Brittany Force has won her first NHRA Top Fuel event, beating Terry McMillen on Sunday in the final at the prestigious Gatornationals.
Robert Hight gave John Force Racing its first career double by winning the Funny Car class.
But Brittany Force was the story. One of 16-time world champion John Force’s three racing daughters, Brittany was winless in her first seven Top Fuel finals. She ended the skid with some favorable matchups at one of the NHRA’s premier events.
The No. 5 qualifier, Force beat Morgan Lucas (12th), Tripp Tatum (13th), Dave Connolly (ninth) and McMillen (14th) en route to the winner’s circle.
McMillen was racing in his first final in 151 events.
It was Force’s second straight final in 75 events. She lost to Leah Pritchett three weeks ago in Phoenix in the first all-female Top Fuel final since 1982. Pritchett was knocked out in the first round of eliminations Sunday along with top qualifier Richie Crampton and defending class champion Antron Brown.
Those upsets surely helped clear the path for Force’s breakthrough win.
More important was her recent partnership with iconic car tuner Alan Johnson.
Team owner John Force reached out to Johnson before this season, looking to give his 29-year-old daughter a better chance to win. Force hired Johnson as a consultant but put him in charge of the entire Top Fuel program.
Johnson has 15 NHRA national championships, including 11 in Top Fuel, and is considered one of the most innovative and successful crew chiefs in professional drag-racing history.
John Force and his youngest daughter, Courtney, race in the Funny Car class.
Courtney has seven career wins. Force’s other racing daughter, Ashley, had four before stepping away.
Now, Brittany is on the board.
She trails dad by 142.
Hight made the day even more special for JFR by edging Ron Capps in the Funny Car final. It was JFR’s 242nd and 243rd career victories — the team’s first in Funny Car — and Hight’s third win at the Gatornationals.
Greg Anderson used a better reaction time to edge Summit Racing teammate Jason Line in Pro Stock. The two-car team has won all three events this season.
Eddie Krawiec knocked off Hector Arana in the season opener of Pro Stock Motorcycle.
