CHEVROLET AT INDIANAPOLIS
What: Dodge/SRT NHRA U.S. Nationals
When: Friday, Sept. 3-Sunday, Sept. 5
Where: Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, Brownsburg, Indiana
TV: FOX will telecast eliminations live at 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 5
Team Chevy seeks to close out regular season with a bang
Chevrolet drivers in six categories aim to add to U.S. Nationals success
DETROIT (Sept. 2, 2021) – To many competitors and spectators alike, the U.S. Nationals is not only the final race before National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) playoffs.
Count four-time Pro Stock champion and current points leader Greg Anderson and 16-time Funny Car champion John Force, who has five victories in “The Big Go” at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, among the lot. The prestige and sense of accomplishment from standing in Victory Circle for the U.S. Nationals last long after the season’s final race.
“I can honestly say that when you drive through the gate in the morning it’s a different feeling,” said Anderson, who has held a U.S. Nationals Wally six times. “It’s a special place and there’s way more to it. It’s more important than all the other races. Some people don’t buy into that but I do, and I think that’s why I’ve had success there.”
Added Force: “You want to win Indy; that’s what it’s all about.”
Chevrolet competitors in professional classes of Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will be joined by drivers of the Chevrolet COPO Camaro in the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown, Super Stock and Stock Eliminator this weekend.
Countdown to the Championship seedings are on the line for Chevrolet drivers.
Brittany Force will aim to record her sixth consecutive Top Fuel No. 1 qualifier and her second victory of the season in the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster. Force, who is second in the standings, would reach 200 career round wins with a victory (196-167 elimination round record). Tony Schumacher in 2005 is the last Top Fuel racer to earn six top qualifier honors in a row.
“We are finally heading into the U.S. Nationals and the final race before the NHRA Countdown begins,” said Force, who claimed the No. 1 qualifier and track elapsed time record of 3.645 seconds in 2019. “This Monster Energy/ Flav-R-Pac team is second in points and in a great spot. Our goal going into the Countdown was a top three position and we hit our expectation.”
Teammate and team owner John Force, driving the PEAK/BlueDEF Platinum Camaro SS, is only 16 points out of first place in the Funny Car standings. He would reach 2,000 Funny Car career elimination rounds (a first in NHRA’s 70-year history) if he advances to the semifinals. His record stands at 1,376-621.
Robert Hight, a three-time winner of the event, is sixth in the Funny Car standings in the Automobile Club of Southern California Camaro SS. Hight and Force remained at Brainerd International to test last week.
“Honestly, I think we found some consistency,” Hight said. “As far as confidence leaving Brainerd, all of our teams were pretty stoked. You don’t want to look back on a career and say I never won Indy. I’ve been fortunate to win it a few times.”
Competition in Pro Stock is equally as tight, with five different drivers of the Chevrolet Camaro SS having won at least once through 10 races. KB Racing’s Anderson, driver of the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, is the points leader as he seeks to tie Warren Johnson’s class record of 97 wins.
Reigning and four-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders, driver of the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Camaro SS, won the Pro Stock race at the 2020 U.S. Nationals.
Aaron Stanfield, driver of the Janac Brothers Camaro SS, has a field-high three wins and is second in the standings in his first full season in the class. His father, Greg, won the Pro Stock title at the U.S. Nationals in 2010.
The younger Stanfield, who drove the Janac Brothers COPO Camaro to victory in the 2020 Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown event at the U.S. Nationals on the way to the series championship, returns to the competition this weekend. A COPO Camaro driver has won four of the five Factory Stock Showdown races this season.
FOX will telecast eliminations live at 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 5.
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL:
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (seven-time No. 1 qualifier in 12 races; winner at Topeka; track ET record-holder; second in points): “The Indianapolis U.S. Nationals, The Big Go, is our biggest race of the season. It’s a prestigious race and one I’m still looking to win. Our plan is to take it all home and win at one of the most nostalgic tracks on our circuit.”
FUNNY CAR:
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK ANTIFREEZE AND COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (three-time winner this season; five-time winner in U.S. Nationals; fourth in points): “You want to win Indy; that’s what it’s all about.”
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time winner and two-time runner-up; three-time winner in U.S. Nationals; sixth in points): ““You don’t want to look back a career and say you never won Indy. I’ve been fortunate enough to say I’ve won it a couple times and I’m looking forward to winning it a couple more. There are full fields at this event. That Friday night run is going to be important; you can’t go and throw-down and if it doesn’t work expect you’ll get in the show on Saturday like a lot have done the rest of this season. We’re going to go out, make our run, get in the show and use Saturday to try and get as much data and build consistency for Sunday.”
PRO STOCK:
GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time winner; No. 1 qualifier in eight of 10 races; six-time winner in U.S. Nationals; points leader): “This is the one I always look to. There’s more points involved, there’s more money involved, so I guess I like that extra pressure and that extra meaning to it. To me, there’s no place like that place for Victory Circle. All those wins I’ve had there have been absolutely some of the most special I’ve had. I’ve had a lot of wins there, but it’s been too long since the last one.”
AARON STANFIELD, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JANAC BROTHERS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (three-time winner this season; second in points; first Pro Stock appearance at track): “We’ve really run good the past several races. I’m very grateful for the opportunities and grateful for the success we’ve had. I’m in the best equipment I can have and it’s up to me to show up and do my job. From an engine building standpoint, it’s definitely not just another race. Things get a lot busier this time of year getting ready for the Big Go. To me, this is the Holy Grail of drag racing. This is the one you’ve got to win.”
DALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CAMARO SS (first-year full-time driver; two-time winner): “I’ve dreamt my whole life about racing at the U.S. Nationals and getting to do it in my rookie year of Pro Stock is really cool. Our RAD Torque/KB Racing Chevrolet Camaro has already had such a crazy year so far and I don’t see why we can’t keep that trend going to finish out the season.”
KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (first-year full-time driver; runner-up at Topeka; first Pro Stock appearance at track): “I’m hungry for my first win. It’s what everyone comes out here to do. I’m hungry to get that first one for my family. A Koretsky winning it is incredibly huge for me and it’s been my main goal from when I started. I’m confident in my driving, I’m confident in the team. There’s not reason why we can’t win. I feel like we have a winning car every weekend. As long as I do my job, I’ve got a shot to win. Runner-up is nice and I’m grateful, but if you’re not first you’re last.”
TROY COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS MAIL ORDER CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (runner-up in season opener; transferred to final quad at Charlotte; semifinalist at Sonoma; first Pro Stock appearance at track): “This is the final race before the playoffs so we’re looking to continue the momentum we’ve gained and make a great run at the championship. If I can get off the pedal when I’m supposed to then I know we can contend because Mark Ingersoll (crew chief), Kelly Murphy, Steven Hurley, Eric Luzinski, and Kyle Bates always give me a great race car. They are so efficient and professional, it’s exciting to be around them.”
About Chevrolet
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