John Force's Record in Danger At Las Vegas Motor Speedway - Newsweek

With the NHRA season nearing its conclusion, Las Vegas Motor Speedway might see a change in the record books. John Force's longstanding record could be under threat as Brittany Force and her teammate Austin Prock lead strong performances.

At the 24th annual Ford Performance NHRA Nationals, the spotlight fell on Brittany Force as she secured the top position in the Top Fuel category. This event is the 19th stop in the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, and is also part of the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, serving as the fifth of six races in this series.

John Force, a legend in the NHRA drag racing community, made his much-anticipated return to the racetrack after his crash earlier this year, bringing a wave of enthusiasm and optimism. His presence seemed to bring good fortune to his daughter Brittany and her teammate Austin Prock.

Brittany Force stunned with a remarkable run, clocking in at 3.675 seconds at 336.74 mph in her Chevrolet Accessories dragster. This performance not only put her at the top of the Top Fuel qualifiers but also marked the fifth time in the season and the 51st time in her career that she claimed the No. 1 qualifier spot.

"Coming into this weekend, we knew it was going to be special, because my dad had planned to come out, and I think everyone was really looking forward to seeing him, especially me," Brittany Force said. "I'm so excited for him. I think it's great for him. This is just the best medicine for him. We're always excited to come back to Las Vegas where we've had so much success in the past. We're really looking to close out the season strong and get into the winner's circle for our sponsors."

Brittany's achievement was mirrored in the Funny Car division by Prock, who also clinched the No. 1 spot with a run of 3.843 seconds at 333.33 mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS. His performance places him in a promising position to potentially break John Force's single-season record for No. 1 spots.

Reflecting on John Force's return, Prock said the following:

"That was a great way to welcome him back. All three John Force Racing cars made tremendous runs and it was a good way to say, 'Welcome back, boss.' It's just nice to have John back at the racetrack for the first time since Richmond.

"I'm glad that he's back. I wanted to cry when I saw him this morning. That first run was really stout, obviously low of the session. We've got two more shots at it tomorrow, and conditions are going to be probably better. I don't believe that 3.84 will hold. I think we're going to have to improve on that."

As a drag racing icon, John Force boasts a storied career with 16 NHRA Funny Car championships and 157 career victories. His daughter Brittany, along with sisters Ashley and Courtney who have had their own racing successes, continues to carry forward the Force family's legacy in NHRA drag racing.

This weekend, Greg Anderson put in a strong performance in the Pro Stock category, capturing the No. 1 qualifying spot with a 6.597-second run at 207.02 mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Anderson finds himself trailing 90 points behind his teammate Dallas Glenn.

"Without a doubt, I need to win this race. That's all I can do at this point. Even if I do win the last two races that might not be enough to get [the championship] done. Our plan is to set the ladder up so it's favorable but there is no happy spot on a Pro Stock ladder," Anderson said.

Matt Smith led the Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying with a run of 6.822 seconds at 198.70 mph, significantly narrowing the points gap with leader Gaige Herrera.

"Our mindset this weekend is to just have no bad luck because we've had a lot of it lately. In Reading, I had a bad fuel pump and then in St. Louis we lost a crank trigger and in Dallas the bike wouldn't shift. Those are three races we should have won and that would have been 60 points. We should be leading right now so I'm not asking for good luck. I just don't want any more bad luck."