Auto Club Chevrolet driver Robert Hight earns No. 9 qualifying position for Southern Nationals

Auto Club Chevrolet driver Robert Hight earns No. 9 qualifying position for Southern Nationals Photo credit: Gary Nastase and Auto Imagery COMMERCE, Ga. (May 6) – Robert Hight will start from the No. 9 qualifying position in Funny Car for Sunday’s 37th-annual NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, the seventh race on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Hight – driving the Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS – turned in a time of 4.024 seconds at 274.89 mph, in the second of two rounds Saturday afternoon. That effort came despite losing a cylinder a second-and-a-half into the run. Two sessions Friday were canceled because of inclement weather, forcing teams to alter strategy. The second pass erased a disappointing showing in the opening session. A faulty rocker arm caused Hight to make an unusual burnout, and he barely hit the throttle at the start of the run before the car wiggled left and right and coasted to the finish line in excess of 10 seconds. “We’re going to forget about today, put it behind us,�?? said Hight, who has three victories in six previous finals appearances at the track. “The rocker arm broke when we shut it off in the pits, and during the burnout I almost hit the (Christmas) Tree. It took out four cylinders when I hit the gas and just about came around on me. “Just not a good day, but we’ll be where we need to be tomorrow. I have no doubt – or I’m not worried about it. We’re going to go out and set low E.T. tomorrow morning, keep lane choice all day, and win the race.�?? Hight will face Chad Head, who is substituting for Alexis DeJoria this weekend, in Sunday's first round. Head turned in a time of 4.024 seconds – two thousandths of a second quicker than Hight – at 312.57 mph to take the No. 8 spot. Elimination rounds for the NHRA Southern Nationals begin at 11 a.m. Eastern. Fox Sports 1 begins its coverage at 6 p.m. Eastern.  4-Second Reads: Qualifying Run No. 1: 12.643 seconds at 62.77 mph; dropped four cylinders before the start; 15th quickest of session Qualifying Run No. 2: 4.026 seconds at 274.89 mph; dropped a cylinder; seventh quickest of session; ninth quickest in qualifying This marks the first time Hight qualified No. 9 since February’s NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Ariz. This is the 24th time he has qualified No. 9. Hight has two career victories from the No. 9 qualifying position. His last victory came May 2, 2010, when he defeated Jack Beckman at Gateway Motorsports Park. Hight’s most recent victory came in the 2016 NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. Hight’s matchup against Chad Head marks 13th time the two will compete in an elimination round. Hight holds the advantage 9-3, with four consecutive wins. Of those 13 matchups, 11 have come in the first round. Hight has victories at Atlanta in 2007, 2010, and 2014. Those victories came from the No. 2 (twice) and No. 3 qualifying positions. About John Force Racing John Force Racing, Inc., based in Yorba Linda, Calif., and Brownsburg, Ind., is a professional sports dynasty, one that has earned 18 NHRA championships and claimed 251 professional victories in Funny Car (248) and Top Fuel (3). Led by team owner and driver John Force, a 16-time Funny Car Champion, 1996 Driver of the Year for all of American motor racing, 2011 International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee, and driver of the PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, JFR is additionally comprised of Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS driver Robert Hight, 2009 Funny Car champion and 2005 NHRA Rookie of the Year; Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS driver Courtney Force, 2012 NHRA Rookie of the Year; and Monster Energy Top Fuel Dragster driver Brittany Force, 2013 NHRA Rookie of the Year. For more information, please visit johnforceracing.com. Media Contact: Lee Montgomery    John Force Racing Public Relations (704) 258-0903   lmontgomery@johnforceracing.com Connect with us         John Force Racing | 498 Southpoint Circle, Brownsburg, IN 46112 Unsubscribe submit@theautochannel.com Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by lmontgomery@johnforceracing.com in collaboration with Try it free today