John Force Sends zMAX NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Wally to Track Owner

Top Fuel winner Steve Torrence

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The Force is With Us at zMAX Dragway

(CONCORD, NC – MAY 16, 2021 – RIS) NHRA's favorite driver took his 152nd Wally winner's trophy today at the NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals as John Force parlayed his No. 1 qualifier position into round wins and a finals victory over a final quad of JR Todd, Cruz Pedregon and Alexis DeJoria, with a pass of 3.916 sec/328.78 mph over Todd's 3.944/327.82 lap. Force dedicated his Wally trophy to Bruton Smith, owner of zMAX Dragway and sent it to Smith with his son Marcus, the president of Speedway Motorsports.

“Timing is everything,” said Force later in the press room. “I won the inaugural (four-wide race) here (in 2010) and this makes me so proud.

"Don’t take the job you love for granted. I wanted to win for (track owner) Bruton (Smith), (crew chief) Daniel (Hood), but these kids are tough out here. Some days, things go right and our car was ready and prepared, and I halfway did my job. I’m excited and I get to send this (Wally trophy) to Bruton, a guy I really love.” 

Funny Car final round results:

LANE DRIVER. NO. Q. POS. RT 60 FT 330 FT 660 FT 660 FT MPH ET MPH 4 John Force Win 723 1 .065 .888 2.258 3.177 282.24 3.916 328.78 3 JR Todd 2ND 373 4 .063 .880 2.268 3.198 278.63 3.944 327.82 2 Cruz Pedregon 3rd 71 6 .121 .884 2.259 3.187 279.04 3.934 326.87 1 Alexis DeJoria 4th 771 2 .064 .918 2.328 3.277 271.41 4.057 309.49

Top Fuel saw the continuation of Steve Torrence in dominating four-wide competition, as he has won six of the last seven four-wide events at zMAX and at Las Vegas. Torrence' victory is his second of the season and 42nd career win. "At first, admittedly, I was not a fan of the four-wide but (track owner) Bruton Smith and Marcus, thank you guys, I love it. I mean, we do really well I don't know why but I like to keep doing it. It's the only thing that I've got a winning record, and so I'm proud of that. It makes us as a driver step up more, I think that it takes you out of your body, your wheelhouse of thinking makes you concentrate and focus a lot more.”

Top Fuel final round results:

LANE DRIVER NO. Q. POS. RT 60 FT 330 FT 660 FT 660 FT MPH ET MPH 3 Steve Torrence WIN 1 2 .034 .841 2.118 2.985 292.14 3.716 329.10 4 Brittany Force 2ND 745 1 .047 .829 2.111 2.996 290.32 3.723 333.16 2 Antron Brown 3RD 5 6 .058 .837 2.127 3.001 289.76 3.738 327.03 1 Josh Hart 4TH 77 4 .143 .842 2.155 3.041 286.01 3.782 325.61

Pro Stock Motorcycle went to Steve Johnson, for his first finals win in seven years, since Gainesville, FL in 2014. Johnson scored a track record ET of 6.729 at a trap speed of 198.03 in a weekend that saw numerous bikes record speeds in excess of 200 mph. Johnson's time was the third quickest in PSM history and the quickest ever for a Suzuki in his seventh career class win. “When you have a career path and you reach a goal, it can be euphoric,” Johnson said. “We are committed to this sport and I’m so excited about the emotion of our sport. I feel like our sport is really doing well. This trophy is so cool and this is the most special (win)."

Pro Stock Motorcycle final round results:

LANE DRIVER NO. CLASS   RT 60 FT 330 FT 660 FT 660 FT MPH 1000 FT ET MPH 1 Steve Johnson WIN 8 PSM   .031 1.042 2.805 4.300 164.31 5.606 6.729 198.03 2 Matt Smith 2ND 1 PSM   .023 1.051 2.844 4.339 164.49 5.637 6.744 202.48 3 Karen Stoffer 3RD 777 PSM   .020 1.071 2.837 4.336 163.29 5.647 6.771 198.64 4. Joey Gladstone 4TH 1550 PSM   .063 1.066 2.843 4.341 163.83 5.650 6.773 198.90

The factory hot rods of Pro Stock saw Dallas Glenn come out ahead of three other young drivers, all of them in pursuit of their first career final round win. Finishing second to Glenn was Mason McGaha, Troy Coughlin in the third final round of his career and Fernando Cuadra Jr made his first final round start. Glenn's win was the fourth victory for KB Racing in the four races so far this season. “To be honest, I don't even think it's hit me yet," Glenn said. "I'm just trying to enjoy everything I can. I've never experienced it on this side. It's super emotional. This is a whole new perspective for me and these cars are so much fun, but they're hard to drive. The results just came a little sooner than we were expecting."

Pro Stock final round results:

LANE DRIVER CAR NO. CLASS   RT 60 FT 330 FT 660 FT 660 FT MPH 1000 FT ET. MPH 2 Dallas Glenn WIN 660 PRO   .030 .982 2.739 4.205 167.80 5.473 6.540 209.88 1 Mason McGaha 2ND 400 PRO   .018 .986 2.747 4.218 167.78 5.488 6.558 209.23 3 Troy Coughlin Jr 4TH 300 PRO   .035 .986 2.756 4.210 167.68 5.477 6.545 210.80 4 Fernando Cuadra Jr FOUL 406M PRO  -.038 .992 2.763 4.239 167.30 5.513 6.606 198.64