John Force and the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS team head to the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway to attempt to extend to 35 the number of seasons the 16-time championship team has won at least one NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series tour event.
Force has history on his side at Sonoma Raceway. His eight wins at Sonoma are the most by anyone in any pro category. He took home the Wally in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2007, and 2016 and has been the Funny Car runner-up on six other occasions. There was a streak of seven years that Force found himself in the final round (1990-1996).
“Coming to the end of the Western Swing up in Northern California. Looking forward to getting back in my PEAK Chevy. We’re doing good. We have some work to do, but we’ve had some good runs, just need to get it together on race day,” Force said. “Another Bruton Smith track, they’ve done some work on the facility, maintaining it, keeping it beautiful. I love racing here, I guess who doesn’t? I’ve done well in the past, so hopefully, that’s a sign for this weekend. Looking for a win for PEAK, Chevy, Cornwell Tools, NK Seeds, and all our sponsors.”
Force has qualified No. 1 eight times (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2011), and whenever he’s done so, he never has failed to reach the semifinals, winning from No. 1 in 1994 and 2002. Last year, after a No. 15 start, he took his PEAK Coolant and Antifreeze Chevy Camaro SS all the way to the final round before finishing runner-up. Force enters the Sonoma Nationals coming off a No. 1 qualifying position at the Flav-R-Pac Northwest Nationals marking the 166th of his career and now the 32nd season of his career from which he started race day in the top spot.
The DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway starts with qualifying Friday at 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. and Saturday at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Eliminations will begin Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with two qualifying shows Saturday at 12:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will be on FOX Broadcasting Network Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET.
