John Force Racing made team history during NHRA’s 47th annual Amalie Gatornationals, winning their first Top Fuel national event and also winning both Top Fuel and Funny Car as Brittany Force and Robert Hight were victorious.

For Hight’s Auto Club Chevrolet team the Funny Car class win was the culmination of three races worth of effort and an off-season spent focusing on the little details.

(The FC final saw Robert Hight out duel Ron Capps to the finish line)

“We had a great race car the first two races so we actually felt we let a couple slip by that we actually could have won. So to come in here to get it done, and to get it done with Brittany and us leaving here with the points lead it doesn’t get any better. It’s been a lot of hard work and it’s finally paying off,” said Hight.

Facing Ron Capps for the fourth time in a final round Hight knew he was going to have to be prepared for anything. As both Funny Cars launched they charged down the track but it was Capps who drove into trouble first and had his Funny Car briefly cross the centerline as Hight had to pedal his Auto Club Chevy for the win. It was Hight’s only run of the day slower than 3.9 seconds getting the win with a 4.429 second pass.

“When you race Ron Capps, he’s been doing this a long time and I think he’s No. 2 in Funny Car wins, he’s one of the best out here. When you go against him and win in a pedal contest, it’s pretty rewarding. As a driver, its fun to win those every once in a while. You want to go out there and win low ET, but when you can win it pedaling it — especially against Ron Capps — it’s pretty awesome,” said Hight in the Gainesville Raceway pressroom.

The first round was impressive for Hight taking out Terry Haddock 3.973 seconds to 4.206 seconds. In the second round Hight had to race Matt Hagan in a tough match-up but Hight’s Mike Neff tuned-up Funny Car was up for the challenge getting the win 3.969 to 4.192. The closest race for the now 37-time winner was the semi-final against Chad Head. Hight once again ran 3.969 seconds just in front of Head’s impressive 4.030 second pass.

Hight joins Kenny Bernstein, Gordie Bonin and Ron Capps as a three-time Gatornationals winner. This was Hight’s third win in five years at the historic track and his second with crew chief Mike Neff who also has a win at the Gatornationals as a driver. This win also extends Hight’s streak of winning at least one Funny Car national event every year of his professional career which started in 2005.

(Robert Hight is now a 3X Gatornationals champion)

“The first five or six years I came here I don’t think I won a round. It’s funny; sometimes you just have a racetrack that you do well at and this is one of them now. I’m very fortunate to be driving for (crew chief) Mike Neff, and this is my second win at Gainesville with Mike Neff. This is a major race. When you look at the majors in golf, this is a major. To win a major here, the East Coast kickoff, is pretty rewarding.”

Event Essentials:   Amalie Gatornationals  (March 17-20th, 2016) 

(Jack Beckman qualifed #1 and set a new NHRA national ET record at Gainesville)

Posted by: Elon Werner

Photos by:  Gary Nastase