Brittany Force has been about the wow factor for much of her Top Fuel drag racing career. But this season, the second-generation driver, who is driving under the Mark Christopher Auto Center banner this weekend, has a new focus. 

Top runs are incredible attention-getters, but it’s the consistent ones that win races. 

Force was quick and consistent on a rainy day in Southern California when the rains held qualifying at the NHRA Winternationals to just one session. None of Friday’s best runs held up as Force was joined atop the leaderboard by Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock).

Force remained in the hunt for the top spot after the first day, as she finished third in Friday’s provisional qualifying thanks to a run of 3.783 seconds at 330.30. It was a run that was at the top of a day where the show was anything but the quality NHRA traditionally delivers. 

In the fifth pair of Top Fuel dragsters, she blasted out the top run of the event, a 3.711, 335.73. It marked her first No. 1 qualifier of 2024 and No. 47 of her career. 

“We are definitely ready for tomorrow,” Force said. “We wanted three [runs], but we got two, and it was two consistent runs. But they were two consistent runs, and that’s what we’ve been working on - consistent runs this season that went down the race track. We are not trying to make these crazy runs to light the [score]board on fire. 

“Let’s get down there, get in the show. So far, we are in a good place and anxious to see what we can do tomorrow.”

Multi-time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher was second with a 3.735, while Friday’s leader Billy Torrence was third with a 3.745. Defending event champion Justin Ashley ended up sixth quickest with a 3.753, 329.18.

Due to there being 15 cars, Force gets a bye run in the first round. 

With some of drag racing’s heaviest hitters on the outside looking in, Hagan had his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mopar thundering as the sun set on the In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip. 

Hagan drove the Dickie Venables-tuned Funny Car to the strip quicker than anyone as his 3.893, 330 generated his 51st career No. 1 qualifier 
and first this season. 

Saturday was a long day for both competitors, their teams, and especially the race fans who paid to watch a show. Hagan was determind to pull his weight in the effort. 

“It was really good to do a burnout, and backing up still see a bunch of fans after a long day of not knowing what was going to happen,” Hagan said. “It says a lot about the safety safari and their ability to put a good track underneath us. Hat’s off to those guys, the track is still a tricky challenge. 

“They told me if you get in too thin, there’s not a lot of rubber, and with the right lane, it wants to suck you into the wall. [My crew] was like, ‘Just keep it in the middle.”

“I said, ‘No problem in a Funny Car.”

“It ran on all eight, and that’s something we got to focus on this year. We have to keep it running on all eight cylinders.”

As impressive as Hagan’s 3.893 was, it tied the earlier run by Ron Capps, but his speed beat out Capps’ 326.71. Second-generation racer Bob Bode was third with a 3.972, which edged out Cruz Pedregon’s 3.982.  

Paul Lee rounded out the top five and got into the show at the expense of Alexis DeJoria. The McLeod driver stopped the clocks in 3.992 seconds at 321.42. 

Buddy Hull rounded out the 16-car field with an off-pace 4.823 at only 173.38 miles per hour. 

Glenn, the former NHRA Rookie of the Year, showcased his skills as a front-running driver, as he put himself in the best spot to defend his title. 
He closed out qualifying with a run of 6.536 at 209.75 in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro. 

Friday and Saturday were, indeed, night and day for Glenn. 

“After the run I made yesterday, I wasn’t expecting to go up there and go No. 1,” Glenn said, moments after beating Cristian Cuadra to take home half of the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. “We changed a bunch of stuff and they definitey put a tune-up in it. We were all qualified watching the cars as we got up there. I was starting to believe we might not be qualified by the time we get up there. 

Glenn will open eliminations against KB Titan Racing teammate and rookie Sienna Wildgust.

“We basically rewired my entire car this morning,” Glenn explained. We changed so much stuff on it. We were not happy with it, and it had been doing some crazy stuff. It at least worked for one run, and we were pretty happy with it. The run felt amazing, and we made a really killer run. Pomona has always been up there as one of my favorite tracks. I’ve always loved coming here and hopefully we have it turned around.”

Defending world champion Erica Enders qualified second with a 6.547 at 210.73, and Camrie Caruso jumped to third thanks to a 6.557 at 208.88.

Only one round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge was completed on Saturday due to weather as well. Shawn Langdon and Steve Torrence both won the opening round in Top Fuel, while J.R. Todd and Austin Prock picked up the Funny Car victories. In Pro Stock, Glenn and Enders raced to Challenge wins.

Eliminations for the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals begin at 10 a.m. PT on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.