A clear and sunny day with temperatures barely reaching 80 degrees allowed John Force Racing’s four teams to improve on their performances in the final two qualifying sessions in preparation for the first round of the inaugural NHRA Nationals at The Rock at Rockingham Dragway.
Alexis DeJoria and the Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car team rebounded nicely from Friday’s first two qualifying attempts, setting low elapsed time in both of Saturday’s. The Bandero Café tripped the lights in the first session with a run of 3.892 seconds at 334.82 mph and followed it up with a final run of 3.924 seconds at 331.86 mph. The No. 2 qualifier will face No. 15 qualifier John Smith (4.205 seconds at 251.68 mph) in round one.
“This Bandero Cafe Chevy SS nitro Funny Car team made Saturday ours,” said DeJoria. “I knew we could do it. Neff, Jonnie, all our guys have what it takes. We watched our teammate, Jack Beckman, go down the track the pair in front of us and we backed him up with our run. We earned six bonus points today, we’re the No. 2 qualifier going in tomorrow and we don’t have to race Jordan first round, so that’s another plus. I’m gonna sleep a lot better tonight.”
Jack Beckman and the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet SS Funny Car team ran identical 3.911-second passes in Friday’s qualifying sessions, which qualified the team in the No. 4 spot. They pushed a bit too hard in Saturday’s first qualifying session but rallied with a 3.926-second run at 327.51 mph in the final session. Beckman will face No. 13 qualifier Daniel Wilkerson (3.982 seconds at 325.85 mph) in round one.
Josh Hart and the Speedmaster Top Fuel team clicked off a rock solid 3.744-second run at 334.32 mph in the first qualifying session Saturday to move into the No. 5 position and overpowered the track in the fourth and final session. Hart will face No. 12 qualifier Will Smith (3.786 seconds at 330.40 mph) in round one.
Jordan Vandergriff and the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car team struggled in the first three qualifying sessions so, in Saturday’s final session, the Funny Car rookie kept his foot on the accelerator pedal despite the car making significant moves left and right as it approached the finish line. The move paid off with a run of 3. 970 seconds at 276.07 mph, earning the No. 11 qualifying position. Vandergriff will face No. 6 qualifier Chad Green (3.920 seconds at 327.27 mph) in round one.
“It was an eventful qualifying session for the Cornwell Quality Tools Chevy team,” Vandergriff said. “I think I held it a little long on that Q4 run because I knew we needed to make a full pass but it got to a point where I had to come out of it because it got too sideways. Maybe it was my fault, maybe it was the track. Whatever the case, it was still a 3.97 with an early shut off so we’re feeling really good about tomorrow.”
Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 27. Television coverage on Sunday, Sept. 27 includes qualifying on FS1 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. ET before eliminations action at from 3-6 p.m. ET on FS1.
