![\"(Robert](\"https:\/\/nitrofccanada.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/NFFC-Finals-Hight1.jpg\")
<\/a>(Robert Hight claimed drag racing’s NHRA FC World Championship for 2017)<\/p><\/div>\n
The right adjustments were made, and Hight sped to a first-round win over Tim Wilkerson that eliminated John Force Racing teammate Courtney Force from title contention. Then, Del Worsham knocked off second-place Ron Capps, and Hight had the second championship of his career \u2013 this one coming eight years after his first.<\/p>\n
\u201cDel Worsham came over to me before first round and said, \u2018I don’t think I can outrun him, but I\u2019m not going to give it to him. I\u2019m going to make sure my car goes down the track,\u2019\u201d Hight said. \u201cDel Worsham did the right thing by making it go down the track. It\u2019s pretty cool; it\u2019s been 10 years since Chevrolet has won a championship in Funny Car, and we\u2019re back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hight came into the final race of the 2017 season leading by 20 points over Capps, but struggles in qualifying dropped that to eight before race day. Hight and his team struggled to get down the track in qualifying, and Hight had to pedal his Chevrolet Camaro SS in the final session to get in the 16-car field at No. 15.<\/p>\n
But Prock and Cunningham tuned Hight to an incredible pass of 3.839 seconds at 332.51 mph in the first round Sunday, and qualifying was forgotten. Hight made another stellar run in the second and third rounds, beating Courtney Force in the semifinals to reach his seventh final of the season.<\/p>\n After getting the win light, though, the engine in Hight\u2019s Auto Club car exploded, and the Camaro darted from left from the right lane.<\/p>\n Force, fortunately, had slowed from tire smoke and wasn\u2019t close to Hight as he bounced off the wall in the left lane. The concussion from the explosion knocked the parachute handle out of Hight\u2019s reach, but he was busy trying to control the car and slow it down.<\/p>\n Eventually, it reached the gravel pit past top end and ran into the nets. Hight was unhurt, but the car was too damaged to continue. The team brought out a backup chassis and a third body; the first, sporting a special California Highway Patrol paint scheme, was damaged in Q4.<\/p>\n The third body was built for Brittany Force\u2019s Funny Car, and the JFR team had to swap decals for the final round.<\/p>\n There, Hight went up in smoke against Tommy Johnson Jr. and couldn\u2019t get the race win, but the championship trophy was his.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n