CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
DENSO NHRA SONOMA NATIONALS
SONOMA RACEWAY IN SONOMA, CALIFORNIA
JULY 24, 2022
Team Chevy drinks in success in Sonoma wine country
• Brittany Force wins fourth race of season, retakes top spot in Top Fuel points
• Points leader Erica Enders earns sixth Pro Stock victory of the season
• John Force reaches Funny Car final round for 263rd time in his career
• No. 1 qualifier Robert Hight increases points lead in Funny Car standings
SONOMA, Calif. (July 24, 2022) — It was day of firsts for Chevrolet female drivers and an impressive day overall for Team Chevy in wine country.
Brittany Force moved to the top of the Top Fuel standings with her first career victory at Sonoma Raceway and fourth win of the season in the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster.
Erica Enders also earned her first Pro Stock victory in 18 years competing at the track and her sixth win of the season in the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS.
Force, the No. 5 qualifier, reset her track Top Fuel speed record three times in eliminations – with a best of 337.75 mph to break the 335.15 mark set in July 2019. She defeated Mike Salinas, who was the points leader, in the final for her 15th career win.
“Incredible race day for this Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy team. Coming into races, you go off of how you have done in the past and we’ve always struggled with the Western Swing. Sonoma has always been one I’ve wanted to win. It’s almost a home track for me. I’ve watched my dad as a kid with my sisters, raced Super Comp and A-Fuel, celebrated all the other John Force Racing team wins, to be able to pull this win is huge,” Force said.
Enders, the Pro Stock points leader, won on a holeshot in the final to deny Greg Anderson of a milestone victory.
“Anytime you can have one of these awesome Wallys in your hands is a good day,” said Enders, who claimed her 39th career Pro Stock win. “I had never won here at Sonoma Raceway so this one means a whole bunch to me.”
Anderson, driving the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, is seeking his 100th career Pro Stock win. Only John Force (155) has triple-digit wins in the pro categories.
Force, the No. 15 qualifier advanced to his second Funny Car final this season in the PEAK/BlueDEF Platinum Chevrolet Camaro SS and 263rd of his career before falling to Bob Tasca III.
Robert Hight increased his Funny Car points lead to 144 over Matt Hagan with a semifinal appearance in the Automobile Club of Southern California Camaro SS. Hight, who had won the past three Funny Car races at Sonoma Raceway, was the No. 1 qualifier for the 74th time in his career.
Austin Prock, the No. 12 qualifier in the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster, bettered his qualifying elapsed time in the first round of eliminations but was paired with Force.
Anderson bested KB Racing teammate Kyle Koretsky in the Lucas Oil Camaro SS, while No. 1 qualifier Enders defeated Elite Motorsports teammate Aaron Stanfield in the Janac Brothers Camaro SS in the semifinals.
The third and final round of the Western Swing is July 29-31 in Kent, Washington, with the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways. FOX will telecast eliminations at 4 p.m. ET July 31. Aaron Stanfield defeated Greg Anderson in the Pro Stock final, while Brittany Force was the No. 1 Top Fuel qualifier in 2021.
An interview with Top Fuel winner BRITTANY FORCE, driver of the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster:
YOU’VE WATCHED YOUR DAD WIN HERE AND TO NOW WIN HERE HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT?
“I’ve always wanted to win here since I was a kid. This is a big win. We finally pulled it off.”
YOU HAD A DOMINANT CAR TODAY. TALK ABOUT YOUR DAY.
“To be able to come out on race day and step it up is incredible. The best we ran all weekend is here today. It’s David Grubnic, Mac Savage and all the Flav-R-Pac team to be able step it up and prove it on race day.”
YOU PUT UP RIDICULOUS SPEEDS UP THERE TODAY.
“To be able to leave our mark here with a win and then hit those speeds, we’re excited to do that.”
THIS IS A SPECIAL ONE THAT YOU NEVER COULD QUITE GET UNTIL TODAY.
“It is. This is wine country, Sonoma, and I love it here. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid running Super Comp, A Fuel, (sister) Courtney won here in Sonoma and brought home that win goblet. We got the job done.”
DO YOU FEEL BAD ABOUT BEATING MIKE SALINAS IN HIS HOME RACE?
“I never feel bad about getting in the winner’s circle.”
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DAY YOUR TEAM HAD.
“Big thank you to all my guys. One of the really cool things was after first round and we got the win over Austin Prock, he was in my pit helping me pack my chutes. It just shows you the kind of support that John Force Racing has. Everybody is involved. We’re all one team.”
IT’S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS SINCE WE’VE BEEN TO SEATTLE AND YOU’RE GOING IN THERE ON A HOT STREAK.
“We are. It feels good to come off a win and go into Flav-R-Pac’s home track and a race that they’re the title sponsor.”
An interview with Pro Stock winner ERICA ENDERS, driver of the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS:
YOU WON ON A HOLESHOT. HOW DOES THAT CHANGE HOW YOU’RE GOING TO CELEBRATE IT?
“No different. Anytime you can have one of these awesome Wallys in your hands is a good day. Our guys really rallied; we had to change a bunch of stuff in the pit. I was throwing my helmet on, GA (Greg Anderson) was waiting for me. It was kind of one of those rush finals. We were like 150 feet short of the finish line and my engine let go; that’s why we were only 196 mph. Thank God we got it done for Melling Performance. I had never won here in Sonoma in 18 years of Pro Rock racing, so this one means a whole bunch to me. We were talking about that win goblet all weekend.”
TALK ABOUT YOUR DAY.
“Today was excellent. For 18 years victory evaded us somehow, someway. Every year at the beginning of the year m family and I sit down and we set our goals for the year. Sonoma, Indy and the world championship always seem to make an appearance on that list. So, this means a lot to me. I’m really excited. My Melling Performance team is great and my car is just running on mean.”
YOU CAME OUT WITH A MISSION THIS YEAR. EVEN YOU MUST BE SURPRISED BY YOUR SUCCESS?
“It’s definitely a pinch-me season for sure. The fashion in which we lost last year was definitely interesting. It gave my guys and myself the motivation to go back and just come out better and stronger. That’s what we’ve done so far this year. We just have to make it last. Those final six races in the Countdown are the ones that matter. What a dream season. What an excellent start. I couldn’t be more proud.”
WHAT ABOUT THE RIVALRY YOU AND GREG ANDERSON HAVE?
“It’s been an honor to race alongside him. To be the best you have to beat the best and he’s been a thorn in our side my entire career. But those guys are awesome. They work hard and they have a tremendous work ethic. For my guys to go out there and beat them it means a lot to us. The rivalry continues and I know he loves it as much as we do.”
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL:
AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER: “It was a tough match up against our teammate Brittany today, but happy she got the job done for JFR. We made a competitive pass, even on seven cylinders. Myself and the this Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist team are confident that we can drop the door Friday and be competitive in Seattle next weekend. We made progress and feel like our car is capable of being a contender again. We would love to keep our reigning champ status in Seattle after next weekend.”
FUNNY CAR:
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK/BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “It was a good day for this PEAK Chevy. Yeah, would have been better to get the win but we figured some things out from qualifying. Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi had my hot rod running well, we were getting after it today. We’re in a good place, we’ll pick up and just get it after it again in Seattle in a couple days. Flav-R-Pac race, looking forward to putting on a show for everyone, Brittany going in there with a win, hopefully do it again.”
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “We had the car to beat all weekend. This Auto Club Chevy, we’re pushing it and these guys are working hard to be perfect every run. Just couldn’t get the job done today. Still in the points lead, gained some good points and we’ll just pick up and try it all over again in Seattle next week.”
PRO STOCK:
CAMRIE CARUSO, CARUSO FAMILY RACING, TEQUILA COMISARIO CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “Dallas (Glenn) is definitely not an easy first-round pick. If we would have been a little higher in qualifying, we would have had a more favorable first round match-up possibly. We have learned a lot so far on the Western Swing. We are going to go into Seattle looking to finish the swing strong. My guys have the experience we need to keep being successful. I am not worried about that. I like being in the car a lot. This schedule is hard and people are not kidding when they say the Western Swing will test you.”
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