Top Fuel Archives – Page 3 of 5

Brittany Force pre-season NHRA interview

February 5, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Drag Racing Top Fuel driver, Brittany Force, talks about the big changes made to her Monster Energy team over the off-season during this NHRA interview from the recent Nitro Spring Training test sessions being held at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, AZ.

Brittany Force pre-season: anticipation runs high

The addition of legendary championship-winning crew chief Alan Johnson to the team as technical advisor has made headlines during the past few weeks.

Will Brittany Force see her first Top Fuel win this season?

Comment below with your thoughts of when her elusive first win will come!

FireAde signs on with Leah Pritchett and BVR

February 4, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

NHRA Top Fuel driver Leah Pritchett has just announced a multi-race deal in which her Bob Vandergriff Racing top fuel dragster will feature FireAde 2000 as primary sponsor at select events in the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, and serve as an associate sponsor throughout the rest of the season.

Ron Thames, owner of Fire Service Plus which makes the Fireade product and I starting discussing ways we could work together last October,” said team owner Bob Vandergriff Jr. “We’re both excited we were able to put together a program that will benefit both sides, they make a great product and it’s been very well received at every level we’ve introduced it.”

FireAde manufactures innovative, user friendly and environmentally safe fire extinguishers. Their products are made from 98% organic compounds, so they contain no hazardous chemicals and are biodegradable. FireAde is used by the NHRA Safety Safari and their extinguishers can be found in retailers all around the world.

When you think of B2B and creating opportunities I kept hearing one name, Bob Vandergriff and BVR,” said Ron Thames. “Since creating this partnership our company has already had doors opened for us at both the retail level and in the oil fields sector. I’m looking forward to growing this program and we’re off to great start already.”

This is Pritchett’s first season with Bob Vandergriff Racing and her first full-season behind-the-wheel of a top fuel dragster. FireAde joins Quaker State as the second major company to team up with Bob Vandergriff Racing to support Leah Pritchett this season. Pritchett finished #14 in points last year after only competing in 16 out of 24 races. With the backing of BVR, she is focused on earning her first win in Top Fuel and competing for the championship title.

The 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Series season will begin at the 56th annual Circle K Winternationals in Pomona, California on February 12 – 14.

New ride: Leah Pritchett joins Bob Vandergriff Racing

December 10, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

NHRA Top Fuel driver, Leah Pritchett just announced that she will be joining the Bob Vandergriff Racing team in 2016 to field a second Top Fuel dragster with the support of Quaker State. Pritchett, who became a free agent last month when her Dote Racing team lost the Gumout sponsorship, pairs with teammate Dave Connolly, who returns driving the C&J Energy Services dragster for the full 2016 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

This will be Pritchett’s first full season since joining the Top Fuel ranks in 2013. Leah began her racing career in the Junior Dragster ranks at the age of eight before moving on to a successful Nostalgia Funny Car and Pro Mod driving career.

The opportunity to run a complete NHRA Top Fuel season has been a goal that I have worked towards for a very long time,” said Pritchett. “I am beyond excited for the opportunity to focus on making the countdown next season, competing for a Championship, working alongside Bob Vandergriff Jr., and re-introduce the Quaker State brand back into the NHRA. This dream is now a reality, thanks in large part to the vision of Bob Vandergriff Jr., as well as the support of great companies and people along my way to this personal and professional milestone, and of course my fans.”

Quaker State will be the primary sponsor of five NHRA races with associate sponsorships on both BVR Top Fuel Dragsters. Vandergriff is working hard in the off-season to secure more sponsors for the remaining races on the schedule. Quaker State has a long history with NHRA dating back to the ‘80s. The last car they sponsored was Tony Pedregon’s Nitro Funny Car which won the 2007 NHRA Funny Car Championship.

Bob Vandergriff Racing has presented Quaker State with an opportunity to get back into the NHRA, and we couldn’t be more excited for the 2016 season,” said Gita Gidwani, Quaker State Global Brand Manager. “Quaker State is a hardworking motor oil that has great synergies for working with a hardworking and dedicated driver like Leah Pritchett and we look forward to backing her as she continues her impressive NHRA career.”

We have two young drivers with extensive racing backgrounds, so 2016 should be an exciting year for BVR,” added Vandergriff. “Our goal is to put both Dave and Leah in the top 10 and take home the championship this year.”

Jenna Haddock celebrates rookie season

November 12, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

This weekend’s 51st Annual Auto Club Finals marks the conclusion of the 2015 NHRA Mellow Yellow Drag Racing season. For rookie Top Fuel driver, Jenna Haddock, it marks the end of an amazing first year in the premiere professional class of the sport. As the season comes to a close, Jenna looks back on her season and rates her year as driver of the ‘Boots For Troops’ Top Fuel Dragster in her trademark exuberant and sincere fashion.

“Everyone rates on performance,” explained Haddock, “but there is so much more to take into consideration. As a driver, I didn’t have much experience. I never drove anything in competition. I’m proud that we qualified at eight out of the 11 races we ran. And we did it with only six team members when other teams have 12. We lost our sponsor mid-year so we did it with no money. We did it with friends, family and a lot of hard work and determination. And I’m grateful for everyone that helped. When I rate out first year, I’d say we had a phenomenal year. Without money, our car performed really well and I cannot be sad. I’m proud to say our car is good.”

The Auto Club Road to the Future candidate posted her career-best of 3.850 sec. at 311.63 mph in her first-round match-up against Antron Brown at the previous race in Las Vegas. Though she couldn’t hold off the new 2015 Top Fuel Champion for the win, she was still thrilled at her performance.

“In qualifying in Vegas, we kept throwing the blower belt,” Haddock said. “But if you look at our half-track numbers we knew it was going to run. We run used belts. We can’t buy all new ones like most teams. Most of the time our belts have four to five runs on them. We rather buy new crankshafts, pistons and connecting rods. Those things come before blower belts for us. On Sunday morning a bunch of teams brought us their belts with only one run on them, which was so amazing. So for us when that 3.850 came up on the board; Sunday took the cake.”

Haddock’s husband, Terry is a long time Funny Car driver known for competing on a very limited budget and for never giving up. This year, he put his car on the back burner and concentrated on launching his wife’s career.

“I really have to thank Terry for his unending support,” expressed Haddock. “He helped me learn how to drive and he was a great and patient teacher. This year has been all about me, and his car hasn’t gotten much attention. He made sure that everything came much easier to me than it ever did to him. He’s been great about it and I love him for it.”

Dote Racing not returning in 2016

November 3, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

The NHRA Top Fuel Dragster team Dote Racing, just announced that they will not be returning to NHRA competition in 2016. The Ohio-based operation, active in the class since 2009, takes a hiatus from the sport on the heels of a decision by primary sponsor, Gumout, not to renew their sponsorship of the Dote Racing team.

This leaves current driver Leah Pritchett in search of a new ride for 2016. Pritchett joined Dote Racing in 2013, competing the majority of 2014 and 2015 in the NHRA Mello Yello Series with Gumout as primary sponsor.

Pritchett and the Dote Racing team recorded their career best performances this season, hitting a competitive stride with a runner-up finish at the NHRA Southern Nationals in Atlanta, and qualifying second at the NHRA Keystone Nationals in Pennsylvania. Pritchett clocked her career-best elapsed time in the Dote Racing dragster (3.73 seconds) during the NHRA Summernationals at Englishtown, N.J.

Dote Racing has been a family racing legacy for three-generations. Beginning in the mid-80s with Lynn & Sue Dote purchasing a 1951 “Henry J” drag car, the family tradition was continued by their son, Mike Dote, and his wife, Connie.

Mike, Connie and their daughters, Camie and Joanna, began competing weekly. After fulfilling their bracket racing goals and building great family memories, the team decided to take their passion to the ultimate level, Top Fuel.

“Our decision to take a hiatus from the sport comes on the heels of Gumout’s decision to pursue their major marketing efforts in a different direction, outside of the NHRA,” said Mike Dote. “It is very difficult to walk away at this point, but ultimately we do not have the funds in place for a competitive 2016 season. We have made incredible progress on the track, and have Leah, one of the most talented and marketable drivers in the series at our wheel. It has been a tremendous experience for our whole family and the racing team to work with Gumout and the other ITW brands. We are proud to have raced at such a competitive level against some of the biggest and most accomplished names in drag racing. We want to thank everyone with our team, our sponsors, NHRA, Mello Yello and the outstanding NHRA fans.”

Pritchett, a 27-year-old California native, will begin exploring new opportunities for the 2016 Mello Yello Season after impressive performances the past three years in Top Fuel.

“Working with the Dote Racing team has been a great experience for me, and I am beyond thankful to the Dote family for believing in me,” said Leah. “Mike, Connie, Doug (Kuch, crew chief), Rob (Flynn, tuner) and the entire team have been outstanding with me as a newcomer to Top Fuel three years ago. Beyond driving, I believe my responsibilities within Dote Racing have equipped me with an expanded skill set that will enable me to continue success on and off the track. This experience has been invaluable, and I wish them the best in the future. I am pursuing more drag racing opportunities including my continued work with Gumout. I’m very excited to see what the future holds for me in NHRA Mello Yello drag racing competition.”

Brittany Force transporter wreckage

October 28, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

The Monster Energy transport hauler of NHRA Top Fuel driver Brittany Force was spotted wrecked on the side of Interstate 70 West in Missouri around mile marker 99 heading towards Kansas City.

Brittany Force transporter wreck — Photo Source: Facebook

Witness accounts of the mangled transporter reported on Facebook that the hauler, traveling westbound on I-70 near Boonville, MO to this weekend’s Toyota NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas, took evasive measures when an east-bound traveling vehicle crossed the median into the path of the 18 wheeler. The Monster Energy transporter, carrying Brittany Force’s Top Fuel Dragster and service equipment for the team, struck the railing and lodged itself beneath the concrete support pilings of an overpass.

Brittany’s team driver and the hauler’s occupants are all reported to be ok.

The tractor was found on its side with extensive damage, but it appears that the contents of the trailer may have weathered better in the scary collision. No other details have been released.

[Source: Dragzine.com]

Brittany Force currently sits in the #4 position in points following the Dallas event. She is 207 points behind leader Antron Brown, but the remaining top 5 contenders are close in points.

Video of Brittany Force Transporter Wreckage

Leah Pritchett in Black Magic Top Fuel

October 23, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

With just two races left in the 2015 season, NHRA drag racing standout Leah Pritchett will have some “Black Magic” ready for the Halloween weekend in Las Vegas.

The 27-year-old California native will enter the 15th Annual NHRA Toyota Nationals at the “The Strip” at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway debuting new Black Magic Top Fuel livery on her Dote Racing dragster on the Halloween weekend (Oct. 30 – Nov. 1).

“This new Black Magic livery is awesome and brings another great paint scheme for the 2015 season,” said Pritchett, runner-up at this year’s Southern Nationals. “Black Magic® car care products are a sister company to Gumout, but it’s a great tie-in with Halloween in Las Vegas. I’m hoping a little Black Magic potion gives us a strong performance at ‘The Strip.’”

Black Magic Top Fuel Dragster livery

Gumout has been the primary sponsor for the Dote Racing team this season, with Leah Pritchett at the controls, and Black Magic® car care products are among the automotive directory of ITW Global Brands which also manufactures and distributes Gumout and Rain-X brands. Black Magic’s variety of car products include tire, wheel, interior and exterior care.

Leah Pritchett, the Dote Racing team led by crew chief Doug Kuch and tuner Rob Flynn, and the new Black Magic Top Fuel Dragster return to “The Strip” for the first time since last year’s impressive semi-finals finish (losing to event winner Spencer Massey) and qualifying in the fifth position for the 16-driver Top Fuel ladder. The team opted out of the first 2015 Vegas event in April.

“The Strip” has always been lucky for Pritchett, having earned multiple wins as a youngster in the Junior Dragsters and an NHRA Pro Modified national event win in 2011. Most recently, Leah competed in her first road racing event at nearby Pahrump, Nev., (the Spring Mountain Motorsports Resort) in the Formula Ford category.

“I have been coming to Nevada to race since “The Strip” was first opened back in late 1990s,” said Pritchett, who also gives advice to young female racers trying to follow in her footsteps in the Junior Dragsters. “I was winning races there as a teenager and then won in the ProMods (2011) too. Wow, I would love to win my first Top Fuel national event at Las Vegas too.”

Pritchett’s various Top Fuel liveries have proven popular with the drag racing fans this year, earning her “Best Appearing Car” with the Bristol debut of her flashy, all-gold Gumout livery. She also debuted the “Lady in Red” red chrome scheme in Indianapolis for the US Nationals and was another “fan favorite.”

“Now we think this new Black Magic livery will be another favorite for the NHRA fans at Las Vegas,” Leah said. “We have taken a little of the red chrome and the black paint to form an outstanding look for the Dote Racing dragster. Since our strong showing last year at ‘The Strip,’ I think we’ll can have a great weekend with the new Black Magic machine. With Halloween coming up, maybe we get that special potion and I can be the ‘Black Magic Woman’ who takes that NHRA ‘Wally’ trophy in victory lane Sunday.”

Pritchett and the rest of the Top Fuel racers will begin action at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway “Strip” with qualifying set for 1 p.m. PDT on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015. Qualifications are scheduled Friday (Oct. 30 – 1 and 4:30 p.m.) and Saturday (Oct. 31 – 1 and 4:30 p.m.) with final eliminations set for Sunday (Nov. 1) at 11 am PDT.

Brittany Force lands No. 1 in Soggy PA

October 4, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Despite the wet and cold conditions that have plagued the 31st Annual NHRA Keystone Nationals this weekend in Reading, Pennsylvania, Brittany Force lands No. 1 qualifying position, the first of the 2015 season and fourth of her young career. The third year pro moved from 4th to 3rd in the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship point standings, going around Larry Dixon by four points on the strength of her three qualifying bonus points and the points allocated for the No. 1 qualifier.

Brittany Force lands No. 1 Qualifying Position

Force’s run was the strongest of a session that saw most of the Top Fuel dragsters struggle with the cold conditions. With a short field in Top Fuel of only fourteen race cars, Brittany Force will face No. 14 qualifier Dave Connolly in the first round. The winner of that 1st round pairing will receive a bye into the semi-finals.

“It is definitely tough going into tomorrow with only one run under our belt. It is not just our team but everyone out here. Everyone will battle that. Like Robert said we would like to have more runs but these are the conditions we all had to work with. We put down an awesome run in this Monster Top Fuel dragster,” said Force, who has raced to three semi-final finishes in the last four races. “We drove right through the shake zone and put an awesome number up on the scoreboard. We set a new career best record which we broke from our time and speed here last year. We like Reading and we went all the way to the final last year. We are hoping to take it all the way this weekend.”

The Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster launched hard off the starting line and flew right down the middle of the lane, running a 3.725-second pass at 331.53 mph. It was the smoothest run of the session and at the top end Force knew she had made a solid pass.

“I could tell that run was a good one because it just felt fast. Sometimes you know it is on a killer run. That run it just felt fast and clean. I knew it was a good one but my radio came unhooked so I was trying to talk with my guys to see what it ran,” said Force. “I didn’t know what it ran until I hoped out at the top end. Everyone was cheering when we rolled up so I knew it was something good.”

Brittany Force is 2-1 against Dave Connolly with her two wins coming in first round match-ups this season. Most recently Force dropped a semi-final race to Connolly last weekend in St. Louis. She hopes to vindicate that loss, by taking the win against Connolly to put her in the semifinal.

Brittany Force throws the first pitch

September 25, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Brittany Force throws the first pitch at St. Louis Cardinals home game

Brittany Force throws first pitch — NHRA fuel dragster driver Brittany Force throws the first pitch at the St. Louis Cardinals game, September 24, 2015 Photos by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Thursday evening, NHRA Top Fuel driver Brittany Force took the mound at Busch Stadium for the ceremonial first pitch before the Cardinals defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 7-3. Beforehand, Brittany Force, the 2013 NHRA Rookie of the Year, was nervous but excited.

“I was nervous about it all day and really have been nervous since we decided to do it. I had a bad experience throwing out the first pitch once before. I told myself I would never do that again. I decided to give it another try at the Cardinals game. We had a busy day before the pitch with a press conference and media interviews,” said Force. “We actually got down on the field for a few minutes and then we had some time to wait. I asked the Cardinals staff if there was a place I could practice. I just wanted to calm my nerves. I went into the hallway and practiced throwing a few pitches with Marc Gewertz who is one of the National Dragster photographers. I am so glad he helped me out. It calmed me down and he gave me some good pointers.”

As Force took the field she thought about how her racing career played a major role in not just affording her this opportunity but also putting her in position to make a solid pitch.Waving to the crowd, five-time Top Fuel finalist Brittany Force throws the first pitch – a nice straight pitch right to catcher Travis Tartamella a recent call up by the Cardinals.

“I think the biggest cross-over from racing to baseball was the importance of practice. I get in my race car for about ten minutes before we run and I just go over my routine. Going through the motions just makes me more comfortable. That is the same process I did for the game last night,” said Force. “Everyone with the Cardinals was so nice. Will Patterson from the Cardinals let me get down on the field earlier in the day. He said the Cardinal fans would be awesome and he was right. Some time you climb in your race car whether it is first round or final round and there are some runs you are so nervous but I just tell myself it will be over in four seconds. You just have to do the best job that you can. The pitch turned out really well.”

Leah Pritchett ready to take on the Big GO

September 1, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Top Fuel dragster driver Leah Pritchett has been dreaming of racing at the NHRA U.S. Nationals since she began her racing career at age eight. The 27-year-old Redlands, Calif., native has set her sights on the world’s biggest drag racing event for nearly twenty years when she started competing in her family’s Junior Dragster at the Pomona Raceway. Though she has been to Lucas Oil Raceway many times, even in her Junior Dragster at age 12, she has always wanted to race at the Clermont, Ind., motorsports facility on Labor Day during the hallowed U.S. Nationals. Now in the top drag racing division, Top Fuel, it looks like Pritchett has finally reached her goal.

“I haven’t been able to race on Labor Day yet at Indy,” said Pritchett, who’ll wheel her bright, chrome red Gumout Top Fuel dragster for Dote Racing next week (Sept. 3-7) in the 61^st annual drag racing extravaganza. “I just missed out last year when (former NHRA champion) Antron Brown nipped me by .001 of a second (for the 16^th starting spot).”

Leah Pritchett’s frustration of missing the U.S. Nationals 16-driver Top Fuel lineup in 2014 was especially cruel since it was so close, Brown’s 3.845 to Pritchett’s 3.846 seconds.

“Hey, that’s drag racing,” she explains. “The track conditions are always tough at Indy. With so many race cars there, the track surface becomes very tricky. We’ll have five qualifying runs next weekend for the U.S. Nationals and two will be at night. We need to get the night runs down to put the Gumout dragster into the field this time.”

Leah Pritchett has experience beyond her age

Pritchett, despite her age, is one of the most experienced pro drivers in the NHRA pit area including holding four different professional racing licenses in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Heritage Funny Car and ProMod. Leah is a former Heritage Funny Car world champion and a three-time NHRA national event winner in the wild ProMod division.

“When I was a kid racing in Junior Dragsters, I wanted to drive in the Top Fuel division,” said Pritchett, whose husband, Gary, is a mechanic on the Steve Torrence Top Fuel car. “So I drove just about anything I could to get up to the top ranks. I tested in the Funny Cars at Indy and drove the unpredictable ProMod cars on the national NHRA circuit. Finally, the Dote family offered me this Top Fuel ride and we brought in Gumout as our primary sponsor. It was a dream come true. I’m competing against the likes Antron (Brown), Tony (Schumacher), Shawn (Langdon) and Larry (Dixon) and all have been Top Fuel champions. Ultimately, that is my goal too, winning the NHRA Mello Yellow Top Fuel title.”

And a good start in Leah Pritchett’s goal would be a victory at the NHRA U.S. Nationals. Her Dote Dragster has been consistently going rounds this season, Pritchett finished runner-up to Brown at the Southern Nationals in Atlanta and has posted qualifying efforts of third, fourth and fifth this season.

“The U.S. Nationals are our Indy 500,” Leah said. “It’s the biggest drag race in the world and it is an honor just to qualify for the Top Fuel field. But I feel our Dote team can go a lot further than that this year. The Gumout car has been strong throughout the year and we want to be contender for the win at Indy. Last year, we just missed the show on Monday,” she said. “Now, with the new red chrome Gumout car, we want to put this new paint scheme in the winner’s circle at the world’s biggest drag race. Led by Doug Kuch (crew chief) and Rob Flynn (tuner), we feel positive about our chances this time.”

This year’s event marks the 61st Annual U.S. Nationals for the NHRA. Pritchett’s first qualifying attempt will take place on Friday, Sept. 4, at 7:30 p.m. EDT. Then there are two additional runs each on Saturday and Sunday for the Top Fuel dragsters. The final eliminations are set for Monday, Sept. 7, at 11 a.m. EDT.

Best of luck to Leah Pritchett!