FORCE GIRLS HAVE ADAPTED TO A/FD CHALLENGE
As the 44th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals began Brittany and Courtney Force will be wrapping up their first season behind the wheel of the Jerry Darien tuned A/Fuel dragster. The youngest daughters of 14-time Funny Car champion John Force have continued to learn as they have become more comfortable with each pass. As they both look back on the season they know that they have enjoyed their time in the cockpit but they both know they have much to learn.
They are clearly on the right track as Courtney made a blistering 5.282 second pass in her Jerry Darien tunes A/Fuel dragster to secure the top spot. If this time holds it would be the youngest Force's first No. 1 spot. Funny Car professional and sister Ashley Force qualified No. 1 five times during her Top Alcohol Dragster career.
Brittany is currently sixth.
As the 44th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals began Brittany and Courtney Force will be wrapping up their first season behind the wheel of the Jerry Darien tuned A/Fuel dragster. The youngest daughters of 14-time Funny Car champion John Force have continued to learn as they have become more comfortable with each pass. As they both look back on the season they know that they have enjoyed their time in the cockpit but they both know they have much to learn.
They are clearly on the right track as Courtney made a blistering 5.282 second pass in her Jerry Darien tunes A/Fuel dragster to secure the top spot. If this time holds it would be the youngest Force's first No. 1 spot. Funny Car professional and sister Ashley Force qualified No. 1 five times during her Top Alcohol Dragster career.
Brittany is currently sixth.
“I think (this season) has gone pretty good. Brittany and I started the
season trading off in one car and then at the US Nationals we started
racing two dragsters. We are just getting a lot of practice and we are
learning a lot about these cars. We both have gone past first round. We
have established what we want to do. I didn’t set any high goals for
myself for my first year but going past first round was enough for me,”
said 20-year old Courtney Force.
22-year old Brittany Force looked at this season as one of change stepping up in classification and intensity.
“(This season) has definitely been different and we have had to make a
lot of adjustments to get used to the A Fuel Dragster. The cars are
completely different when you compare Super Comp to A/Fuel Dragster. I
feel like we have made good progress over the year. I am comfortable in
the A/Fuel dragster now. When I first began the car was so new, there
was so much to learn, and I always get butterflies but it is so much
more comfortable now. We didn’t get to race the dragsters as much as we
did in Super Comp but I think that has helped us focus and take our
time. It has been a good year,” said Brittany.
As they wrap up the season both racers know that they will continue to
learn and they each have very good teachers in older sister Ashley
Force and brother-in-law Robert Hight. Hight took time last weekend to
help out with the dragsters at the Las Vegas Divisional which was much
appreciated but both drivers.
“It is so nice of Robert to help us. We always appreciate him coming
out to help out on our cars. I know that is not the one thing he really
wants to be doing but then again those guys are so dedicated to being
at the races every weekend they can’t get themselves away from it. I
think it is always fun having our family out there,” added Courtney.
Hight was joined at the track by teammates Ashley Force as well as John
and Laurie Force giving Brittany and Courtney an all-star family
support team. They know that their professionally experienced family
members will always be there to help them but they lean on each other
just as much.
“It is always nice to have someone right there with you. We travel
together. It is just fun having her there because we can help each
other out. We ask each other for advice. We are both going through the
same process so we know how each other feels. We have made about the
same amount of runs,” concluded Brittany.