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Created: 07 August 2021

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Kalitta Racing has enjoyed a remarkable run of success at Heartland Motorsports Park, dating back to the late Scott Kalitta's six Topeka wins.

J.R. Todd continued that dominance Saturday, wrapping up the No. 1 qualifying spot in Funny Car for Sunday's elminations in the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor.

"It's definitely Scott Kalitta country, so hopefully we can work some of that magic in his car tomorrow,'' Todd said. "I feel like Scott doesn't get enough credit for everything he did. They dominated this place back in the '90s. He was one of my heroes as a kid and I'm pretty lucky to be driving his hot rod now.

"Looking at the track history from year's past, pretty much all the (Kalitta) cars have won here or really been successful, so hopefully I can add my name to that list. That would be pretty cool.''

J.R. Todd (right) drove his DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car to the No. 1 qualifying spot in the Menards NHRA Nationals. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Todd, a former Funny Car world champ, earned his second No. 1 of the season with his Friday night run of 3.884 seconds at 332.67 miles per hour in his DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car and will receive a bye in the first round of Sunday's eliminations (11 a.m.).

“You want to get every point you can, but the bigger picture is coming out of here with a trophy tomorrow,” Todd said after his qualifying effort. “We were the No. 1 qualifier and that’s nice and all, but it doesn’t mean a whole lot if you don’t finish the deal. Hats off to this team for digging deep and putting us on the pole and giving us those added points going into tomorrow.

"We’re going to have to work for it if we want it, and we definitely want it. We want to be in the hunt and I think we’ll be right there.”

Alexis DeJoria remained in the second position on the strength of her 3.894 from Friday, while Bob Tasca III also had his run from Friday hold up. He qualified third with a run of 3.905 at 328.86.

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Created: 07 August 2021

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

After being parked the bulk of the 2020 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series due to COVID-19, former Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force has returned with a very solid '21 campaign.

On Sunday at Heartland Motorsports Park Force will be looking to take the next step and parlay Saturday's No. 1 qualifying effort, her fourth straight, into her first victory of the year in the Menards NHRA Nationals at Heartland Motorsports Park. 

"We've come close a few times,'' Force said. "We have a number of No. 1 qualifiers (six on the season), but the ultimate goal is wins and championships so we're hoping to do it here this weekend at Topeka and I'm just really proud of this Montster Energy team. We've put a lot of hard work in so we're looking to get to that next step and into the winner's circle.''

"I've never won here. Courtney (Force) won here and I've had two No. 1 qualifiers, not a win though, so we're looking to do it this year.''

Top Fuel star Brittany Force took over the No. 1 qualifying spot for Sunday's eliminations in the Menards NHRA Nationals in Saturday's final qualifying session. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

Force was sitting in the No. 2 spot after the first two rounds of Top Fuel qualifying behind Billy Torrence and moved into the No. 1 spot in the final round of qualifying when she clicked off a run of 3.716 seconds at 329.02 miles per hour.

Force will face veteran Scott Palmer in the first round of Sunday's eliminations (11 a.m.)

Billy Torrence ended up No. 2 in qualifying while Mike Salinas, Steve Torrence and Justin Ashley rounded out the top five.

Brittany Force, the No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel, signs autographs for fans Saturday at Heartland Motorsports Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Force is happy with the way her Monster Energy car has performed all season and is now looking to use the next couple of races to get ready for the Countdown to the Championship.

"I think we're off to a great start right now,'' Force said. "We're currently sitting three in points, which is a great spot to be. Our plan going into the Countdown was we wanted to be top three and right now that's where we're at.

"We still want to move up, we're looking for our first win of the season, but overall, especially after taking a step back last year, we came back stronger than ever. We've had a few mishaps here and there which is the reason we didn't advance to the next round and we're making sure we clean up those mishaps, those mistakes before getting into the Countdown when it really matters -- every point, every point, everything matters. We're definitely inching our way closer.''

Force said she making sure to savor every moment this season after being forced to live without drag racing in '20.

"It made realize just how much I love my job,'' Force said. "I knew I already loved it, but taking a year away from it made me realize how much I missed it, how much I wanted to be back with my team, at a dragstrip, doing what I love.''

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Created: 07 August 2021

Four-time champion Greg Anderson is a win away from tying Warren Johnson for the most national event wins in NHRA Pro Stock history. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

You don't have to remind 60-year-old NHRA Pro Stock legend Greg Anderson how old he is or that many of his racing contemporaries stepped out of the driver's seat long ago.

But the bottom line is that Anderson, one win away from trying the record for the most Pro Stock victories in NHRA history, will continue to race as long as he's competitive. 

"It's funny because once in a while I realize how old I am, but most of the time I forget about it because I'm out here doing what I love to do and I'm having fun at it and I'm still able to race and win, so I don't feel like my age,'' said Anderson, a four-time Pro Stock champ and a winner of 96 national events. "If I didn't have this racing occupation right now and be able to be out here, then I'd probably feel my age, but I don't because I'm out here and I'm out here competing. I'm lucky.

"I've said it a million times, but I'm going to get out of this game when I can't win anymore. When I get to the point where I just physically can't win anymore, I'm getting out. I'll get out of the seat and I'll do something else. I'll still work on them and I'll still be around it and build engines and cars and things, but I won't drive them anymore.

"I won't stay past my time, but the cool thing is I don't think I'm past my time yet. I think I'm still able to win, I'm still able to hang with these young cats out here so as long as I can do that I'm going to stay out here. I don't know if that's six days or six years, I honestly don't know. I'm just going to ride the train as long as I can.''

NHRA Pro Stock star Greg Anderson visits with fans Saturday at Heartland Motorsports Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Anderson, driver of the Hendrick Automotive Group Chevrolet Camaro for KB Racing, entered this weekend as the Pro Stock points leader by 126 points, but said that nothing has come easy.

"It's kind of cool to look around and see all these young whipper-snappers,'' Anderson said. "They come out here and they race and they have zero fear. They could care less who I am or how many races I've won or whatever. They could actually care less.

"They just want to go kick my ass, and it's as simple as that. It's cool to see and it definitely makes it harder to win, but that's what's making the class better right now. It's what is making the sport great, so I'm happy to still be a part of it.''

While Anderson is chasing his fifth world title, he's also chasing drag racing history, with his next victory tying him with his former boss and mentor, Warren Johnson (97 victories), for the No. 1 spot on Pro Stock's all-time win list.

Anderson said he's tried to concentrate on what he needs to do in his car to win and not on what that win would mean. 

"The main reason I come to these races is to win a race,'' Anderson said. "That's me, that's what I love to do, that's what I get the enjoyment out of, regardless of what number it is and how many it is. I'm all about the immediate and the immediate is to win the next race. That's why I come.

"Obviously to win that many races means you have had a long, successful career. You weren't just a flash in the pan. You just didn't have a good year or two. I've had a lot of great years in a row, so I'm very proud of that, but I'd rather not think about that number until I'm retired. If it's 97 or if it's 120, then I'll think about what that number means I guess.''

But Anderson also can't ignore the fact that the driver he's chasing is someone he helped win three Pro Stock championships as a crew chief before switching to the driver's seat in 1998.

"Does it mean more that it's WJ? Absolutely,'' Anderson said. "I spent 12 years with him and I learned so much from him. I went through his college for 12 years. It was great years and I would not be where I'm at if it wasn't for that.

"That was a great learning experience for me. It was a great college, it's as simple as that. It was WJ University and I think learned a ton and I would not have anything I have right now, all these wins and this Pro Stock race team, if it wasn't for that experience and if it wasn't for things he did for me. My hat's off to him and that would make it more special to break his record.''

 

 

 

Details

Created: 07 August 2021

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Three-time world Funny Car champion Robert Hight knew in his heart that John Force Racing made the right decision when it decided to sit out the covid-altered 2020 NHRA season.

But for somebody that's spent virtually his whole life in the sport, it was extremely tough to watch the sport from home ... impossible in fact.

"It was painful,'' said the 51-year-old Funny Car star, who also serves as president of JFR. "I wouldn't watch. I didn't do it, I couldn't do it. It wasn't any fun.

"It's just something that we've done so long and we've been a part of and it was tough to see other people out there racing and enjoying themselves, but it didn't make sense for us or our sponsors. We had to do what was best for us.''

John Force Racing teammates Robert Hight (front) and John Force take a qualifying run Friday night at Heartland Motorsports Park. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]

The good news is that a JFR organization that has produced 21 world championships has picked up right where it left off, with Hight and John Force in the thick of the championship battle in Funny Car and Brittany Force having a very solid year in Top Fuel.

"There's always some doubt,'' Hight said Friday at Heartland Motorsports Park. "It's like when you come back are you going to be behind because you sat out, but right off the bats we started getting wins and we're where we need to be.

"We feel that we have two Funny Cars that can win a championship and Brittany has a car that runs well. We're going to have three cars fighting it out to the last race of the year, so I think we've erased all the doubts that it hurt us sitting out.''

Hight is racing at a HMP facility has figured prominently in his career over the years.

Topeka is where Hight first joined John Force Racing as a crew member, where he earned his Funny Car license and where he has won three times, including the most recent race at HMP in 2019 on his way to the championship.

"A lot of years we raced here twice a year and we've got a lot of data and know a lot of the fans,'' Hight said. "A lot of fans walk up to the back of the trailer and you know them. You know those fans and it's good to be able to see those people again because we missed seeing them last year. It's cool to see things starting to get back to normal in sports. It's been a tough couple of years.

"I've had a lot of luck here and run really well and love this place -- a lot of history and the fans and everything about this place. It seems like every year we come here there's new records set and it's just one of the best racetracks in the country and some of the best fans here in the Midwest that really enjoy any kind of sporting event so we want to put a good show on for them. You don't appreciate things until they're gone and you get out here with these fans who didn't get to see drag racing last year and want to show them how much we appreciate them being back as well.''