FORCE HOOD SURPRISES HERSELF WITH NO. 1
Sat, 2010-05-15 14:00
Pleasant surprises are always welcomed, at least in Ashley Force Hood’s world they are.
The second generation Funny Car-driving Hood surpassed the competition during Friday qualifying at the NHRA Southern Nationals to claim the provisional No. 1 qualifying position, placing nearly .02 between her and No. 2 qualifier Robert Hight.
If her run holds, it will be her first of the season and tenth of her career.
Pleasant surprises are always welcomed, at least in Ashley Force Hood’s world they are.
The second generation Funny Car-driving Hood surpassed the competition during Friday qualifying at the NHRA Southern Nationals to claim the provisional No. 1 qualifying position, placing nearly .02 between her and No. 2 qualifier Robert Hight.
If her run holds, it will be her first of the season and tenth of her career.
“I thought for sure someone would beat me out of that spot,” admitted Force Hood. “We were happy to make the most of the night session but tomorrow’s runs are going to be important because they are the same as race day conditions. You get to run at the back of the pack and that provides that little advantage. I think the weather conditions for tomorrow will make it challenging.”
This season has been drastically different than last year’s where she was a threat to win any race she entered. Force Hood’s first career victory came at Commerce a year ago.
“It’s been running pretty good this year for as few runs as we have made this season,” she said. “The last few races, our car has been running good and we haven’t stumbled. People have just been outrunning us. You want to push it, but not too much. The tuners are good at making those decisions and mine are good at walking that fine line. My car likes to go A to B, and with these cars, you can’t ask for much more than that. We’re going to do our best, and hopefully our turnaround will begin this weekend.”
Last season she understands her team probably snuck up on the competition. Now she’s more dependent on crafty tuners Dean Antonelli and Ron Douglass to overcome the team’s lack of surprise element.
“Last year we had such a great season that many probably didn’t expect us to be the Force team doing the best,” Force Hood said. “You give credit to my tuners and they are each really talented. They just work really well together. It’s special to find two tuners who can work together like that.”
It’s even more special when they lead you to a surprise No. 1, even if it is provisionally.
The second generation Funny Car-driving Hood surpassed the competition during Friday qualifying at the NHRA Southern Nationals to claim the provisional No. 1 qualifying position, placing nearly .02 between her and No. 2 qualifier Robert Hight.
If her run holds, it will be her first of the season and tenth of her career.
Pleasant surprises are always welcomed, at least in Ashley Force Hood’s world they are.
The second generation Funny Car-driving Hood surpassed the competition during Friday qualifying at the NHRA Southern Nationals to claim the provisional No. 1 qualifying position, placing nearly .02 between her and No. 2 qualifier Robert Hight.
If her run holds, it will be her first of the season and tenth of her career.
“I thought for sure someone would beat me out of that spot,” admitted Force Hood. “We were happy to make the most of the night session but tomorrow’s runs are going to be important because they are the same as race day conditions. You get to run at the back of the pack and that provides that little advantage. I think the weather conditions for tomorrow will make it challenging.”
This season has been drastically different than last year’s where she was a threat to win any race she entered. Force Hood’s first career victory came at Commerce a year ago.
“It’s been running pretty good this year for as few runs as we have made this season,” she said. “The last few races, our car has been running good and we haven’t stumbled. People have just been outrunning us. You want to push it, but not too much. The tuners are good at making those decisions and mine are good at walking that fine line. My car likes to go A to B, and with these cars, you can’t ask for much more than that. We’re going to do our best, and hopefully our turnaround will begin this weekend.”
Last season she understands her team probably snuck up on the competition. Now she’s more dependent on crafty tuners Dean Antonelli and Ron Douglass to overcome the team’s lack of surprise element.
“Last year we had such a great season that many probably didn’t expect us to be the Force team doing the best,” Force Hood said. “You give credit to my tuners and they are each really talented. They just work really well together. It’s special to find two tuners who can work together like that.”
It’s even more special when they lead you to a surprise No. 1, even if it is provisionally.
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