This isn’t what Top Fuel star Brittany Force had mapped out for her 2024 season.
The NHRA champ in 2017 and ’22 had to rally just to get into the top 10 in the regular-season points standings and have a chance to compete in the six-race Countdown to the Championship.
Well, the star driver has flipped the script in the final two races of the season.
Force won the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Nov. 2. It marked her first victory in two years, and she has so far kept her momentum going at the NHRA Finals.
On Saturday evening, Force clocked a blistering 3.643-second elapsed time – the quickest run in the class this season – at 336.65 mph in Q3 at In-N-Out Burger Pomona (Calif.) Dragstrip to claim the No. 1 qualifying position.
This is Force’s sixth No. 1 qualifying spot this season – second in a row – and the 52nd of her career.
“We qualified No. 1. We put a 64 on the board. That’s huge for this team, but then to hear that it’s the quickest of the entire season, we’re very proud to hold that,” Force said. “That’s David Grubnic, John Collins and this entire Monster Energy team.”
Force, who arrived in Pomona seventh in the points standings, will face Krista Baldwin in Round One on Sunday.
Force, who is still mathematically in the hunt to win the championship this season, knew an opportunity was lost Friday when action was washed out because of rain.
“We definitely wanted those two runs (Friday) because we wanted as many bonus points as we could get,” Force said. “We got bonus points (Saturday) which is great, but everyone’s in the same position we are. It’s unfortunate. We really wanted it because we wanted to grab as many as we could, qualify the best we could, and we’re looking for four win lights” Sunday.
As electric as Force’s run was, it didn’t put much distance between her and the rest of the field. Tony Schumacher is the No.8 qualifier with a 3.694-second run at 331.77 mph.
“It tells you this field is strong. The competition is just fierce. We got a great racetrack, conditions are great, and everyone’s running killer,” Force said. “I was back getting ready to suit up, and I heard Langdon ran a 65, and that’s just outstanding. And then to be able to pull up and we run a 64, again, I’m very proud of that. I didn’t know until I pulled off the track. Had no radio again down there as usual, but pulled off the track, and all the cameras were in my face, and I thought, ‘Maybe we ran quicker than I thought.’”
Force is keeping things in perspective no matter what happens Sunday where there will be 120 points up for grabs.
“No, I wouldn’t say disappointment. This season, I believe everything happens for a reason,” Force said. “And it’s been tough for us for two seasons, but I feel like it holds this team together. It makes this team stronger. It keeps us digging deeper and always pushing. I believe everything happens for a reason, and we take our victories as a team, we take our losses as a team, and we always stick together and keep on fighting.”
