HIGHT WINS ALL JFR FINAL TO CAP EMOTIONAL SEASON
-Castrol GTX's Ashley Force Finishes Rookie Season in Top 10-
Team Castrol/Auto Club driver Robert Hight ended the season in the same
position he started but with better results, winning the 43rd Auto Club
NHRA Finals. In February Hight crossed the centerline in the final round
at the Winternationals to hand Gary Scelzi a season opening win, today
Hight bested teammate Phil Burkart Jr. in an all John Force Racing final
round. This was the 27th time John Force Racing has doubled up in the
final round but only the second time John Force has not been a
participant.
"A lot of things have happened since February. To win this final race in
front of our sponsors was great. We're gonna have a new Ford engine
next year. We need to get John (Force) on the mend. We're gonna build
some different race cars. Right now I'm gonna take a page out of Eric
Medlen's book and go out and eat a little ice cream tonight and enjoy
this win," said Hight
Hight was in championship contention until the semi-final round when his
4.877 second pass was not enough to put him in position to set a national
record and capture his first POWERade Championship. Hight finished second
for the second year in a row leading the stable of John Force Racing Ford
Mustangs that placed three cars in the top ten.
Ironically Hight's win today would have secured the championship
under the pre-Countdown point structure.
"Had we won the championship, that wouldn't have made it a great
year," Hight said. "Winning the race didn't make it a great
year (because) earlier this year we lost our teammate (Eric Medlen, who
succumbed last March to injuries suffered in a testing accident at
Gainesville, Fla.).
"In fact, there's not much that would have made this a good year
because we'll never have Eric back. I miss him, miss him like you
can't believe. This winter's going to be really tough, 'cause
Eric and I worked a lot together in the winter."
Phil Burkart Jr., flying the Castrol GTX banner, fulfilled his role as
John Force Racing spoiler by defeating Ron Capps for the second race in a
row in the first round and then mowing down Jeff Arend and Tim Wilkerson.
The final round appearance capped a magical two weeks for the Funny Car
journeyman.
"You have to chalk this up as a total team effort. It is unbelievable
how these things come together. John (Force) has a great bunch of guys
assembled. I was fortunate enough to be able to get into the seat for a
couple of weeks and fill in. I can't thank him enough for this
opportunity to do that," said Burkart. "It is really neat to get
to know all these guys better. When you are out there and you are butting
heads with them and racing against them you want to think that they are
the worst bunch of guys in the world because they beat up on everybody,
but the truth is they are really about the best bunch of guys out
here."
Castrol GTX driver Ashley Force's day ended with a second round loss,
but she locked up a Top 10 finish when Arend fell to teammate Burkart.
Ms. Force, the former cheerleader and Top Alcohol Dragster pilot,
completed her rookie campaign driving the 8,000 horsepower Ford Mustang
to one final round appearance and four semi final appearances.
"I'm finishing in the Top Ten because of (crew chiefs) Ron
Douglas and Dean Antonelli. I helped out here and there. Mainly it was
them and my team. We were out for a while in 16th place because we missed
a race. The fact that we were able to get back in the top ten this
weekend was exciting," said Force.
The rookie of the year candidate is looking forward to taking the
positives from this season and moving forward.
"(This season) was so exciting. I really bonded with my team and that
was the best part about it. They were a great group of guys that I got to
work with. It was everything that you could imagine. It was so intense
and with so many ups and downs. It was everything you would expect Funny
Car racing to be."
14-time champion John Force missed his third race in a row following his
spectacular crash at the Texas Motorplex on September 23rd to end the
season but he held onto the 7th position in the POWERade Funny Car points
standings.
"We started the season with four drivers and then we had chaos with
Eric (Medlen) and then me so to end the season with four drivers is a big
deal. We brought in Phil Burkart and he drove like a champion. He did
everything I wanted him to do and he got along great with the entire
team. He helped get us the No. 2 spot for Robert (Hight) and he got the
Top Ten for Ashley. I am just so proud of everyone on this team. It was
fantastic how well we came together."
Force was most proud of the accomplishments of his young drivers as they
finished out the season.
"Ashley's season has been unbelievable. She is the leader for
Rookie of the Year. Getting her in the Top Ten means the most to me. To
be able to stand on the stage at the banquet with my son-in-law and my
daughter will be awesome. She used to ask me if she could come up on the
stage and I'd tell her no I have to go to work. Now no matter what
happens we will be able to share the stage at least one time."
Rookie to be Castrol GTX driver Mike Neff qualified for this second race
of his young career but will have to wait until 2008 for his first round
win.
***
TEAM CASTROL Details:
JOHN FORCE, 58, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang
Qualifying position and performance: Did not compete
Notable: Finished 7th in the POWERade points standings despite missing
last three events of season...His Team Castrol drivers captured three
positions in the Top 10.
Quotable: "We started the season with four drivers and then we had
chaos with Eric (Medlen) and then me so to end the season with four
drivers is a big deal. We brought in Phil Burkart and he drove like a
champion. I am just so proud of everyone on this team. It was fantastic
how well we came together."
ASHLEY FORCE, 24, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang
Qualifying position and performance: 5th at 4.802 seconds, 317.42 mph.
Race results: Beat Del Worsham. Lost to Tim Wilkerson
Notable: Finished in the Top 10 in her rookie campaign... favorite to
win the Auto Club Road to the Future Award recognizing the professional
rookie of the year.
Quotable: "At the end of the year we are all still here together and
we are actually smiling. I am glad we got through everything and we are
still together as a team. We are strong for next year.
ROBERT HIGHT, 38, Team Castrol/Auto Club of Southern California Ford
Mustang
Qualifying position and performance: 14th at 4.827 seconds, 316.45
Race results: Beat Gary Scelzi, Jerry Toliver, Mike Ashley, Phil Burkart
Notable: Finished 2nd in Funny Car POWERade points standing for the
second season in a row... third win of the season... reached the fifth
final round of the season.
Quotable: "You look at this Funny Car field and every week anyone
could win. We started the season getting to the finals at the
Winternationals and I lost to Scelzi. I want to win this race and finish
the season on a high note. It will give us something to look forward to
for next season."
MIKE NEFF, 40, Castrol GTX Ford Mustang
Qualifying position and
performance: 10th at 4.819 seconds, 322.27
Race results: Lost to Mike Ashley.
Notable: Qualified for both races he entered after earning his funny car
license in Las Vegas earlier this year.
PHIL BURKART JR., 39, Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang
Qualifying position and performance: 9th at 4.813 seconds, 318.77
Race results: Beat Ron Capps, Jeff Arend, Tim Wilkerson. Lost to Robert
Hight.
Notable: Filling in for John Force he twice defeated Countdown to One
participant Ron Capps in the first round (Vegas2 and Pomona2)...reached
the final round for the ninth time in his career.
Quotable: "This is just a dream come true. It is a
blessing."
-credit: jfr
