NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Put Brittany Force, crew chief Dave Grubnic, and the rocket-red Advance Auto Parts dragster on the starting line with cool conditions and a good track and great things will happen as they did Friday night at the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals where she set the track record with a blast of 3.651. Force’s pass broke her own 2017 track record by an even three-hundredths of a second.

“David Grubnic is known for going out Friday night and hitting that No. 1 spot,” she agreed. “He told me we were going to do it and we did. He was confident when we rolled up there and said that we were going to steal the No. 1 spot and pick up some bonus points and to hold on. We’re still chasing the No. 1 [points] spot and it’s not out of our reach yet. Tomorrow is going to be what’s really important because more than the No. 1 qualifier what we’re looking at is winning on raceday, and that will come down to how we run tomorrow. If we get two consistent runs going into raceday we should be set up pretty good.”

Leah Pritchett broke the other end of the speed mark with a blast of 332.10 mph to take away Antron Brown’s four-year-old speed mark of 330.55 and grab the No. 2 spot with her Pennzoil machine with a 3.681. Mike Salinas matched that e.t. but lost the No. 2 spot with a slower speed of 331.12.

Terry McMillen had set low e.t. of the first session, but that run was bettered 11 times in the cool night session as two-thirds or more of the field improved on their opening passes. 332.10.

Points leader Steve Torrence had the fourth and final car in the 3.60s with a 3.689 that put him one place ahead of his father, Billy, who clocked a 3.712 for the No. 5 spot.

Jordan Vandergriff (3.713), Antron Brown (3.717), and Richie Crampton (3.720) round out the top half of a very quick field that has 15 of the 16 qualifiers running quicker than 3.816 seconds.