ASHLEY FORCE'S FINAL ROUND APPEARANCE SALVAGES TOUGH DAY
Ashley Force drove her Castrol GTX Ford Mustang into the record books by
becoming the first female Funny Car driver to reach a final round, all
but cementing her status as the 2007 winner of the Auto Club of Southern
California Road to the Future Award that identifies the NHRA
Rookie-of-the-Year. Force reached the milestone in just the 20th start
of her career.
"I know a lot of people talk about me being a gal and reaching these
milestones but I would not have made it to the final round without the
eight guys on my crew and the hard work of (co-crew chiefs) Dean
Antonelli and Ron Douglas. We want to win races for our sponsors and our
teams. Today was tough because Robert (Hight, brother-in-law and
Countdown to One contender), got knocked out early but we all pulled
together behind our Castrol GTX Ford Mustang," said Force.
Ashley's performance was the lone bright spot in a tough day for John
Force Racing's championship hopes as Team Castrol driver Hight joined
Ron Capps and Gary Scelzi on the losing side of first round match-ups
while points leader and former JFR team member Tony Pedregon cruised to
an almost insurmountable points lead as the race winner.
"It's real tough. We got ourselves in this position. We are not
ever going to give up until it is absolutely over," said and
obviously disappointed Hight, "We'll go to Pomona and see what
kind of conditions we have. We are going to test here tomorrow. We'll
just do the best we can. We are off a little right now and that is what
put us in this position."
At the end of the day, Castrol team owner John Force was philosophical
yet full of optimism when he addressed his four teams. Hight is 99 points
behind Pedregon and his first championship.
"We need a miracle but I love the Hail Mary," said Force, the
former high school football stand-out who is on the sidelines because of
injuries suffered in a Sept. 23rd crash at the Texas Motorplex outside
Dallas, Texas.
Filling in for 14-time champion, Phil Burkart Jr. performed admirable in
his first start in the Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford by taking out Capps
in the first round. His day ended in a second round loss to Tony's
brother, Cruz.
"We dropped a cylinder early, it shook and I started to pedal it
(but) I just didn't catch it fast enough. I was trying to get it back
under control. I went to grab for the brake and the car was moving around
pretty good. I couldn't get the brake to help me," said Burkart.
"It was a career weekend no matter what," Burkart said. "It
was instrumental in the first round, if nothing else, to take out Ron
Capps. That part alone was huge. That is the type of round win I came
here for. I'm just happy John (Force) put the faith in me and
(co-crew chiefs) Austin (Coil) and Bernie (Fedderly) that I was that kind
of driver who could come in and go rounds."
Team Castrol 2008 rookie-to-be Mike Neff qualified his Castrol GTX Ford
Mustang well but fell to Jeff Arend in the first round in his first NHRA
national event. Even though the first elimination round of his career
included a spectacular engine explosion, Neff had a handle on how the
round got away from him.
"It looks like I let it get to the inside and it started spinning
just a little and then it went boom. The first problem was me getting it
get a little inside out of the groove and it started spinning the
tires," Neff, "I think we had a great weekend. John (Medlen) is
doing a great job with the car. I was doing an OK job until today of
getting it down the track. All in all I think we are way ahead of the
game from where we would have ever expected coming into this."
"I felt pretty good. I wasn't nervous. It was exciting. (It was)
definitely the most thrilling experience since I have been drag racing.
This weekend has been so fun. I couldn't be any more excited,"
added Neff.
***
TEAM CASTROL Details:
JOHN FORCE, 58, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang
Qualifying position and performance: Did not compete
Notable: Four John Force Racing Ford Mustangs qualified for the first
time since Gainesville event in March
Quotable: "We need a miracle but I love the Hail Mary."
ASHLEY FORCE, 24, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang
Qualifying position and performance: 13th at 4.819 seconds, 315.78 mph.
Race results: Beat Gary Densham, Del Worsham, Jim Head, Tony Pedregon
Notable: Made history as the first female to reach a final round in the
Funny Car class... Moved up to 11th place in points, nine points out of
the Top 10.
Quotable: "I can't complain about this day. After the year
we've been through to be able to make it to my first final was
exciting. I'm sorry we didn't win, but we'll be out there
again next week."
ROBERT HIGHT, 38, Team Castrol/Auto Club of Southern California Ford
Mustang
Qualifying position and performance: 1st at 4.763 seconds, 322.58
Race results: Lost to Jim Head,
Notable: Remained in 3rd place in the
Countdown to One 79/99 points from 1st place
Quotable: "We do not want to finish 3rd or 4th. I don't want to
change my number. If I can't win the championship I want to get to
No. 2. We are going to throw everything at them."
MIKE NEFF, 40, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang
Qualifying position and performance: 7th at 4.784 seconds, 326.40
Race results: Lost to Jeff Arend,
Notable: Qualified in his first career start.
Quotable: "It was pulling pretty hard and then it just let go. This
is the most fun I have ever had drag racing. I am looking forward to
Pomona."
PHIL BURKART JR., 39, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang
Qualifying position and performance: 11th at 4.809 seconds, 318.77
Race results: Beat Ron Capps. Lost to Cruz Pedregon.
Notable: Filling in for injured team owner John Force...eliminated
Countdown to One contender Ron Capps in first round.
Quotable: "It was a career weekend no matter what. It was
instrumental in the first round, if nothing else to take out Ron Capps.
That is the type of round win I came here for. I'm just happy John
(Force) put the faith in me and Austin and Bernie that I was that kind of
driver who could come in and do well."
-credit: jfr
