Photography: John Force Racing / Gary Nastase / Auto Imagery
BROWNSBURG, Ind (Aug. 13, 2025) – Brittany Force and her Monster Energy Top Fuel Dragster team showed the drag racing world what going really, really fast is all about during the recently completed NHRA West Coast swing but their focus heading into this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway is all about tripping the win line four consecutive times on Sunday.
The 2017 and 2022 NHRA Top Fuel Champion set and reset the NHRA Top Fuel national speed record over consecutive weekends at the previous two races this season. On July 20, she ran 341.85 mph in a semifinals win against Doug Kalitta at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash. One week later, during night qualifying on July 25 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, the Monster Energy dragster went through the speed trap lights at an earth-shaking 343.68 mph.
Force has previously tasted victory at Brainerd, earning the third of her 18 Top Fuel national event titles during her breakout season in 2016. The win backed up her runner-up finish to Richie Crampton the season before. Her father, team owner and 16-time NHRA Funny Car Champion John Force, won 11 times at Brainerd, the most wins by any driver in a single event.
Force is currently sixth in the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Top Fuel point standings, 41 behind Antron Brown in fifth place, 131 behind Doug Kalitta in fourth and 141 behind Justin Ashley in third place. She is 133 points ahead of Clay Millican in seventh and 169 ahead of Steve Torrence in eighth.
The 2017 and 2022 To Fuel Champion visited victory lane June 1 at New England Dragway after defeating Tony Stewart in the final round. The Monster Energy team has also earned No. 1 Qualifier spots at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip (March 29), and Virginia Motorsports Park (June 21).
Brittany Force Quotes
What are your thoughts on racing at Brainerd International Raceway, where you won the third race of your Top Fuel career in 2016?
“It’s always nice returning to a race track where you’ve been successful, whether it was the previous year or years before. You were still able to dominate the track, turn on four win lights and get your team to the winner’s circle. So, with that in mind, I feel like that’s helpful going into this weekend’s event at Brainerd.”
Brainerd is one of only three tracks in the series at which you do not own the track record for either ET or speed so is that a goal going into Brainerd?
“We have goals that we are focused on trying to achieve and setting the track record is not one of them. It just happens to come with us being successful on the race track and making a killer run. We’ve grabbed the ET national record and we just previously grabbed the mile per hour record so it’s not something we’re seeking to do We love our records and would like to keep them but it’s not a goal. It’s awesome to have them but national records don’t earn you points. Our ultimate goal is a championship at the end of the season.”
You’re currently sixth in the Top Fuel point standings, the same position going into the 2017 Countdown when you earned your first series championship. Does that give you confidence knowing you can win it all from that position?
“Yes, absolutely. Our goal with David Grubnic and this Monster Energy team is to be in the top three going into the Countdown. Back when we won the first championship (2017) I was sixth and we were able to chase it all the way and catch up when we needed to and got the job done in winning the championship. I’ve been on both sides, chasing the No. 1 and being the No. 1. It ends up being more of a mental game. We’ve done it both ways so I’m up for either challenge, but the ultimate set up would be starting the Countdown in the top three.”
Brittany Force at Brainerd:
| Year | Qualify | Eliminations |
| 2013 | 15th | Rd. 1 – lost to Spencer Massey |
| 2014 | 9th | Rd. 1 – lost to Larry Dixon |
| 2015 | 11th | Rd. 1 – defeated Dave Connolly; Rd. 2 – defeated Antron Brown; Semis – runner-up to Richie Crampton |
| 2016 | 3rd | Rd. 1 – defeated Terry Haddock; Rd. 2 – defeated Doug Kalitta; Semis – defeated Shawn Langdon; Final – defeated Antron Brown |
| 2017 | 2nd | Rd. 1 – defeated Steve Chrisman; Rd. 2 – lost to Antron Brown |
| 2018 | 6th | Rd. 1 – defeated Richie Crampton; Rd. 2 – lost to Antron Brown |
| 2019 | 1st | Rd. 1 – defeated Chris Karamasines; Rd. 2 – lost to Austin Prock |
| 2020 | EVENT NOT CONTESTED | |
| 2021 | 1st | Rd. 1 – bye; Rd. 2 – defeated Antron Brown; Semis – lost to Clay Millican |
| 2022 | 1st | Rd. 1 – bye; Rd. 2 – defeated Billy Torrence; Rd. 2 – lost to Steve Torrance |
| 2023 | 4th | Rd. 1 – defeated Josh Hart; Rd. 2 – lost to Leah Pruett |
| 2024 | 3rd | Rd. 1 – lost to Clay Millican |
Quickest time: 3.645 seconds, Aug. 21, 2022
Fastest speed: 336.07 mph, Aug. 16, 2024
Number starts: 11
Times No. 1 qualifier: 3
Final rounds: 2
Victories: 1
Won-Lost Record: 15-10
Track & TV Schedules
Nitro qualifying sessions are scheduled for Friday, Aug. 15, at 4:30 p.m. CT and 6:45 p.m. CT, with Funny Car sessions Saturday, Aug. 16, at 12:35 p.m. CT and 3:05 p.m. CT. Eliminations begin Sunday, Aug. 17, at 10:30 a.m. CT.
Friday’s qualifying show will air Friday, Aug. 15, from 10-11:30 p.m. ET on FS1. Saturday’s qualifying show will air Saturday, Aug. 16, from 7-8:30 p.m. ET on FS1. Sunday’s eliminations rounds will air Sunday, Aug. 17, from 3-6 p.m. ET on FOX.
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