C. FORCE LOOKING TO BOOKEND 2013 WITH POMONA WIN

POMONA, CA – Courtney Force kicked off 2013 with a victory in her own backyard at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries, the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing series season-opener, setting the scene for a great sophomore year in the Funny Car category.

Now, the three-time tour winner is ready to tackle the competition once again at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona for the NHRA Finals.

“It would be huge for our Traxxas Ford Mustang team to pick up another win at Pomona this season,” said Force. “It would be awesome to finish off the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello season on a high note. We are really focused on getting as many points as possible with just this one race left so we can move up and have a strong finish.”

Last time Force raced at Pomona, she qualified in the No. 1 spot and dismissed Phil Burkart Jr., Matt Hagan, Bob Tasca III, and Ron Capps to claim the title.

“Pomona seems to be a lucky track for our team so it’s always exciting running here. We’ve been to the finals and won the last event here so I know my crew chiefs Ron Douglas and Dan Hood have got a pretty good grasp on this race track. As a driver, that makes you feel more confident going into the weekend,” said Force.

Force is coming off a runner-up finish two weeks ago in Las Vegas for the Toyota NHRA Nationals. The 25-year-old qualified No. 2, beat Tony Pedregon, teammate Robert Hight and Jack Beckman before losing in an emotional final round to her father, and now 16-time champion, John Force. The pair posted a 4.06 to a 4.08 ET.

“Of course I was happy and proud to see my dad win his sixteenth championship, but when I raced him in the final, I was fired up to get the win for my Traxxas team. We went for it 100%. Then, at the finish line when I expected my win light to come on, it didn’t.”

“We had a great car all weekend, we chose the lane that had been working better for us and we made an excellent run, we were just outshined by my dad who ran a little better,” said Force. “The hardest part for me was getting out at the other end and not being able to immediately get over the fact that we didn’t win, while watching my dad celebrate both the win and the Championship a few feet away. It was a bittersweet feeling because I was proud of him, but really wanted that trophy in my own hands. I think that’s just my competitive and passionate side for winning that I’ve learned from my dad.”

The Traxxas Ford Mustang Funny Car driver currently sits No. 5 in the NHRA Mello Yello point standings after moving up two spots in Las Vegas. She also has qualified top five or better at the last five NHRA national events.

“This season was even more challenging than my Rookie season,” said the 2012 Rookie of the Year. Since the Countdown began, it has been tough going rounds past some of these drivers. The hardest part was knowing we had a good, consistent race car and being put on the trailer just after first round. As a driver, of course you make mistakes, but the most important thing is that you learn from them so you can improve the next time and become a better driver. This field is tough and I put a lot of pressure on myself as a driver to not make mistakes.”

For the second race in a row, Force is running a specialty Traxxas Ford Mustang “Rookie of the Year” Funny Car body. The team finished No. 5 overall last year and is hoping to improve on that for 2013.

“We’ve definitely put it all on the table and as a driver you learn your lesson throughout the season at different tracks so the best thing we can do is use it to our advantage when we return. However, I think our Traxxas team has had an amazing season. We picked up two wins and have been to a few final rounds which is an improvement from last season. We’re definitely focused on picking up another win this weekend at my home track,” said Force.