It was a historic winners circle at Heartland Motorsports Park for the Menards NHRA Nationals. For the first time in their careers Brittany Force, in her Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster, and her father, John Force, in his PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, won in their respective categories.

It is the fourth time John Force Racing has had a Funny Car / Top Fuel double-up. Brittany first did it with Hight in Dallas 2017 and again in Houston 2019 before John Force and Austin Prock won together for John’s 150th in Seattle 2019. John and daughter Ashley Force-Hood, who married his now crew chief Danny Hood, doubled up at the Auto Club Finals in Pomona when she raced Top Alcohol in 2004.

John Force and the PEAK Camaro kept up their consistency from qualifying with a first round win over Paul Lee. Force would go 3.975-seconds at 326.08 mph to better Lee’s 4.163 at 267.16. The win would set him up for a second-round match-up with teammate and president of John Force Racing, Robert Hight. The 16-time champion would handle his PEAK Chevy to a 3.959-second pass at 324.56 mph to better Hight’s 4.007 at 312.86.

In the semifinals, Force was matched with long-time rival Cruz Pedregon. Force would extend his winning record against Pedregon to 76-36 when he powered the PEAK Camaro to a 4.005-second run at 321.35 mph. Pedregon would go 4.063 at 303.91. The win gave Force lane choice over J.R. Todd in the finals. It would be Force’s fourth final round of the year and 260th of his career.

Lining up with 2018 Funny Car World Champion J.R. Todd in the final, Force would maneuver the PEAK Chevy to a 4.019-second pass at 321.04 mph that better’s Todd’s 4.453 at 199.29 after he smokes the tires mid-track.

This is Force’s 10th win at Heartland Park Topeka, 154th of his career and third this season. The last time Force won at this facility it was 2008 and his first victory after his devastating crash in Dallas 2007.

The victory gave Force the points lead for the first time since October, 5, 2014, 135 races ago. Force has now led the points in 22 different seasons.

Event Essentials: Menards NHRA Nationals  (Aug 13-15th 2021) 

Posted by Sara Slaughter
Photos courtesy of NHRA