Force Hood Leads the Pack at Thunder Valley

BRISTOL, Tenn. – The queen of drag racing has earned another bow.

With a breath-taking charge late Friday night at Bristol Dragway, Ashley Force Hood grabbed the top qualifying spot after the first two rounds of Funny Car qualifying for the National Hot Rod Association Thunder Valley Nationals.

“I knew it was a good run,” Force Hood said. “I could feel it when I hit the chutes, because I was out of breath more than normal.”

Hood posted an elapsed time of 4.105 seconds at 298.67 miles per hour. That was good enough to top Tim Wilkerson, who recorded a run of 4.109 seconds.

“It’s beautiful out here, and the weather held up for us. I can’t ask for more than that,” Force Hood said.

John Force, Ashley’s father, followed in the No. 7 spot.

“The success of my team, I give to my crew and chiefs,” Force Hood said. “Crew chiefs are like sponges. They absorb everything. The only thing I’m trying to do is not screw up.”

The endless, high-stakes guessing game between drag racers and crew chiefs continued Friday after Thursday night’s heavy rain washed away some of the rubber on the track surface.

Teams were forced to contend with hot and humid conditions early Friday afternoon, then track temperatures dropped nearly 10 degrees for the night session. Dark clouds surrounded the dragway but produced no rain.

Cory McClenathan said he expected some serious speed in his Fram Top Fuel dragster after chatting with crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Phil Shuler moments before his final qualifying run.

“They told me that we were stepping on it and going for it, so be ready to lift [on the gas] if I had to,” McClenathan said. “Obviously, the car just went very flawless and very smooth.”

McClenathan’s flawless run translated into a pass of 3.874 at 312.21. The effort was a slice of redemption for McClenathan, who has experienced success and anguish at Thunder Valley.

“You have your highs and lows,” McClenathan said. “To win the Winston Showdown here 10 years and have my biggest payday ever, and then turn around have my worst crash ever in 2006.”

McClenthan said he experienced a slight case of déjà vu Friday before his final pass, McClenathan was driving for the Bristol-based Carrier Boyz Racing Team in 2006 when his dragster basically folded in half after a crash at an estimated 290 mph.

“As I was staging, I’m thinking we have all the same elements,” McClenathan said. “It’s night time, I’m in the right-hand line, and we’ve got a good car. Once you step on the gas, all that goes away and it comes back into reality.

“It does kind of have sweetness to it to be able to come back up here and say ‘“Now, I’m back and everything is going the way it should.’”

One of the highlights in Top Fuel was the return of Bristol Dragway favorite Doug Herbert. Like many racers this season, Herbert has been forced to the sidelines due to a lack of a sponsorship through the first seven events.

“I’ve been doing this for so long, so it’s not hard,” Herbert said, referring to the adjustment back to high-speed racing.

Robert Hight produced one of the highlights of Friday’s early 17-car Funny Car qualifying session when his Auto Club Ford Mustang experienced an engine explosion at the far end of the track. Hight was unable to make a second qualifying run.

Mike Edwards topped the charts in Pro Stock with a pass of 6.698 seconds at 205.72 mph.

The qualifying effort continues a breakthrough season for Edwards, who ranks third in points with one victory at Atlanta and three No. 1 qualifying efforts.

“It’s very humbling,” Edwards said.  “I’ve never been in this position before, and I’ve been doing this for a long time. I’m just blessed. Thank God for all the good things that have happened to me.

“This is a great start. We have to come out here [Saturday] and race the track.”

Four-time Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin is currently qualified second in the 22-car Pro Stock field, while Allen Johnson of Greeneville, Tenn., is sixth.

“We’ve been doing a lot of testing and it’s really starting to benefit us,” Edwards said. “I think I’ve about worn my [crew guys] out, but when you see results like this it sure makes you feel like the work is worth it.” 

Sponsorship woes have sidelined a pair of Thunder Valley event winners in Melanie Troxel (Funny Car) and Dave Connolly in Pro Stock. Connolly is competing this weekend in a pair of sportsman categories, while Troxel provided commentary over the track public address system Friday.

For the second year in a row, the grandstands at Bristol Dragway were nearly full for the first day of qualifying. Fans were also lined up five deep behind the fence at the starting line for the professional categories.

“The crowds have definitely been growing here,” Top Fuel points leader Antron Brown said. “The people at Bristol are drag racing enthusiasts. They love the smell of nitro and like to see cars go fast.”

Qualifying continues today, with pro sessions at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Two hours of qualifying highlights will be shown on ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD beginning at 6 p.m.

NOTES: Veteran journalist David McGee will sign copies of his book, “Bristol Dragway,” today from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the dragway. The 126-page work details the history of the dragway, with photos of all the top cars and stars in the sport. ... The Thunder Valley Nationals has a strong appeal to the NASCAR community, with several crew chiefs making the trip to Bristol each year for Sunday’s eliminations. That relationship continued Friday, as the Funny Car driven by two-time NHRA champion Tony Pedregon featured a Jimmie Johnson Foundation paint scheme. Johnson is the three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion. … Funny Car driver Andy Kelley took a novel approach in his quest for financial help, placing the words “Sponsor Needed” on the side panels of his car.