Brittany Force’s Monster Energy team bringing the heat at Four-Wide Nationals

CONCORD, NC – If there’s a team that can make it through the energy-sapping heat and humidity that the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series has faced at the Four-Wide Nationals this weekend at zMAX Dragway, it’s Brittany Force’s Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster team.

Temperatures were in the upper-80s and low-90s during qualifying in Charlotte, with humidity adding to the discomfort level. But Force and her John Force Racing team came through with a No. 7 qualifying effort – and a terrific pass in the heat of the day in the final qualifying session.

Force’s official qualifying run will be 3.745 seconds at 324.75 mph, but her most impressive pass may have come in Q4. There, she was third-quickest of the session with a run of 3.799 seconds at 322.27 mph.

“Yeah, that last pass, we got down there in the heat. It was an awesome run,” Force said. “That we would run a 3.79 out there on a hot, hot track is good. I think conditions are going to be hot tomorrow, so one good run in the heat will definitely help us out.”

Force comes in hot to Charlotte, where she is the race’s defending champion. She became the first female to win the unique race, which features four drivers racing each other instead of the normal two.

“It feels good to be back here,” Force said. “The Monster Energy team, we have this energy in our pits and I think it’s still building off of last year. We have won here and only a handful of drivers have won the Four-Wide, so to say that we did it, is pretty awesome. But we want to do it again.”

Force will begin eliminations in a quad against No. 2 qualifier Doug Kalitta (3.718 at 322.73 mph), No. 10 qualifier Terry McMillan (3.797 at 323.81 mph) and No. 15 qualifier Chris Karamesines (4.059 at 291.57 mph). The top two finishers in that quad advance to the second round.

Final eliminations begin at noon Eastern on Sunday. Fox Sports 1 will televise three hours of coverage starting at 5:30 p.m.