
to move up a position in the points it’s still an accomplishment leaving Texas
this weekend. We have two more races to go and we’re definitely motivated to go
out there and continue to move up in the points and see if we can end this
season on a high note.�?? A
tough second round also upended Brittany Force and the Monster Energy Top Fuel
dragster against JR Todd. Both dragsters took off aggressively but the Monster Energy
dragster smoked the tires just before half-track. Force had to watch Todd pull
away for the win. The second round exit dropped Force from third to fourth in
the Mello Yello point standings with two national events remaining in 2016. The
fourth year pro is only 41 points out of second place in the Top Fuel
standings.“I
wasn’t going to drive through it. It hazed the tires, it nosed over, threw me
forward in the seat, and at that point the only thing to do is pull your foot
out of it, wait until it calms down and jump back on it. I did that and it
hooked up, and it went straight down there,�?? said Force. “JR Todd in the lane
next to us was on a decent run straight down, so there was no catching him no
matter what we did. We have two more races and our goal is to get two more wins
for the Monster Energy team,�?? said Brittany ForceFirst
round Brittany Force left the starting line first and never trails in her win
over Terry McMillen in the first round. Force’s winning elapsed time of 3.721
seconds was enough to pull away from McMillen’s 3.919 second pass. The run was
also quick enough to give Force, a three-time winner in 2016, lane choice in
the second round over JR Todd.No.
8 qualifier John Force made a career best elapsed time pass of 3.867 on Friday
to race into Sunday’s eliminations. The six-time AAA Texas Fall Nationals
winner was pumped up for his first round match-up against Alexis DeJoria. It
was two Countdown contenders and Force’s foot jumped the gun launching the
Advance Auto Parts PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car before the tree activated
for a red-light disqualification.“I
thought I needed a Hail Mary and now I need two. I didn’t do my job and they
gave me a good race car. That is the bottom line. You can’t win championships
by making that mistake. My brain just faded and I put a red light out there. I
apologized to my team, my fans and the sponsors. That is all I can do,�?? summed
up Force.“We
are turning that corner on the performance with this Advance Auto Parts PEAK
Camaro in the heat. We were low of one session and in the top three on another
session. John Schaffer and Jason McCulloch have this Funny Car doing what it is
supposed to do. This whole team is working together. We ran 3.88 yesterday and
it would have run 3.88 again and I would have been in the ballgame. My
foot got happy and it cost us,�?? added Force.  COUNTDOWN TO THE
CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGSFunny
Car - 1. Ron Capps, 2465; 2. Tommy Johnson Jr, 2401; 3. Matt Hagan, 2377; 4.
Jack Beckman, 2334; 5. Del Worsham, 2320; 6. Robert Hight, AAA Texas Chevrolet
Camaro SS, 2278; 7. John Force, Advance Auto Parts PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS, 2267;
8. Courtney Force, Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS, 2238; 9. Tim
Wilkerson, 2228; 10. Alexis DeJoria, 2151Top
Fuel - 1. Antron Brown, 2504; 2. Doug Kalitta, 2354; 3. Shawn Langdon, 2332; 4.
Brittany Force, Monster Energy dragster, 2313; 5. Steve Torrence, 2307;
6. Tony Schumacher, 2295; 7. JR Todd, 2260; 8. Leah Pritchett, 2250; 9. Richie
Crampton, 2195; 10. Clay Millican, 2168Pro
Stock - 1. Jason Line, 2454; 2. Greg Anderson, 2428; 3. Vincent Nobile, 2340;
4. Shane Gray, 2320; 5. Bo Butner, 2314; 6. Drew Skillman, 2269; 7. Chris
McGaha, 2222; 8. Allen Johnson, 2213; 9. Jeg Coughlin Jr, 2146; 10. Erica
Enders Stevens, 2135Pro
Stock Motorcycle - 1. Eddie Krawiec, 2425; 2. Andrew Hines, 2408; 3. Jerry
Savoie, 2376; 4. Angelle Sampey, 2365; 5. Chip Ellis, 2328; 6. LE Tonglet,
2288; 7. Cory Reed, 2229; 8. Hector Arana, 2211; 9. Hector Arana Jr, 2183; 10.
Matt Smith, 2202THE DRIVERSJOHN FORCE, 67, Advance Auto
Parts PEAK Antifreeze 2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS
Final Qualifying: 8th at 3.873, 329.02 mph 
Bonus Qualifying Points: +4 (3rd quickest of Q1, quickest of Q3)Race
results: Lost to Alexis DeJoria.ROBERT HIGHT, 47, AAA Texas 2016
Chevrolet Camaro SS
Qualifying: 1st at 3.839, 332.02 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: +7 (2nd quickest of Q1, quickest of Q2, 2nd
quickest of Q3)Race
results: Beat Brandon Welch, Alexis DeJoria; Lost to Matt HaganCOURTNEY FORCE, 28, Traxxas 2016
Chevrolet Camaro SS
Qualifying: 5th at 3.854, 321.65 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: +2 (2nd quickest of Q4)Race
results: Beat Cruz Pedregon; Lost to Matt HaganBRITTANY FORCE, 30, Monster Energy
Top Fuel Dragster
Qualifying: 5th at 3.727, 322.50 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: 0Race
results: Beat Terry McMillen; Lost to JR Todd. * * * * FOLLOW JOHN FORCE
RACING AT www.twitter.com/jfr_racing **** NEXT EVENTS: Countdown to the
ChampionshipOct.
27-30            NHRA Toyota Nationals,
Las Vegas, NVNov.
10-13          Auto Club NHRA Finals,
Pomona, CA Contacts:Elon Werner                                                                     John Force Racing, Inc.                            
214-244-1184                                         Elon@johnforceracing.com                     **** -www.johnforceracing.com-