BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 07, 2023) – Brittany Force and the Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster team head to Bristol Dragway sitting second in points. The two-time and reigning world championship team have a prime chance to take over the Top Fuel championship battle as they compete for the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals as well as the postponed New England Nationals victory.
A semifinal appearance in 2021 and a No. 1 start in 2014 highlight Force’s previous competition at Bristol Dragway. Bristol is one of only a handful of tracks on which she doesn’t hold the record for either time or speed in her David Grubnic-tuned Monster Energy dragster. In 2022, Force qualified fifth and had a quarterfinal exit.
Last weekend in Epping, N.H., Force and the Monster Energy team qualified 11th, her lowest race day start since the Chicago event in June 2019 to put them against Josh Hart in their first round of eliminations of the NHRA New England Nationals.
“Arrived in Bristol, Tennessee for the Thunder Valley Nationals and it’s going to be a busy weekend. Going to be two events in one with the carryover from Epping, N.H.,” Force said. “We get one qualifying shot to figure out the track before going into the first round of the New England Nationals. It’s added pressure and going to be a lot of work for the team but nothing this Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac team can’t handle. It also opened the doors for a double-up race weekend.”
After rain postponed eliminations for the New England Nationals in Epping, N.H., Bristol Dragway will now play host to a doubleheader. Beginning with the second round of qualifying, teams will be competing not only to start race day from further up the ladder but for the New England Nationals Wally. Second session of qualifying will serve as round one, third session as round two, an additional run not counting towards qualifying will be the semifinals and the final qualifying session will also host the New England Nationals finals.
The NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway starts with qualifying Friday at 5:00 p.m. followed by the second session and first round of New England Nationals eliminations at 8:00 p.m. Saturday will include the quarterfinals of the New England Nationals during the second qualifying session at 2:00 p.m. and then the New England Nationals semifinals for Epping at 4:15 p.m. The final qualifying session as well as the New England Nationals final round will be at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Eliminations for the Thunder Valley Nationals are set to begin at noon on Sunday.
Television coverage this weekend will be aired on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and include a Friday 7 p.m. ET Thunder Valley Nationals qualifying show and New England Nationals first round show at 8:00 p.m. ET. Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET will be the remaining New England Nationals coverage. Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET will be a second Thunder Valley Nationals qualifying show and at 7:00 p.m. ET will air the Thunder Valley Nationals eliminations.
