B. FORCE, PEDREGON AND GLENN RACE TO PROVISIONAL NO. 1 SPOTS AT NHRA FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS
LAS VEGAS (April 14, 2023) – Defending Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force continued to roll at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, powering to the provisional No. 1 qualifier position on Friday at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.
Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the fourth of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
Force went 3.697-seconds at 335.73 mph in her 11,000-horsepower Monster Energy dragster as she looks to pick up her second top spot this season and 44th in her career. A year ago, Force won in dominant fashion at both races at Las Vegas, qualifying No. 1 at the fall race and second at the four-wide race in the spring. It’s been a track where Force has made record runs as well, and now she looks to win for the fourth time in Vegas.
“When I crossed the finish line, it felt like a killer run and it’s very exciting to do that,” Force said. “Our performance (last season) here was great. We’ve been very successful here and made some killer runs at this track. That’s been huge for us and coming into this event, you feel like you already have that behind you to carry into the weekend.
“It feels good to get back on track and the great thing is we get two more runs tomorrow before going into raceday on Sunday. It’s chaotic up there in a four-wide race, so you’ve got to clear your mind and just stay focused.”
Steve Torrence, who was the quickest in the opening session, is second after his 3.712 at 330.23 and Leah Pruett’s 3.747 at 322.50 has her third heading into Saturday.
Pedregon is in line for his second straight No. 1 qualifier in his 11,000-horsepower Snap-On Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat after his run of 3.910 at 326.71. It would also be the 64th career No. 1 spot for the two-time world champion if it holds. Next on the list for the veteran is turning strong qualifying performances into race wins.
Pedregon has just one round win through the first three races, but he feels good about what his team can accomplish this weekend.
“The track was really good and for us, it’s been trying to back the car down,” Pedregon said. “It’s really just a matter of backing it down a little bit and trying to go down the track and race smart. We’re looking for that consistency and I’m just trying to drive it straighter. We’re starting to see flashes like we had in Pomona and we’re grateful for performances like this. If we can wrangle some more low 3.90s tomorrow and keep our car hooked up, we’ll feel good about Sunday.”
Alexis DeJoria continued her strong start to the year, making a pair of 3.933 runs with a speed of 329.18. Points leader Matt Hagan jumped to third in Friday’s second qualifier, going 3.936 at 327.82.
Following his victory in Pomona and taking the points lead for the first time in his young career, Pro Stock’s Dallas Glenn continued to impress on Friday in Las Vegas, making the quickest run in each qualifying session, including a class-best 6.629 at 206.07 in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro.
If that holds, Glenn would pick up his first No. 1 qualifier this season and the third in his career and the former NHRA Rookie of the Year appears to be on a great path. He’s enjoyed previous success in Las Vegas, winning the fall race in 2021, and advanced to the final quad at the four-wide race a year ago.
“Matt (Hartford) and I had the best two cars in Pomona, and I think it just carried right on over,” Glenn said. “This track just kind of agrees with me, from the starting line to my driving style, and the way the car is set up. I didn’t expect to see that good of a run in Q2, because we made a really nice run in Q1, and the air was worse. Hopefully, that means there’s even a little more left in it because I think tomorrow morning is going to be the good run.
“I know I change my style a little bit for four-wide. I almost rush myself a little bit in staging because I do kind of take a long time to stage. For four-wide, I try to make sure I don’t dilly-dally around. Four-wide racing is a great time; it changes it up a little bit.”
Hartford is currently second with his 6.635 at 205.66, while Gainesville winner Troy Coughlin Jr. is right behind after he went 6.636 at 207.11.
Qualifying continues at 11:30 a.m. PT on Saturday at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
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LAS VEGAS — Friday’s results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 23rd annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, fourth of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.
Tony Chapparone from California USA 1991 - Category: COMPDRAG, Type: PN, Class: B/ED, Div: 7 "Chapparone" Owned by Tony Chapparone from California USA '89 Dragster by Ed Weddle | Powered by a 347 cubic inch Buick with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.250 at Unknown | 1/4 Mile MPH: 184.19 at Unknown 1/8 Mile ET: […]
Harold Thompson from Waterford, Michigan USA (Comp Number: 2011) 1991 - Category: ALKYALT, Type: GN, Class: AA/A, Div: 3 "Red Baron" Owned by Harold Thompson from Waterford, Michigan USA 23 Ford Model T Altered by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Keith Black Hemi with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 […]
Gary Phillips from Belgian Gardens, Queensland Australia 1991 - Category: ALKYALT, Type: GA, Class: AA/A, Div: 8 "Gary Phillips" Owned by Gary Phillips from Belgian Gardens, Queensland Australia 23 Ford Model T Altered by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 518 cubic inch Keith Black Hemi with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile […]
Bo McDaniel from Morgantown, West Virginia USA 1991 - Category: ALKYALT, Type: GN, Class: Supercharged Outlaws, Div: 3 "Trouble" Owned by Bo McDaniel from Morgantown, West Virginia USA 23 Ford Model T Altered by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Pontiac with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.800 […]
John McCarthy from Gustine, California USA (Comp Number: 7554) 1991 - Category: ALKYALT, Type: GN, Class: AA/A, Div: 7 "Hair Trigger" Owned by John McCarthy from Gustine, California USA 23 Ford Model T Altered by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 440 cubic inch Chevrolet with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: […]
Coy Martin from Sacramento, California USA (Comp Number: 7721) 1991 - Category: ALKYALT, Type: GN, Class: Super Eliminator, Div: 7 "Coy Martin" Owned by Coy Martin from Sacramento, California USA 23 Ford Model T Altered by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 489 cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 8.030 […]
Garth Hill from Mount Morris, Michigan USA (Comp Number: 3138) 1991 - Category: GASALT, Type: GN, Class: AA/AT, Div: 3 "Hill & Williams" Owned by Garth Hill & Williams from Mount Morris, Michigan USA 23 Ford Model T Altered by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 257 cubic inch Buick with 3 speed […]
Neville Gray from Australia 1991 - Category: ALKYALT, Type: GA, Class: CC/A, Div: 8 "Silver Streak" Owned by Neville Gray from Australia 23 Ford Model T Altered by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.920 at Unknown | 1/4 Mile MPH: 172.74 at […]
Tom Easton from Bendigo, Victoria Australia (Comp Number: 685) 1991 - Category: ALKYALT, Type: GA, Class: BB/A, Div: 8 "VDO Eliminator" Owned by Tom Easton from Bendigo, Victoria Australia 23 Ford Model T Altered by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 481 cubic inch Rodeck Chevrolet with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile […]
Pat Walsh from Upper Darby, Pennsylvania USA (Comp Number: 109) 1991 - Category: FUELFC, Type: FN, Class: AA/FC, Div: 1 "Raybestos Clutches" Owned by Nick Boninfante from Yeadon, Pennsylvania USA '88 Pontiac Trans Am by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 498 cubic inch Keith Black Hemi with 2 speed manual transmission 1/4 […]