Photo Source: Auto Imagery
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2024) – As the only driver able to negotiate the 1,000-foot concrete course in fewer than 3.700 seconds over two days of preliminaries, two-time World Champion Brittany Force will start the HendrickCars.com Top Fuel dragster from the No. 1 qualifying position in Sunday’s 16th NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway.
The 38-year-old, the NHRA national record holder for both time and speed, stopped the timers in 3.690 seconds at 334.24 miles per hour Friday night. On a warmer racetrack with less favorable weather conditions, she wasn’t able to improve Saturday (with times of 6.234 and 3.776, the latter the second quickest of the final session) but no one else was able to challenge, either.
As a result, the 16-time Mission Foods tour winner will start from the front of the pack for the 49th time in her pro career, for the sixth time at zMax and for the third time at the Carolina Nationals, a race in which she reached the final round in her two previous No. 1 starts (2018 and 2022).
She’ll begin her drive for a sixth career Countdown win Sunday against 2023 European Champion Ida Zetterström, teammate of Tony Schumacher.
“We didn’t run the way we wanted to when we were here in the spring (she was the No. 15 qualifier at the 4Wide Nationals),” Force said, “so now we have a chance to make up for it this weekend.”
As for her John Force Racing teammates, Funny Car point leader Austin Prock was the highest qualified, securing the No. 2 position in his Cornwell Tools Camaro, but Jack Beckman was the most consistent.
Beckman, making his fourth start in the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS in relief of the team’s injured founder and namesake, extended to eight the number of consecutive qualifying sessions in which he has earned bonus points and, for the third straight event will start from the No. 3 position.
Earning points on Force’s behalf per NHRA rule, Beckman will start Sunday third in the standings behind only Prock and Bob Tasca III after laying down the quickest run in Saturday’s final session at 3.896 second. He was second quickest earlier in the day at 3.931. He will face No. 12 qualifier Buddy Hull in round one in a short field of only 14 Funny Cars.
“I’m just keeping John’s seat warm,” said the 58-year-old veteran who has won NHRA championships in both the Super Comp (2003) and Funny Car (2012) classes. “Whether it’s hot (or) it’s cold, this car thunders down the track. I was almost hoping it was going to stay a little hotter (today) for tune-up runs for (Sunday). It’s a noon start and it’s going to be a grueling, hot day; I think we’ve got good numbers for it, though.”
As for Prock, after a 3.941 at 326.63 mph netted him a bonus point in Q3, his Cornwell Camaro lost traction on its final qualifying attempt and limped across the line in 4.030 seconds at 254.71 mph. Nevertheless, his 3.833 on Friday will send him off against Alexis DeJoria in Sunday’s opening round.
Just two No. 1s away from tying Force’s single season Funny Car record for No. 1 starts (13), Prock will have to wait another week to add to his total.
“It was brought to my attention last week,” Prock said of his proximity to his boss’s record. “I had no idea we were than close. But I gave one away (Friday night). I shut it off a little early and it cost us (the No. 1 spot by .001 of a second). So, that was frustrating but, overall, they were decent runs. We definitely wanted more, but we’ll get it next time.”
