The second round win for Neff over Force was bittersweet. By ending Force’s race day he stopped two of the most impressive streaks of the 14-time champion’s career. For the first time in 22 years Force ended a season without a win and the last time Force ended a season without a final round appearance the year was 1984.
“I did feel bad. They have been running so good this week. We just got the lucky shot and picked them off. When you are racing John Force there is really no pressure. Even if we lose he is going to win. The pressure really builds when you are racing a non team member. It is always fun racing John Force even if he is your boss. It is still John Force in the other lane so you know it will be exciting.”
The Funny Car win for Neff was personally big but is was a huge performance step forward for John Force Racing and the Ford Racing program. Neff drove a Ford BOSS 500 motor, underneath a Ford Mustang body, riding on a newly developed John Force Racing chassis. For over two year years John Medlen has been working with Ford Racing to develop a Ford power plant that could be competitive in NHRA Funny Car or Top Fuel competition. Neff had reached five finals prior to tonight’s breakthrough win. John Force has also been racing the BOSS 500 motor.
The driver that was least successful today had the biggest weekend of his career. Robert Hight won his first round match up against Jerry Toliver but dropped his second round race against Tim Wilkerson. For the former JFR crew member getting the championship was the biggest thrill of his career.
“It is unbelievable. It makes it more special when you consider how we got into the Countdown. We were 12th going into Indy. Jimmy Prock just got this thing fixed. It is all about timing. He got it all right at the right time. It could not have happened better,” said Hight. “You always believe in your team. I believed that they would turn it around. We worked hard. I tell you what you don’t dream like this. This is absolutely amazing what we have done in the last two months. It is all about believing in your team.”
Hight’s name will join a list of Funny Car champions that previously was limited to Force, Pedregon and Scelzi. Throughout the ‘90s John Force reigned supreme in the Funny Car class winning nine of ten championships in the decade. Force also picked up titles in 2000-02, 2004 and 2006. The brothers Pedregon, Cruz and Tony, won four Funny Car titles; 1992 and 2008 for Cruz and 2003 and 2007 for Tony. Three-time Top Fuel World Champion Gary Scelzi won his lone Funny Car title in 2005.
As far as the future of John Force Racing odds are it will be in good hands. Force’s two youngest daughters Brittany, 23, and Courtney, 21, both raced to the semi-finals where they met in a head-to-head race for the second time this season. In Seattle Courtney got the round win and went on to win the race. Today she also advanced to the final after she executed a spectacular reaction time of .006 (.000 is perfect) versus her sister but she hazed her Goodyear tires at about 300 feet in the final as Jim Whiteley pulled away for the win. While Brittany was disappointed to not advance to a final and have a shot at her first win she felt her 2009 season was a success.
“Getting better as a driver is all about seat time. We got a lot more this year and I think it showed in our performance. We raced a lot more and I got a lot more comfortable in my BrandSource A Fuel dragster. It is always fun to race Courtney and I really wanted shot at my first win. I know I’ll get one sooner or later. I had a great season,” said Brittany Force.
Team leader John Force summed up one of the most dominant performances by a team owner from Mike Neff’s winner’s circle.
“It was really emotional for me in the final after the wrap up for the championship with Robert and Auto Club, Castrol, Mac Tools, Ford, Sanyo, BrandSource, and everybody. Then to go out there and see Mike Neff race against my daughter. I want her to win but you know for John Medlen and everything that went on. It was almost like karma. For the memory of Eric Medlen to get that win in his car and for Mike Neff to be the driver and to have John Medlen working with the tune-up that was huge. That was an all Ford race car. It was Ford motor. It was an all John Force Racing and Ford chassis. That was big. At the end of the day it was pedal-fest. It was unbelievable. My kid, I could not be prouder of her. She had her Mustang sideways up against the wall but she was getting right back in it. Mike Neff earned it. It was well deserved he got the win.”
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