BAYTOWN, Texas – John Force Racing made a statement this weekend during the 32nd annual Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals presented by Pennzoil.
The team claimed both nitro category victories on Sunday at Houston Raceway powered by Pennzoil, with Brittany Force winning in Top Fuel and Robert Hight winning in Funny Car.
Force entered race day qualified No. 1 with hopes to repeat her win at Houston from a year ago. On her way to victory, she took out Top Fuel racers Cameron Ferre, Doug Kalitta, Clay Millican and finally three-time world champion Antron Brown in the final.
Force turned a pass of 3.749 seconds at 302.14 mph in her Advance Auto Parts dragster.
“All of John Force Racing was on a mission this morning,” Force said. “My dad and I were No. 1, the first time father and daughter have ever qualified No. 1 at an event. That’s something very special my dad and I will share. We were looking for a win but to be able to do it with Robert Hight by my side in that Auto Club car, that’s pretty awesome.”
Meanwhile, in the Funny Car ranks, Hight picked up his third victory of the season in his AAA Texas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car and his third career win at Houston.
Hight defeated Jonnie Lindberg, defending Funny Car champ J.R. Todd, team owner and No. 1 qualifier John Force and finally Matt Hagan in the final with a lap of 3.941 at 310.84.
“I’m proud of [my team] and I never disbelieved in them,” Hight said. “That’s why we have three wins already this season, because they’re so good. Down at the other end, they said, ‘How do you keep your team in check?’ Really, it’s the other way around. They keep me in check. I’ve never seen a more focused group of individuals. They keep their heads down, work hard, don’t do a lot of talking and we got the job done.
“Brittany and I, this is the third time we’ve got to double-up. We seem to do really well together in these circumstances,” Hight added. “It was really cool to be down there when she made the [turn off] and throw a bunch of Mello Yello on her car.”
Houston marks the third JFR team double-up win in the nitro categories, all earned by Force and Hight.
The pair’s first win came in 2016 in Gainesville and the second in 2017 in Dallas, the year they both went on to win championships in their respective categories.