CHEVROLET IN NHRA
2023 BETWAY NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS
zMAX DRAGWAY
CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA
TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE
SEPTEMBER 22-24, 2023
CHEVROLET TEAMS CONTINUE COUNTDOWN CHASE AT ZMAX DRAGWAY NEAR CHARLOTTE
DETROIT (September 21, 2023) – Racing into the second 2023 NHRA Countdown to the Championship event, the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway near Charlotte, Chevrolet drivers and teams of Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock look to the wrap the weekend in the winner’s circle as the Bowtie brand marches toward a 28th Manufacturers Cup.
Aaron Stanfield enters the event having his sights set on defending last year’s Pro Stock win while coming off of his FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown victory in Reading this past weekend. Additionally in the Pro Stock pits, Erica Enders looks to capture a back-to-back No. 1 qualifier at Charlotte after her 2022 qualifying run of 6.510 ET at 212.46 MPH. Seeking the winner’s circle at the end of the weekend, Enders additionally stands to achieve the major milestone of becoming the winningest woman in NHRA history near Charlotte.
On the nitro side of the NHRA pits, John Force Racing team owner and Funny Car pilot John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS, also enters the weekend defending a No. 1 qualifier from 2022’s event. Setting the field at the top of the leaderboard last year with a qualifying run of 3.854 ET at 330.47 MPH,
With eyes set on Charlotte, Force said of this weekend’s race, “We’re in the Countdown now. One race down. This weekend will be important. We all know it and we’re ready. It will be exciting. Exciting for the racers, teams, and sponsors but exciting for the fans who get to see it all happen, too.”
Coming off a back-to-back victory most recently this week at Maple Grove Raceway, Force’s teammate Robert Hight, driver of the Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, leads the Countdown to the Championship and looks to Charlotte to continue preservation of the points lead.
“We’re on a good roll right now. But we have to stay humble,” said Hight. “Last weekend was great, but it could have easily gone another way. This Cornwell Tools Chevrolet team has to keep working hard. This is the toughest Funny Car has ever been and it’s going to take major, major work to win this championship. I said it before, but I think we’ll need three or four wins to win the championship. We have one down, and I’d give us an A+ for last weekend, but we’ve got five to go and we have to put last weekend behind us to get ready for Charlotte.”
With an impressive 335.65 MPH run at 3.668 ET last year, Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster at John Force Racing, qualified No. 2 at zMAX Dragway. Also still seeking her first win of the season, it could be the momentum swing needed at a critical time with just five races left in the Countdown to the Championship.
“This Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy Chevrolet team is looking forward to getting to Charlotte,” said B. Force. “We’ve been making progress and I know we’re all eager to keep it going. Having these three races back-to-back to start the Countdown allows you to build momentum and that’s exactly what we’re looking to do. We’ve had success at zMAX, a couple wins and setting the track record earlier this year, we’re hoping to add to that.”
Currently idle, the FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown COPO Camaro competitors return to the track at World Wide Technology Raceway for the upcoming NHRA Midwest Nationals Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2023.
The 2023 betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C. kicks off Friday with qualifying, airing Saturday, Sept. 23 at 9:30 a.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Saturday’s qualifying broadcasts Sunday, Sept. 24 at 11 a.m. ET on FS1, with Eliminations following at 2 p.m. ET on FS1. Coverage streams live throughout the weekend via NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:
Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:
“This Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy Chevrolet team is looking forward to getting to Charlotte. We’ve been making progress and I know we’re all eager to keep it going. Having these three races back-to-back to start the Countdown allows you to build momentum and that’s exactly what we’re looking to do. We’ve had success at zMAX, a couple wins and setting the track record earlier this year, we’re hoping to add to that. Nothing has changed in our game plan, we need to qualify well, get some of those small bonus points and then go rounds on Sunday. A lot can change with one good weekend. Excited to see what this Flav-R-Pac team can do.”
Austin Prock, driver of the Rocky Mountain Twist / Montana Brands Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:
“We’re ready to start our rebound this weekend at zMAX Dragway. I believe this Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team has all the tools we need to succeed, we just need to put them to work. I’m hoping we put on just as good of a show as we did in the spring. Can’t wait to get started.”
John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS for John Force Racing:
“I love coming to Charlotte, zMAX Dragway, the Bellagio of drag strips. It’s Bruton Smith’s legacy. Now his son, Marcus, is carrying it over. It’s something else getting to race there. We’re in the Countdown now. One race down. This weekend will be important. We all know it and we’re ready. It will be exciting. Exciting for the racers, teams, and sponsors but exciting for the fans who get to see it all happen, too.”
Camrie Caruso, driver of the Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro Pro Stock car for KB Titan Racing:
“I felt really good going into race day in Reading and I have a race car that can go rounds. This class is crazy competitive, but this Tequila Comisario Camaro make some great runs on Sunday and I think we can step it up in Charlotte. I love racing at zMax Dragway and I know we’ll have a ton of support in the stands. The all-star callout win was big for our team and KB Titan Racing. Going into the semifinals it was me and three Elite Motorsports Pro Stock cars. I knew I needed to step up for KB Titan Racing and was really glad to get that win. There is a great rivalry between these two teams and we want to do our part to keep turning on win lights for KB Titan Racing.”
“I was bummed we didn’t get that second-round win in Reading. I was out in front most of the race and then I just started drifting to the centerline and when that happens you have to lift. At over 200-mph you have to check your ego sometimes and live to race another day. We will be ready for Charlotte and I can’t wait to get on the track on Friday night.”
TEAM CHEVY BY THE NUMBERS:
1,437: Round wins for John Force (1st all-time).
617: Round wins for Robert Hight; 13th all-time. Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), sits 12th, with 624.
377: Number of wins in Pro Stock since 1970; 258 won in the Chevrolet Camaro body.
166: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for John Force (1st all-time).
158: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins since 1967.
81: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Robert Hight (6th all-time).
78: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins with the Camaro body.
46: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Brittany Force.
27: Number of NHRA championships Chevrolet holds as a manufacturer since entering the first in 1966. No other manufacturer has won it more than Chevrolet.
24: Wins by John Force in a Chevrolet-bodied Funny Car.
18: Number of Pro Stock championships.
20: Chevrolet career Top Fuel wins in NHRA.
16: Number of Chevrolet career wins by Brittany Force.
7: Number of Funny Car driver championships.
2: Number of Top Fuel driver championships.
UPCOMING NHRA MILESTONES:
950: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) is second all-time with 925 elimination round wins. He could reach 950 round wins with a decent run in the 18-race schedule.
624: Robert Hight achieved 617 Funny Car elimination wins in Chicago to rank 13th on the all-time NHRA list; Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car) sits 12th with 624.
449: By qualifying for his next race, Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) will extend his NHRA record from 448 to 449 consecutive race day appearances. His first appearance came in 2002 at Pomona 2, and he holds the longest career qualifying streak in NHRA.
138: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) ranks third on the NHRA all-time list with 122 No. 1 qualifiers. He will tie Warren Johnson (Pro Stock, 138) for second to John Force (Funny Car, 166) on the list.
274: By qualifying for his next race, Robert Hight will extend his NHRA record to 274 consecutive race day appearances. His first appearance came in 2010 at Pomona 2, and he currently sits seventh in career qualifying streaks in NHRA (Doug Kalitta is sixth at 283).
65: Robert Hight moved into the top-10 in 10th on the all-time NHRA victory list with his win in Reading with 64. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock, retired) is next ninth on list with 65.
47: Erica Enders has 46 career NHRA victories (45 Pro Stock, one Super Gas; all with Chevrolet). Her first win in Pro Stock came at Chicago, 2012, and her last win at Topeka, 2023 in Pro Stock. Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Alcohol Dragster) and Enders are tied as the all-time NHRA female leader with 46.
18: Brittany Force (16 Top Fuel career wins) will move past Shirley Muldowney (18 wins) into third on the NHRA all-time victory list for females. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, 46) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, 46) are ahead.
6: Erica Enders (Pro Stock) could tie Warren Johnson (6 Pro Stock championships) for second on the class list. The same holds for Greg Anderson. Bob Glidden is the leader with 10. Enders currently holds five Pro Stock championships, the most of any female in NHRA.
3: Brittany Force (Top Fuel, two championships) would tie Shirley Muldowney (Top Fuel) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) for second on the NHRA all-time championship list by females with another title in 2023. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, five) is the leader.
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