CHEVROLET IN NHRA
2023 MENARDS NHRA NATIONALS PRESENTED BY PETARMOR
HEARTLAND MOTORSPORTS PARK
TOPEKA, KANSAS
TEAM CHEVY EVENT RECAP
AUGUST 11-13, 2023
ERICA ENDERS COLLECTS FINAL NHRA PRO STOCK WALLY FROM HEARTLAND MOTORSPORTS PARK
- In a classic battle expected as these two five-time World Champions roll up to line in eliminations, Erica Enders defeated Greg Anderson in Pro Stock, her second Wally of the season and 45th of her career
- Brittany Force advanced to her first Top Fuel final round of the season in the final race at Heartland Motorsports Park just outside Topeka, Kansas
- Robert Hight drove his Cornwall Tools /AAA Camaro SS Funny Car to his third of the season and 80th career No. 1 qualifying position
- Dallas Glenn squeaked by the boss Greg Anderson to capture the No. 1 qualifier spot in Pro Stock, his second of the season and followed up with a win over Enders in the Mission #2 Fast 2 Tasty NHRA Challenge at Topeka
TOPEKA, Kansas (August 13, 2023) – After a more than five hour delay due to Mother Nature being uncooperative, eliminations began to close out the final NHRA event to be held at Heartland Motorsports Park, Topeka, Kansas.
Defending and five-time NHRA Pro Stock champion drove her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Camaro to her second victory of the season and 45th of her career by defeating Greg Anderson in his HendrickCars.com Camaro.
“Today was just a great day,” Enders said. “Coming in, we felt like we struggled – yeah, we were No. 4 qualifier, but my car wasn’t running as great as some of my teammates, and we certainly weren’t running as good as the other guys. We knew we had our work cut out for us today. Looked up the ladder first thing this morning and it was stout. It was pretty cool that I had to battle everybody from a different team this time except for Aaron.
Her path to collecting the Wally after two additional short weather delays included defeating Chris McGaha, Aaron Stanfield and Dallas Glenn before facing Anderson in the final.
In Top Fuel, Team Chevy raced to the Final round, with Brittany Force, driver of the Flav-R-Pac/ Monster Energy Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster. Her runner-up finish kept her third in points following her loss to Justin Ashley. She eliminated Shawn Langdon, Steve Torrence and Clay Millican on her way to the final round.
Austin Prock driver of the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster, was eliminated in Round Two.
An early Round 1 end for John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, followed by a Round Two exit for Robert Hight, driver of the Cornwall Tool/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car.
NHRA next heads to Brainerd International Raceway for the 2023 Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn. Aug. 17-20, 2023. Broadcast of Sunday’s eliminations will air live at 4 p.m. ET on FOX Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Brittany Force, driver of the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:
“Leaving Topeka, not with the win but definitely on a high note. This Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team turned things around this weekend, qualified eighth but made it to the finals. It was a close drag race until the win, unfortunately, we had a cylinder out and we got beat but we stay three in points,” Force said. “It was a really strong day not just for the team but me as a driver. That holeshot win was huge in the second round. There’s no better feeling than a driver winning on a holeshot. To get that done for the boys was exciting and we kept pushing. Still had a great light in the final and it was a close race. Our confidence is boosted and we’re ready to go to Brainerd.”
Austin Prock, driver of the Montana Brands/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:
“This Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team struggled this weekend. We did make some improvement on our hot tune up and we got a round win but we came up short in the second round,” Prock said. “We’re still digesting the run and trying to learn from it, learn from the whole weekend really. Chin up and on to the next one though, luckily we don’t have to wait long.”
Robert Hight, driver of the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car for John Force Racing:
“Not a bad weekend for this Cornwell Tools Chevy. We made some improvements; this combination is starting to respond to what Jimmy Prock is doing. Disappointed we could go a couple more rounds, especially with this probably being the last event at Heartland Motorsports Park,” Hight said. “It’s not too late to get back into the top of the points. We did decent here and if we do good in Brainerd with Indy having points and a half, we could be right in the thick of things and that’s going to continue to be our mindset.”
John Force, driver of the PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car for John Force Racing:
“Not the way we wanted to say goodbye to this place if it really is the last time we race at Heartland Motorsports Park,” Force said. “There’s a lot of history here, I have a lot of history here. Was hoping we’d get another double-up this weekend. Would have been something special to do it again with Brittany. We’ll just have to pull it together, this PEAK Chevy team, we’ll be ready for the next one. We’ve got work to do but that’s nothing new.”
Erica Enders, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Camaro:
“Today was just a great day. Coming in, we felt like we struggled – yeah, we were No. 4 qualifier, but my car wasn’t running as great as some of my teammates, and we certainly weren’t running as good as the other guys. We knew we had our work cut out for us today. Looked up the ladder first thing this morning and it was stout. It was pretty cool that I had to battle everybody from a different team this time except for Aaron.
“I’m fortunate to have such a great team that when everybody was eliminated everybody was all-hands on deck for the quick turnaround. Like always, when my guys’ backs are against the wall, they perform the best. You give Mark Ingersoll a couple opportunities, and he’ll get better. That’s exactly what we did today. We improved on every round. I’m just really grateful he’s in my corner and I’m glad to have the guys I have that have my back.”
Round 1 Recap:
Top Fuel:
· No. 8 Brittany Force defeated No. 9 Shawn Langdon with her run of 3.787 ET at 321. MPH to Langdon’s 3.853 ET at 314.53 MPH.
· No. 14 Austin Prock defeated No. 3 Doug Kalitta after Kalitta lost an engine just past half-way; Prock ran a 4.260 ET at 291.82 MPH after starting to lose traction but able to pedal to save it
Funny Car:
· No. 1 Robert Hight defeated No. 16 Jack Wyatt after Wyatt was off the throttle early and Hight went on to run a 3.967 at 322.19 MPH.
· No. 5 John Force fell to No. 12 Alexi Dejoria after J. Force was off the line first, but tires went up in smoke allowing Dejoria to drive around him for the win running 4.029 ET at 306.19 MPH to J Force’s 4.867 ET at 159.66 MPH.
Pro Stock:
· No. 8 Camrie Caruso defeated No. 9 Bo Butner III with her run of 6.700 ET at 205.911 MPH to Cuadra’s 6.709 ET at 205.69 MPH.
· No. 10 Troy Coughlin defeated No. 7 Kyle Koretsky after Koretsky red lit on the starting line.
· No. 6 Deric Kramer defeated No. 11 Jerry Tucker with his run of 6.665 ET at 204.94 MPH to Tucker’s 4.297 ET at 163.00 MPH. Kramer led from tree in solid drag race
· No. 5 Aaron Stanfield defeated No. 12 Christian Cuadra with his run of 6.652 ET at 206.39 MPH to Cuadra’s 6.687 at 204.08 MPH. Stanfield was first off the line and didn’t look back
· No. 2 Greg Anderson defeated No. 15 David Cuadra on his run of 6.649 ET at 205.57 MPH to Cuadra’s 6.723 ET at 205.26 MPH as Anderson lays down lowest ET of round
· No. 3 Matt Hartford defeated No. 14 Fernando Cuadra, Jr with his run of 6.672 ET at 206.07 MPH to Cuadra’s 6.738 ET at 205.32
· No. 1 Dallas Glenn defeated No. 16 Fernando Cuadra with his run of 6.649 ET at 205.38 MPH to Cuadra 6.737 ET at 204.45 MPH, shaking the tires early on his run.
· No. 4 Erica Enders defeated No.13 Chris McGaha with her run of 6.660 at 205.91 MPH to MaGaha’s 6.709 ET at 205.63 MPH.
Round 2 Recap:
Top Fuel:
· B. Force defeated Steve Torrence with her hoeshot run of 3.781 ET at 321.04 MPH, to Torrence’s 3.766 ET at 327.82 MPH.
· Prock falls to Antron Brown who ran 3.811ET 326.56 MPH against Prock’s 4.008 ET at 244.12 MPH.
Funny Car:
· Hight wins over Lee after his 3.956 ET at 318.09 MPH to Lee’s 4.244 ET at 236.26 MPH
Pro Stock:
· Kramer defeated Hartford with his run of 6.654 ET at 205.07 MPH to Hartford’s 15.373 ET at 55.41 MPH after Hartford redlit
· Enders defeated Stanfield with a run of 6.655 ET at 206.16 MPH to Stanfield’s 6.655 ET at 206.83 MPH.
· Glenn defeated Caruso with his run of 6.650 ET at 205.22 to Caruso’s 6.650 ET at 205.72 MPH. with a holeshot
· Anderson defeated Coughlin, Jr with his run of 6.640 ET at 206.01 MPH to Coughlin’s 6.647 ET at 206.48 MPH.
Semifinals Recap:
Top Fuel:
· B. Force beats Clay Millican with her run of 3.717 ET at 329.91 MPH to Millican’s 3.762 ET at 326.00 MPH.
Funny Car:
· Hight goes down to Bob Tasca III who ran 3.933 ET at 305.63 MPH to Hight’s 3.969 at 320.58 MPH
Pro Stock:
· Enders defeated Glenn with her run of 6.637 ET at 206.54 MPH to Stanfield’s 6.629 ET at 204.94 MPH.
· Anderson defeated Kramer with his run of 6.613 ET 204.57 MPH to Kramer’s run of 6.630 ET lap at 205.76 MPH.
Finals:
Top Fuel:
· B Force defeated by Justin Ashley in a close drag race. Asley ran 3.702 ET at 323.58 MPH to Force’s 3.707 ET at 322.88 MPH
Pro Stock:
· Enders defeated Anderson with her run of 6.617 ET at 206.13 MPH as Anderson’s car headed toward the centerline so he pulled the chute to get control of hs car
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