Women Racing Archives – Page 10 of 41

Career best finish for Pippa Mann

May 31, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Sunday’s 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 resulted in a career best finish for Pippa Mann. The lone female driver to compete in this year’s Indy 500, Mann showed one of the strongest runs of her career at the famed event, running as high as eighth, and ultimately finishing 18th.

Mann qualified for the 33 car field in the No. 63 Honda with Dale Coyne Racing, her third year under the banner of Susan G Komen. Her Indianapolis 500 campaign promoted breast cancer awareness and included a crowdfunding effort with a goal of raising $100,000 for the cause.

Starting the race from the 25th grid position, Pippa Mann avoided several on-track incidents with the help of her spotter team, delivering a clean and consistent performance. With each pit stop, Mann praised the performance of her car to the Dale Coyne Racing crew, repeatedly asking that little on the car be changed.

As the race went on, we were able really keep improving the car at the stops,” said Mann. “As the track got hotter and more difficult to drive for the other people out there, our car kept getting better and better. That’s a great thing to have happen during a race like this.”

A full course caution came out with less than 40 laps to go, and the Dale Coyne Racing crew brought Pippa into pit lane under yellow for a full service stop. She restarted in 16th, and with 21 laps to go, she cracked her way into the top 15. The rest of the field showed their hand, running low on fuel, with cars pitting one by one. As laps wound down and tension increased, Mann cleanly climbed her way to 8th position, hoping for a late race caution to allow for fuel conservation. With four laps to go, the crew of the No. 63 Susan G. Komen Honda called Pippa in for a splash of fuel, rejoining in 18th position.

The 18th place finish marks an Indianapolis 500 career best finish for Pippa Mann, boosted by running in eighth position in the final laps. Although that late race caution the team so eagerly hoped for never came, Mann expressed satisfaction in her performance.

At the end there, we were really hoping for that lucky yellow, and we’d have come away with an incredible result,” remarked Mann. “I still have to be happy we had such a strong run here, especially seeing how hard the guys worked all day and all month long.”

At the time of the checker flag, Mann and Susan G. Komen’s crowdfunding efforts raised $68,500, almost $10,000 more than the year before. The fundraiser can be viewed on the official Get Involved Campaign on Indiegogo.

“I want to thank BREVAGenplus for believing in me and this car. I’m grateful they came on board to partner with us to make this year’s Indianapolis 500 possible. It’s really great to be able to represent a brand that has so many ties in the breast cancer space and whose mission is so similar to that of ours: to end breast cancer forever.”

Shirley Muldowney diagnosed with Lung Cancer

May 24, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Legendary NHRA three-time Top Fuel World Champion and Women in Racing pioneer, Shirley Muldowney has been diagnosed with Lung Cancer, reported today by NHRA.com. The 75 year-old has been diagnosed with Stage 2 lung cancer, and is scheduled to undergo surgery at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in downtown Charlotte, NC early tomorrow morning to remove the tumor from her right lung.

Renowned thoracic and cardiac surgeon Dr. Harold Howe will lead the team performing the five-hour-long procedure.

I urge everyone to keep up with their health and get chest X-rays as often as possible to make sure they are OK,” the 75-year-old Muldowney said. “I’m a fighter, always have been, and I’m going to fight this as best I can with everything I got. Dr. Howe is the No. 1 guy in the business, and he’s as ready as I am to get this thing out of me.”

Muldowney began her racing career in the 1950s, becoming the first woman to earn a professional NHRA license in 1965. She raced gas dragsters before graduating to Funny Car, winning her first major race in 1971 at the IHRA Southern Nationals. She moved onto Top Fuel in 1973, and was the first woman to win an NHRA Professional class race in 1976 at the Columbus, OH Springnationals.

In 1974, she earned the NHRA Top Fuel championship after becoming the first driver in the class to win three consecutive national events. It was the first time a female driver had won a major motorsports title anywhere in the world. Muldowney earned the Top Fuel crown again in 1980 and 1982, and she earned the AHRA Top Fuel championship in 1981, her fourth major championship in a six-year period.

“The fans have always been what’s kept me going, and I’m sure people will be concerned about me now,” said Muldowney, who had a movie, Heart Like a Wheel, made about her life. “Well don’t be; I’ll be fine. There’s still a lot of things left I want to do.”

In lieu of flowers or cards, Muldowney is asking her friends and fans to donate to her charity, Shirley’s Kids. Muldowney has championed the charity this season, and already has helped four children in need with large cash donations at races in Gainesville, Charlotte, Houston, and Atlanta. Because of corporate support, Shirley’s Kids gives 100 percent of all donations to the children it helps.

The most joy I’ve had in years has come this season working with our little team at Shirley’s Kids,” Muldowney said. “Stan and Sheila Mae Holt have covered all our costs so all the money we raise goes to the kids, and Rob Geiger, Nicci Gustavus, and Frank Bellini have worked tirelessly to make this thing a success. If people can find it in their hearts to make a donation, that would brighten my spirits immensely because I know where all the money in this charity goes — right to the kids that need it. And believe me, we have changed some people’s lives for the better. “

Due to her current medical condition and the doctor-recommended recovery and rehabilitation time, Muldowney’s agent, Geiger, announced that scheduled appearances at the NHRA national events in Englishtown and Bristol will be canceled. Her future schedule will be largely dependent on her health moving forward, and other appearance dates will be announced on ShirleysKids.org.

Thank you in advance for all the love and prayers. It all helps. My sister [Linda Roque] and niece [Betty Peek] along with Stan and Sheila are here with me, so I’m in great hands.”

Casting Call: DRIVE | Women in Racing

May 24, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Ladies in Racing – Female Drivers – Women in Motorsports

OPEN CASTING CALL OPPORTUNITY

Want to be part of a cool new cable television concept that is focusing on women in racing and the career paths of female racers? Check out this cool, new opportunity for ladies in motorsports and female drivers.

Casting Call: DRIVE – Women in Racing

DRIVE is now casting nationwide for a major cable network and currently seeking women in the racing industry. DRIVE follows the lives of female racecar drivers as they strive to reach their goals both on and off the track. Any racing experience level and class of car welcome! Applicants must be 18 by the time of filming.

To apply, please email us your name, age and date of birth, phone number, a brief bio and two recent photos to [email protected].

Open Wheel Driver Feature: Susie Wolff

May 24, 2016 // by David Moss

The Life And Career of Susie Wolff

Susie Wolff is a true motor sports pioneer. A female British racing driver who had an incredible career as a F1 racing driver and continues to work toward gender equality to this day in the world of racing. In 2014, she was the first woman to participate in a Formula One race weekend in 22 years. She’s a woman who has proven that horsepower and heels go together like nothing else. Although there were quite a few obstacles in her quest to compete in this male dominated sport, she took it on without excuses. This article will cover her brilliant life and career, all the way from birth to her retirement in 2015 and her post retirement activism.

Her Early Years

Born on December 6, 1982 in a little resort town in Scotland called Oban, Susie was born to John and Sally Soddart. It would be them who would instill her interest in the sport of racing. Both of her parents owned a motorcycle dealership—in which she would eventually work—and her father raced competitively. Her parents would later stoke her love of the sport by buying her a go-kart when she was 8 years old. It was then that she knew she wanted to become a racecar driver. When asked about how her upbringing influenced her career, she simply said, “I was brought up by brilliant parents who never once made me think motor-sport was rather for boys; that I was choosing a path unusual for a girl. They instilled in me the belief that I could achieve anything if I was determined and worked hard enough.”

While it’s true that there weren’t many girls competing in go kart racing, that didn’t matter to Sally Soddart. All she knew was that she wanted to be on that track competing, a determination that she would carry throughout the course of her life.

Her Career

6 years after she had taken up go-kart racing, at the age of 14, Susie would go on to win the 1996 British Woman Kart Racing Driver Award. The following year she competed in numerous go-kart racing competitions and did quite well in all of them. By the time she was 16, she had placed 10th in the Go-Kart British Junior Intercontinental “A” Championship. Each year, she continued to be named British Woman Kart Racing Driver of the year, an accomplishment she’s proud of to this day.

By 1999, at the age of 17, she had won numerous go-kart racing categories. She ranked 13th in the British Formula A Championship and 34th in the Formula A World Championships. For a third straight year, she won British Woman Driver of the Year Award. By the time she was 18, she had finished 10th in the British Formula A Championship and was named the World’s Top Female Go-Kart Driver.

As good as she was at go-kart racing however, what she really wanted to do was to become a Formula One race driver. And in 2001, she came closer to that goal by moving from racing go-karts to single seat racers. She made her racing debut for the Motaworld Racing Team at the Formula Renault Winter Series. By 2002, she had competed in both Formula Renault UK Championship for DFR Racing, and competed a second time in the Motaworld in the Formula Renault Winter Series. She then placed 9th in the Formula Renault UK Championship in 2003 and finished 5th in the 2004 Formula Renault UK Championship. In 2004, she was nominated twice for the BRDC McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Year Award and was selected to win the BRSC Rising Star Of The Year Award. She is the first female to ever receive this award.

She finally made the leap to the British Formula 3 Championship in 2005. She was supposed to compete in the Championship Class for the Alan Docking Racing team, but that didn’t materialize because of an injury she sustained. She twisted her ankle during the winter and couldn’t finish the competition.

In 2006, she set her sights on the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters—otherwise known as the DTM—and achieved a best finish of 9th place. During this competition she competed for the Mücke Motorsport team and drove a 2004-spec Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe.

She would continue her success in 2007 when she finished 10th in Mugello, Italy while she was driving a 2005-spec Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe. In 2008, she placed 10th in the Norisring Street Circuit in Nuremberg, Germany. However, in 2009, she faced a setback during the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg Circuit and had to stop racing after 24 laps due to damage sustained by her vehicle during a first round collision.

In Susie’s fifth season, in 2010, she would drive her AMG Mercedes C-Klasse 2008 racing car to seventh place—both at Lausitzring and at Hockenheim—becoming the first woman in 20 years to ever make points at the DRM. She finished that season ahead of her colleagues—Ralf Schmacher and David Coulthard. Once again proving to herself, and to the world, that women can compete in the high paced world of racing. A year later, she would go on to marry Toto Wolff, who was a shareholder of the Williams Formula One Team at the time and would go on to become Executive Director of the Williams F1 Team. She then changed her name from Susie Stoddart to Susie Wolff.

In April of 2012, Susie Wolff would come one step closer to her dream when she was named as a development driver for the Williams Formula One Team. Many critics at that time accused her of being hired because her husband was part owner of the team; allegations that her husband and her strongly disputed. Two years later, during the British Grand Prix, Susie Wolff became the first woman to participate in a Formula One racing weekend since the early 1990s. Unfortunately, her session was cut short due to engine problems she experienced. This problem she incurred again during the German Gran Prix in July of that same year. However, during her race at the German Gran Prix, she managed to address her car problems and ended up finishing in 15th place. She entered the 2015 season as a test driver and eventually had a number of 2 runs and 2 practices. During preseason test runs, she placed 14th during the Spanish Gran Prix and 13th place during the British Gran Prix.

Susie’s Retirement

On November 4, 2015, Susie Wolff made the announcement on the BBC that she was going to retire from Formula One Racing. During her announcement, she stated that she always said she would retire from racing when she felt she could advance no further. She also stated that she felt that she had gone as far as she could go in the sport. There was one positive of that announcement, however. She also stated that she would go ahead and race during the 2015 Race of Champions. This race would be her last one.

Post-Retirement

In 2016, she partnered with the Motor Sports Associated and launched an initiative named “Dare To Be Different.” The purpose of this initiative is to inspire female participation in the traditional male dominated world of motor sports. Susie Wolff has expressed the hopeful sentiment that she has “paved the way for women to follow in her footsteps.” She also said the following: “We have two issues, not enough young girls starting in karting at a young age and no clear role model. Sometimes you just have to see it to believe it.”

The Future Of Women In Motor Sports

Thanks to Susie Wolff, the path has been laid for future generations of women in motor sports. She has been a champion for gender equality in the world of racing and has repeatedly stated that she wants to help the next generation of women racers achieve their dreams. In fact, she stated as much in a recent article in Autosport Magazine. She said, “If I can’t be the woman to break through the glass ceiling, then I want to be involved in making it happen for the person who does”.

While the male dominated sport of racing hasn’t made it easy on any woman entering the sport, Susie Wolff was able to overcome adversity and make a stand for what she believed in. She always knew that women had a place alongside men in racing and her career has proven that fact.

Susie Wolff sincerely hopes and believes that she has paved the way for women in racing—and she is right. More and more young women are entering the sport through the junior programs. What lies ahead for women in the sport of racing? While no one can accurately ascertain the future, one thing is for certain: thanks to this female racing pioneer, the future of women in racing looks very bright indeed. And as anyone who knows Susie Wolff can tell you, if anyone can make it happen then she’s the one who will.

Runner up at Heartland Park Topeka for Megan Meyer

May 24, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

A fantastic hometown showing for NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster Rookie Megan Meyer, as she earns another runner up at Heartland Park Topeka for the 28th Annual NHRA Kansas Nationals.

Megan would begin the weekend with a whirlwind PR schedule that included special apperances with her Racer’s Evolved A/Fuel Dragster at the NHRA Heartland Park Topeka Press event, and a special appearance in nearby Kansas City at the T-Bones Professional AA Baseball game, where she signed autographs with fellow female racers Brittany Force (Top Fuel) and Courtney Force (Funny Car).

The busy weekend also marked the first time that Megan would be racing alongside her father, veteran TAD racer Randy Meyer in NHRA TAD National competition. The Meyer Racing team would have their hands full sorting two cars, as Randy would struggle in early rounds of qualifying.

“Going into the Kansas Nationals we knew we would have our plate full. This was only the second time we’ve had both Top Alcohol Dragsters running at the same time this year, and it was a big mountain to climb for our team. The stress was high with the tire shake that we had in my Dad’s car for the first 2 qualifiers which once again, caused a lot of problems. But we faced them head on and fixed the damage and was able to get the car turned around to qualify 5th and win first round.”

In qualifying, Megan Meyer would start off strong, running a 5.287 second E.T. at 268.81 mph – moving her into the No. 2 qualified position at the end of round one. Second round, she would chatter the tires out of the gate, shutting off. But in the final attempt, Megan would grab the top qualifying position for the first time in her career, running a 5.250 at 270.54 mph in the Racer’s Evolved A/Fuel Dragster. Her father, Randy, would take the No. 5 position with his Meyer Racing Dragster, and would be on the same side of the ladder as Megan. Potentially, if both the Meyer dragsters advanced in the first two rounds of eliminations, they would be meeting in the semi-final round for the first time.

Saturday evening, Megan would face the number fourteen qualified Monroe Guest in the opening round of Top Alcohol Dragster eliminations. Guest would immediately smoke the tires, while Megan would run a great looking 5.258 second, 274.83 mph for the win into the second round.

We kept it very consistent with my car all weekend – same crew, same motor combination that we’ve been running all year that is proven to win races. We had an outstanding performance on Saturday as we ran a pair of 5.25s and set low ET all weekend. I claimed my first official number 1 qualifier, and I couldn’t have done it without my guys.”

Megan would have the competition bye in round 2 for an automatic advance to the semi final round, where she hoped she would face her father Randy, who did advanced over his round one competitor. Megan would begin the session with another strong showing, running a conservative 5.364 at 269.13 mph for her competition bye run. Unfortunately, her father was eliminated in round two by Lee Callaway, whose 5.353 at 267.22 mph run would grant him lane choice over Megan in the semi final round.

In their only previous encounter, Lee Callaway took the win light over Megan Meyer. This time, Callaway would get the starting line advantage over Megan, with a 0.026 reaction, to Megan’s 0.065. But Megan’s Racer’s Evolved dragster was able to reel him back in by 1000 feet, taking the win with a 5.298 at 270.59 mph over his 5.360 at 267.59 mph.

This would place Megan in her fourth final round this season – with two runner-up finishes at the Gatornationals and LODRS Belle Rose regional event; as well as her first win at the Charlotte 4-Wide event. She would face the defending event champion, Joey Severance, for the first time in her career.

Megan would be out of the gate first, but ran a slightly off-paced 5.445 at 263.20 mph. Severance quickly bridged the gap and continued on for the win, running a 5.327 at 270.27 mph. Megan would earn the hometown runner-up at Heartland Park Topeka for the Kansas Nationals.

Despite the high-stress weekend, we had a great time as a family and team at Heartland Park. The facility looks incredible and hats off to the new owners for all that they did to put on the Kansas Nationals. I enjoyed the displays we did together to promote the race, and I greatly appreciate the recognition I received from the local community.”

Missed the live action? You can catch an encore presentation of the 28th Annual NHRA Kansas Nationals FOX television coverage on FS2 Thursday, at 9:00PM EST

New Megan Meyer Racing Apparel

Megan Meyer and the Randy Meyer Racing team also introduced a new partnership with Denver Print House, a one stop facility specializing in award winning decorated apparel over the weekend. The Denver, CO based organization developed and printed the new Megan Meyer and Randy Meyer Racing team t-shirts in their state of the art production plant. Fans interested in getting one of the colorful new shirts can email [email protected] with their t-shirt size to order.

Denver Print House also is a great match for my team since I am a freelance designer. We are working together with Racers Evolved to help bring great design and artwork to the Sportsman classes.”

Busy homecoming weekend for Megan Meyer

May 18, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

The fun is just beginning in what will be an exciting and busy homecoming weekend for Megan Meyer. The 28th Annual NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka will mark the Kansas native’s fourth event of the season in the Top Alcohol Dragster class, and her third national event start in the Racer’s Evolved A/Fuel Dragster.

Meyer began her 2016 rookie season with a string of final round appearances, en route to her first win in Charlotte’s 4 Wide National event. She earned two coveted Wally trophies that day – one for the Best Appearing Crew award, leading up to her very emotional first TAD class win.

“This weekend we are hoping to lay down some fast numbers and keep up our momentum. After a few weeks back at home I’m very excited to be back at the track and to be racing at my home track this weekend. I’m thrilled that the new ownership of Heartland Park Topeka has taken on the duties of updating the track surface, equipment, landscaping, and tower, and they have greatly improved the facility.”

Meyer and her Racer’s Evolved A/Fuel Dragster will be featured in the Heartland Park Topeka trackside press event on Thursday morning at 11:30AM. Megan will also join other NHRA drivers Thursday evening at the local Kansas City T-Bones Professional AA Baseball game, signing autographs for fans at Community America Ballpark on Thursday from 5:30PM-6:45PM. Megan, along with Brittany Force from Top Fuel and Courtney Force from the Funny Car category, will all take the field before the opening pitch to share information about the NHRA Kansas Nationals event with the T-Bones baseball crowd.

Trinity Performance Wear Sponsorship

This weekend, Megan Meyer will also debut a new partnership with Trinity Performance Wear, LLC, a Shawnee, KS based fitness apparel company founded by 12 year-old Abby Flickner. Flickner is a two-time USAW Youth National Olympic-Style Weightlifting Champion, has attended development camps for elite youth weightlifters at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO; and holds several American youth weightlifting records to her name.

“I’m really excited to partner with Megan Meyer for her race day workouts,” said Trinity Performance Wear founder Abby Flickner. “To meet the physical demands of racing, it’s important for drivers to maintain their fitness. Megan shows a tremendous amount of sportsmanship by helping her competitors stay fit!”

Meyer and Trinity will be combining efforts to offer a unique new fitness program for racers. The workout program will feature a Sunday Morning Fit Camp Workout session for drivers and crew members at Heartland Park Topeka, with special give-aways for participants courtesy of Trinity Performance Wear. Racers interested in taking part in the Fit Camp activities can meet Megan and Abby beneath the grandstands on Sunday morning beginning at 6:20AM. The workout session will last from 6:30AM – 7:15AM.

“I’m grateful for the new partners we have with our team; Trinity Performance Wear is a perfect fit for me because I focus on the benefits of a healthy active lifestyle, and having Herbalife Nutrition and Herbalife24 on board brings together the perfect trio,” said Megan. “We will be having Sunday morning workout sessions at all of our races for all drivers and crews to get in a quick workout to feel refreshed and energized to take on the race day duties.”

Shea Holbrook is ready for Canadian Tire Motorsports Park

May 17, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Six-time event winner and Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car class competitor Shea Holbrook is ready for Canadian Tire Motorsports Park this weekend. Her Shea Racing team will compete in Rounds 3 and 4 of the Pirelli World Challenge Championships May 19-22 at the Durham, ON race facility.

The Shea Racing team has seen both success and defeat at the high-speed 10-turn road course. Both Shea Holbrook and teammate Jason Fichter have made podium appearances previously at the daunting track, and hope for repeat performances in the Touring Car class this weekend.

Cool Jobs in Sports – espnW feature

Holbrook was recently honored with a special feature in espnW Magazine’s “Cool Jobs in Sports” spotlight. Shea shared her career path in motorsports, including her start as a competitive water skier, and how a NASCAR ride-along changed her direction.

She also shared her experiences as a cross-over driver into the IHRA Drag Racing scene, and what driving a jet-powered dragster to her first win was like.

In addition to her responsibilities as Shea Racing team owner and driver, the University of Central Florida graduate also is an instructor for the SCCA Track Night in America program. The program is an easy and inexpensive way for nearly anyone who loves cars or motorsports to get on a racecourse in their own vehicle on a weeknight. As Track Night coordinator, Holbrook provides driving advice to participants, coaching them to improve their skill and performances.

Second round exit for Alexis DeJoria

May 17, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

The 36th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals resulted in a second round exit for Alexis DeJoria, driver of the Kalitta Motorsports Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car. The 4 time Funny Car winner started the 2016 season off slowly, before a chassis change turned their luck around with a Vegas win.

With strong and consistent performances since, the Patrón team entered Atlanta hoping to regain some ground in the NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car points standings. They qualified in the No. 4 position with a 3.949 second E.T at 318.69 mph.

We did pretty well in qualifying here in Atlanta at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals,” said Alexis on her qualifying position. “We made it down the track three times out of four and qualified fourth. We are headed into Sunday feeling pretty pumped and hopefully we can collect some more round wins tomorrow.”

This placed her against No. 13 qualified Dave Richards for the opening round of Eliminations on Sunday. Alexis would defeat Richards with a 3.950 second E.T. at 324.05 mph to his losing 4.355 second, 213.57 mph effort.

DeJoria advanced to Round 2, where she would have lane choice against Tommy Johnson, Jr. Unfortunately, her stellar 3.942 second, 322.11 mph performance would be all for naught, as DeJoria’s red light foul handed the win to Johnson, Jr. at the tree.

It was a really tough loss today in round two. We had a car to beat all weekend. Our Patrón Toyota Camry was very consistent getting down the race track. It was just one of those things today. I was up against Tommy [Johnson Jr.] at the last race and he cut a better light than me and we ran the same so I got beat on a holeshot. I just wasn’t going to let that happen today. Unfortunately I guessed a little too soon on the light and had a red light start and that was the end of our day. I’m very pleased with the progress we’ve made as a team. Our car is running very well and I cannot wait for Topeka.”

Alexis leaves Atlanta currently in the No. 9 position in NHRA Funny Car Mello Yello Points standings.

Semifinal finish in Atlanta for Force

May 17, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Semifinal finish for Courtney Force in Atlanta — Photo: Gary Nastase, JFR

NHRA Funny Car driver, Courtney Force, ended a six-round consecutive win streak with a semifinal finish in Atlanta at the 36th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals.

It was a great race day for our team. We didn’t go home with the win here in Atlanta but definitely made some really strong passes out here this weekend in the heat and in cooler conditions. Those kind of runs really excite this Traxxas team. We have a good car and we had some tough competitors today,” said Force.

Force, the 2012 rookie of the year, qualified in the No. 3 position for the second race in-a-row, entering eliminations with the Funny Car class points lead. This was the highest starting spot for the Traxxas Chevy Camaro team at Atlanta Dragway.

Force lined up beside her 32^nd different Funny Car opponent, Jeff Diehl, in the opening round. She posted a 3.915 ET at 327.74 mph. She took the win, but this unfortunately paired her against teammate Robert Hight in the second round. She advanced over Hight with a 3.950 ET at 327.35 mph to his tire-smoking 8.205 ET at 88.55 mph.

Semifinal finish in Atlanta for Courtney Force — Photo: Gary Nastase, JFR

Force matched up against Matt Hagan in the semifinals without lane choice. Her Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car smoked the tires and Hagan advanced.

Force is leaving Atlanta with the points lead for the second race in-a-row.

“We laid down some pretty solid numbers but then lost lane choice going into the semifinals. We hit a bump in the left lane and spun the tires against Hagan. We were a little worried about it but we tried to put the same set-up we had for qualifying,” said Force. “We are going to just have to try and figure that lane out next year. We are going to move on to the next race in Topeka. We are just excited we are going home with the points lead and we learned a lot this weekend. I am really proud of how this Traxxas Chevy went down the track every run except for one this weekend.”

The winningest female Funny Car driver was tied with veteran Tim Wilkerson for the lead in the Funny Car point standings coming into the weekend, but was able to take the lead via bonus points on Friday. Force picked up a total of seven bonus points throughout qualifying for being the quickest of Q1, third-quickest of Q2, and quickest of Q3.

The 27-year-old driver went to the final round at Atlanta Dragway in 2014 after qualifying No. 8. It was her ninth career final round in Funny Car.

Brittany Force celebrates 1 year with Monster

May 12, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Brittany Force unveils new Monster TF — From last year’s unveiling, Brittany Force celebrates 1 year with Monster this weekend

This weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, Brittany Force celebrates 1 year with Monster Energy backed Top Fuel Dragster. Since that announcement last year, Force has been on a meteoric rise through the Top Fuel ranks and comes into this weekend’s race as the Top Fuel points leader and the category’s only two-time winner in 2016.

I am so proud of this team. When we announced Monster Energy as the sponsor last year we just got such a big push of momentum and excitement. We finished in the Top Ten and we are as high as the top three in points last year. I have been lucky to have a great crew for my whole career,” said Force.

At the beginning of this season, Brittany’s Monster Energy team made another significant alliance – with the addition of Alan Johnson as Top Fuel consultant and the appointment of Brian Husen as crew chief. This change has proven to be a game-changer, as Force quickly moved to championship contender. A final round finish in Phoenix was followed by her first breakthrough win at the historic Gatornationals, the class points lead, and another victory in Charlotte. The momentum this season by the Monster Energy team has Force more motivated than ever.

The win in Gainesville was unbelievable. I have dreamed about getting that first win and when it happened I couldn’t believe it. My whole family was there which was great and we got the first John Force Racing double-up win since Robert (Hight) won in Funny Car right in front of me. It was just a perfect day,” added Force.

It may have taken the four year professional 75 Top Fuel starts to get her first win, but just two races later she was hoisting her second Wally as the winner of the tough NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. She was the first female nitro winner at zMAX Dragway and the first female to win the unique Four-Wide race in any category.

I think the Four-Wide win showed how strong this Monster Energy team is. I screwed up in the last qualifying session. Alan and Brian just told me to forget about that and concentrate on race day. That really helped and we had a great racecar. We had lane choice all day and I did my job. It was another great team win for this Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster. This is a long season so we are just focusing on each race as they come along,” said Force.

The 36^th annual Southern Nationals kicks off a marathon tour for the NHRA Mello Yello Series competitors. After Atlanta, they embark on a 5 race stretch in six weeks, and Brittany Force and the Monster Energy team will be looking to continue to go rounds and fine tune their racecar for the Countdown and the Traxxas Shootout.

We are locked into the Traxxas Nitro Shootout which is great and I am just looking forward to getting into the summer and racing a lot. I feel the most comfortable when I am racing every weekend. I will always have butterflies in my stomach on every run but you just stay more focused when you are racing all the time,” summed up Force.