CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA NATIONALS
SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT MOTORSPORTS PARK IN NORWALK, OHIO
RACE RECAP
JUNE 27, 2021
Chevrolet drivers make strong statements at Norwalk
• Erica Enders denies Greg Anderson from tying Pro Stock record
• Brittany Force sets track record, finishes runner-up in Top Fuel
NORWALK, Ohio (June 27, 2021) – For the second consecutive National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock final featuring a pair of Chevrolet Camaros, Greg Anderson was denied a milestone victory.
Reigning class champion Erica Enders, driving the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Camaro SS, defeated Anderson’s HendrickCars.com Camaro SS on a holeshot at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. Eliminations were delayed by rain twice for a total of nearly four hours.
Anderson, aiming to tie Warren Johnson’s 97 career Pro Stock wins for most in the category and second all time to John Force’s 153 and counting, was also runner-up in the last NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series event.
Brittany Force was equally disappointed by a holeshot loss in the Top Fuel final. Force, the No. 2 qualifier in the Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster, reset the track Top Fuel elapsed time record of 3.696 seconds in the semifinals and ran 3.730 seconds in the final match with points leader Steve Torrence. Despite a tick slower pass, his .058-of-a-second reaction time edged Force’s .078 to take the win.
“Very frustrating to get beat in the final the way we did,” said Force, runner-up for the second time this season. “A holeshot loss is not easy, but I’m going to use that to step up at the next one.”
John Force Racing’s three-race Funny Car winning streak ended abruptly. John Force’s elimination round win streak ended at five in the second round of eliminations. Force, who qualified fourth in the PEAK/BlueDEF PLATINUM Chevrolet Camaro SS, lost in a close race to top qualifier Bob Tasca III in a matchup of the Nos. 1 and 2 drivers in the standings.
Robert Hight, the No. 2 qualifier in the AAA Ohio Chevrolet Camaro SS, also fell in the second round to eventual event winner Cruz Pedregon.
Anderson will have to wait until the July 23-25 event at Sonoma Raceway to try again for win No. 97. Pro Stock is not on the schedule of the next event ‑- the Dodge/SRT Mile-High Nationals Presented by Pennzoil on July 16-18 at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado.
“I’ve never quit in my life and I never will. I’m going to get this deal done,” said Anderson, who added to his points lead. “I’ve been a little snakebit the last few races.”
Anderson, who claimed his sixth top qualifier honor in the seven races and 112th of his career, recorded a 6.594-second pass with a .030 reaction time to Enders’ 6.606 and .005. Enders, earning her second victory of the season and 31st of her career, won in Norwalk for the first time in seven years.
“It’s huge mojo,” said Enders, who is one of the 2021 ESPY Award nominees for Best Driver. “We’ve had a little bit of luck not go our way, losing by just a couple thousandths here and there. But my team always steps up to the plate.”
Don Belles of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, was runner-up in his Chevrolet COPO Camaro in Stock Eliminator. David Barton, winner of the previous the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown race and the No. 1 qualifier at Norwalk, and Scott Libersher advanced to the semifinals in their COPO Camaros.
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL:
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC/MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (No. 2 qualifier, runner-up): “Very frustrating to get beat in the final the way we did. A holeshot loss is not easy, but I’m going to use that to step up at the next one in Denver. Incredible job to my Flav-R-Pac, Monster Energy team. Consistent runs down the track all weekend long and a track-record 3.969 in the semis. Today’s laps weren’t easy, with tough competitors and changing track conditions we really had to work for it. Runner-up finish isn’t bad and we will be ready for the next one.”
FUNNY CAR:
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK/BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 4 qualifier, fell in second round): “It wasn’t a bad weekend. We had a good car, a really good car and that was a clean run. It did what it was supposed to. Danny Hood, Tim Fabrisi, they have a handle on this PEAK BlueDEF Chevrolet. We qualified well, went some rounds, all of us, Robert with AAA, me with PEAK and Brittany over there with Flav-R-Pac getting to the finals. That was good. The rain was tough but the fans waited. It was great. It’s always good here with the Bader family.”
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AAA NEW ENGLAND CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 2 qualifier, fell in second round): “Not the result we wanted obviously. Wanted to take this AAA Chevy to another win. We qualified well but we’ve got a lot to do to get us where we want to be. We’ll get there and we’ll be fine. Now is the time to be putting in the work, so I’m not worried.”
PRO STOCK:
ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (race winner): “It’s huge mojo. We’ve had a little bit of luck not go our way, losing by just a couple thousandths here and there. But my team always steps up to the plate. After the semifinals, we knew we had to tune her up and we came back and made a whole bunch of changes. I’m really proud of (crew chief) Mark Ingersoll; he’s really dug deep and fought this race car. I could not be more excited for this team. It’s a win at the closest racetrack to Melling Performance. We’re going to Jackson, Michigan, tomorrow to celebrate with all those great employees and their 75th anniversary.”
GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier, race runner-up; points leader): “I’m so proud of the team and the job everybody does. I’m even proud of the way I drove today; I did not drive bad. She (Erica Enders) got a killer light in the final. She’s a great driver and she came up with what she needed. There’s nothing you can do. Just a great drag race. I’ll move on to the next race and I still feel like I’ve got a great chance to tie that record and who knows set that record. My future still looks bright.”
