Updated: Courtney Force earns 100th NHRA win by a female driver in Topeka

By Jerry BonkowskiMay 25, 2014, 7:45 PM EDT

While boyfriend Graham Rahal finished last in the Indianapolis 500, Courtney Force made history Sunday, earning the 100^th win by a female in NHRA drag racing history.

Force rolled to the win in the Funny Car class in Sunday’s final eliminations of the NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park in Topeka, Kansas.

“This is for all the girls out there in any type of sport, any motorsport,” said Force, who was presented a special trophy with a commemorative pink 100th female win faceplate and design on the trophy’s bottom. “It’s an exciting day for us. It’s an honor to be number 100 on a list of the legends like Shirley Muldowney, Angelle Sampey, Melanie Troxel, Erica Enders-Stevens, Shelly Payne, Ashley (Force Hood, sister), Alexis DeJoria, there are so many great names. … It’s an honor to be a part of it. We’ve hit 100, but there’s 100 more to go.”

The youngest daughter of 16-time Funny Car champ John Force and sister of Top Fuel driver Brittany Force, the 25-year-old Courtney and her Ford Mustang Funny Car defeated Cruz Pedregon in the final round, covering the 1,000-foot dragstrip at 4.148 seconds at 306.46 mph to Pedregon’s 4.225 seconds at 250.60 mph in his Toyota Camry.

Force started as the event’s No. 1 qualifier and carried that advantage all the way to victory lane.

“There’s just a lot of emotion right now,” Force said. “I am happy to win this for all of the girls who have won races in NHRA over the years. They know how to win, and this win is for them.”

It was Force’s fourth career Funny Car win and her first of the 2014 season. She is one of just 14 females who have won races in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

The first female driver to win a national event was legendary Top Fuel driver Shirley Muldowney, back in 1976.

In a sense, Force took care of unfinished business, having just missed winning the 100^th race by a female last week in the Spring Nationals in Commerce, Ga., losing in the final round to John Force Racing teammate Robert Hight.

“All day I was just trying not to think about it,” Courtney Force said of the milestone. “It’s a big deal. It’s a milestone for women, and every girl out here wanted to get it. Every girl put their heart out into it. I was crushed last weekend, because I thought that opportunity would never come around again. I’m still trying to soak it all in right now.”

Force managed to do what several other female drivers also aspired to, including sister Brittany, fellow Funny Car driver Alexis DeJoria and Pro Stock points leader Erica Enders-Stevens, the latter two having also won races this season.

In other pro classes:

* Spencer Massey earned his second win in a row in Top Fuel, defeating Shawn Langdon with a run of 3.871 seconds at 314.02 mph to Langdon’s run of 4.278 seconds at 233.68 mph.

“We didn’t want to beat ourselves,” Massey said. “We wanted to go down the track and make them beat us. When you can beat Alan Johnson’s race car, especially with a good leaver like Shawn Langdon in the seat, that’s saying something. You’re racing a championship-caliber team every time you race an Al-Anabi car.”

* Allen Johnson earned his third win of the season in Pro Stock. Johnson and his Dodge Dart covered the track at 6.663 seconds at 207.81 mph to teammate Jeg Coughlin’s run of 6.664 seconds at 207.05 mph. It was Johnson’s 23rd career victory.

“This team just keeps battling,” Johnson said. “Every single run, we’re just attacking the car. To have half the wins (from the class) in our camp this year is a pretty good feeling.”

The next race is this coming weekend (May 29-June 1), the Toyota NHRA Summernationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J.

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Here’s the final finishing order (1-16) at the 26th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka. The race is the eighth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL: 1. Spencer Massey; 2. Shawn Langdon; 3. J.R. Todd; 4. Brittany Force; 5. Richie Crampton; 6. Terry McMillen; 7. Doug Kalitta; 8. Khalid alBalooshi; 9. Antron Brown; 10. Leah Pritchett; 11. Pat Dakin; 12. Clay Millican; 13. Bob Vandergriff; 14. Tony Schumacher; 15. Luigi Novelli; 16. Steve Torrence.

FUNNY CAR: 1. Courtney Force; 2. Cruz Pedregon; 3. Ron Capps; 4. Tommy Johnson Jr.; 5. Bob Tasca III; 6. Jeff Arend; 7. Chad Head; 8. Tim Wilkerson; 9. Robert Hight; 10. Alexis DeJoria; 11. Matt Hagan; 12. Tony Pedregon; 13. Del Worsham; 14. John Force; 15. Dale Creasy Jr.; 16. Jack Beckman.

PRO STOCK: 1. Allen Johnson; 2. Jeg Coughlin; 3. Erica Enders-Stevens; 4. Vincent Nobile; 5. Shane Gray; 6. Dave Connolly; 7. Jason Line; 8. V. Gaines; 9. Chris McGaha; 10. Larry Morgan; 11. Deric Kramer; 12. Greg Anderson; 13. Jonathan Gray; 14. Rodger Brogdon; 15. Mark Hogan; 16. Steve Kent.

FINAL ROUND RESULTS:

Top Fuel — Spencer Massey, 3.871 seconds, 314.02 mph def. Shawn Langdon, 4.278 seconds, 233.68 mph.

Funny Car — Courtney Force, Ford Mustang, 4.148, 306.46 def. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 4.225, 250.60.

Pro Stock — Allen Johnson, Dodge Dart, 6.663, 207.18 def. Jeg Coughlin, Dart, 6.664, 207.05.

Top Alcohol Dragster — Shayne Lawson, 5.329, 269.19 def. Monroe Guest, 5.548, 250.04.

Top Alcohol Funny Car — Dale Brand, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.639, 255.58 def. Brian Hough, Ford Mustang, 5.689, 251.39.

FINAL ROUND-BY-ROUND RESULTS:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE — Khalid alBalooshi, 3.806, 292.71 def. Antron Brown, 3.844, 317.34; Doug Kalitta, 3.815, 321.35 def. Leah Pritchett, 3.859, 318.24; Spencer Massey, 3.862, 319.82 def. Tony Schumacher, 4.826, 151.10; Brittany Force, 3.872, 311.41 def. Luigi Novelli, 6.249, 85.64; J.R. Todd, 3.812, 320.74 def. Clay Millican, 4.041, 250.37; Shawn Langdon, 3.792, 321.96 def. Pat Dakin, 3.870, 312.86; Terry McMillen, 4.758, 247.47 def. Steve Torrence, broke; Richie Crampton, 3.832, 318.24 def. Bob Vandergriff, 4.368, 210.60.

QUARTERFINALS — Massey, 3.865, 317.94 def. McMillen, 3.881, 315.05; Todd, 3.808, 316.30 def. Crampton, 3.828, 317.64; Force, 3.828, 322.88 def. alBalooshi, 4.940, 147.10; Langdon, 3.777, 318.17 def. Kalitta, 3.886, 308.14.

SEMIFINALS — Massey, 3.874, 319.29 def. Force, 3.908, 279.38; Langdon, 3.820, 315.05 def. Todd, 3.862, 292.08.

FINAL — Massey, 3.871, 314.02 def. Langdon, 4.278, 233.68.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE — Tommy Johnson Jr., Dodge Charger, 4.099, 309.34 def. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Camry, 4.098, 308.57; Chad Head, Camry, 4.093, 311.70 def. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.157, 301.27; Courtney Force, Ford Mustang, 4.108, 301.74 def. Dale Creasy Jr., Chevy Monte Carlo, 7.070, 106.21; Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.147, 307.23 def. John Force, Mustang, 5.526, 135.32; Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.090, 308.35 def. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.073, 313.44; Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.170, 307.02 def. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.186, 301.47; Ron Capps, Charger, 4.128, 307.79 def. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.601, 195.73; Jeff Arend, Charger, 4.504, 278.52 def. Jack Beckman, Charger, 11.276, 70.57.

QUARTERFINALS — Capps, 4.141, 310.05 def. Tasca III, 4.172, 303.91; C. Pedregon, 4.090, 308.21 def. Wilkerson, DQ; Johnson Jr., 4.673, 198.35 def. Head, 5.203, 202.48; C. Force, 4.114, 311.49 def. Arend, 4.406, 221.89.

SEMIFINALS — C. Force, 4.154, 294.11 def. Johnson Jr., DQ; C. Pedregon, 4.094, 302.35 def. Capps, 4.147, 302.55.

FINAL — C. Force, 4.148, 306.46 def. C. Pedregon, 4.225, 250.60.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE — Jason Line, Chevy Camaro, 6.691, 206.13 def. Jonathan Gray, Camaro, 6.736, 206.80; V. Gaines, Dodge Dart, 6.681, 207.34 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.727, 204.88; Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.676, 206.95 def. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.690, 206.61; Dave Connolly, Camaro, 6.650, 207.56 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.656, 206.64; Jeg Coughlin, Dart, 6.653, 206.54 def. Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.753, 195.08; Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.651, 207.98 def. Steve Kent, Camaro, 6.788, 182.03; Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.664, 206.95 def. Mark Hogan, Pontiac GTO, 6.781, 202.67; Erica Enders-Stevens, Camaro, 6.664, 206.16 def. Deric Kramer, Dodge Avenger, foul.

QUARTERFINALS — Enders-Stevens, 6.653, 206.92 def. Gaines, 15.614, 53.74; Nobile, 6.660, 207.27 def. Line, 6.674, 207.56; Johnson, 6.637, 207.21 def. S. Gray, 6.655, 207.62; Coughlin, 6.645, 206.23 def. Connolly, 6.665, 207.78.

SEMIFINALS — Coughlin, 6.677, 206.54 def. Nobile, foul; Johnson, 6.657, 206.32 def. Enders-Stevens, 6.657, 206.51.

FINAL — Johnson, 6.663, 207.18 def. Coughlin, 6.664, 207.05.

POINTS STANDINGS:

Top Fuel: 1. Doug Kalitta, 704; 2. Antron Brown, 674; 3. Spencer Massey, 566; 4. Shawn Langdon, 559; 5. Steve Torrence, 543; 6. Khalid alBalooshi, 466; 7. Tony Schumacher, 442; 8. Brittany Force, 407; 9. J.R. Todd, 340; 10. Richie Crampton, 309.

Funny Car: 1. Robert Hight, 770; 2. John Force, 566; 3. Alexis DeJoria, 509; 4. Ron Capps, 502; 5. Courtney Force, 492; 6. Tommy Johnson Jr., 452; 7. Del Worsham, 433; 8. Matt Hagan, 403; 9. Jack Beckman, 401; 10. Tim Wilkerson, 384.

Pro Stock: 1. Erica Enders-Stevens, 709; 2. Allen Johnson, 624; 3. Jason Line, 567; 4. Jeg Coughlin, 553; 5. Vincent Nobile, 531; 6. Shane Gray, 525; 7. Dave Connolly, 462; 8. V. Gaines, 425; 9. Chris McGaha, 376; 10. Jimmy Alund, 282.

Motocross 2023: Results and points after season opener at Fox Raceway

By Dan BeaverMay 28, 2023, 12:01 PM EDT

It was not the first time it has been done, but a rider winning in his Motocross debut is rare as the results show Jett Lawrence swept the motos at Fox Raceway in Pala, California and took the early points lead.

*Dylan Ferrandis may not be quite 100 percent yet, but he was good enough to finish on the podium at Fox Raceway – Align Media*

Lawrence became the 16th rider to win in his Motocross debut and was the 10th rider to do so in the season opener, At 19, he wasn’t the youngest to perform the feat; Rick Johnson was 17 in 1982 when he won the lidlifter at Hangtown, the site of next week’s race, but Lawrence’s inaugural win bodes well. The last time a rider performed this feat, Dylan Ferrandis went on to win the 2021 Motocross championship as a rookie in 2021.

Ferrandis did not sweep the motos that season while Lawrence’s performance on Saturday was perfect. He paced both practice sessions, earned the holeshot in each race and finished first in both motos after leading every lap to score maximum points. Lawrence started the weekend needing 85 points to climb into 20th in the combined SuperMotocross standings for the 450 class. Earning 50 with his perfect Motocross results at Fox Raceway, he is nearly 60 percent of the way to his goal.

RESULTS: Click here for full 450 Results; Click here for 250 Results

Chase Sexton was second across the board. He qualified in the second position and finished 2-2 in his motos. In the first race, he was a relatively distant runner-up behind Lawrence, crossing the finish line a little more than 10 seconds ahead. He got a great start in Moto 2 and pushed Lawrence for the entire race, never getting further back than three seconds. He tried to pressure Lawrence into making a mistake, but both riders hardly put a wheel wrong and they finished within a second of one another.

Returning from a concussion suffered in the Houston Supercross race earlier this season and exacerbated at Daytona, Ferrandis finished third in both motos to take third overall. His most important task at hand this week was to avoid trouble and start the Motocross season healthy at Fox Raceway so he can begin to accumulate strong results and move up in SuperMotocross points.

Ferrandis entered this round 25th in the standings and left Pala in 19th. With that position, he has an automatic invitation to the feature starting grid in the SuperMotocross World Championship as long as he does not fall back.

Click here for 450 Moto 1 [Lap Chart] | Moto 2 [Lap Chart] | Consolation Race

Aaron Plessinger and Cooper Webb both ended the race with 34 points, but Plessinger had the tiebreaker with a better finish in the second race. Notably, both riders sustained injury sometime during the season, but Plessinger had an advantage by coming back a week sooner in Salt Lak City for the Supercross finale. He finished second in that race.

Webb was cleared late in the week by doctors after being on concussion protocol from a vicious strike to his helmet in a Nashville Supercross heat race late in the season. He made a beeline to the track to run the Motocross opener. After missing last year’s outdoor season, he wanted to make certain that did not happen again. He still has a solid opportunity to catch Sexton for the No. 1 overall seed in the SuperMotocross standings., but he will need to make up 78 points.

Click here for 450 Overall results | Rider Points | Manufacturer Points

For the first time in history, Pro Motocross results from Fox Raceway show brothers as winners on the same day.

Battling a rib injury suffered practicing earlier in the week, Hunter Lawrence got a poor start to Moto 1 and had to overcome his 10th-place standing at the end of Lap 1. He methodically worked his way toward the front but might have settled for a position off the podium if not for heavy traffic in the closing laps. Lawrence was able to get through the field quicker than Justin Cooper and Jo Shimoda to finish third.

Hunter Lawrence overcame sore ribs to score the overall 250 win at Fox Raceway – Align Media

Lawrence’s second moto was much stronger. He earned the holeshot and led all 15 laps of the race to win by a more than eight seconds.

Haiden Deegan didn’t feel any pressure heading into this round. No one expected much in his third Motocross National and he would have been happy with anything in the top five. At least that’s what he said in the post-race news conference. Deegan said similar things after finishing fourth in his first Supercross race this season. In a stacked field of 40 riders at Fox Raceway, “Danger Boy” finished sixth in Moto 1 and second in Moto 2 for the second-place finish overall.

Click here for 250 Moto 1 [Lap Chart] | Moto 2 [Lap Chart] | Consolation Race

*In only his third Pro Motocross National, Haiden Deegan finished second overall. – Align Media*

RJ Hampshire had an eventful weekend. He dominated Moto 1 and won by a healthy margin, making a statement about how he will race now that Jett Lawrence is no longer in the field. He was a victim of mayhem in Turn 2 of Moto 2, which forced him to the ground. Another crash on an uphill portion of the track later that same lap put him in 39th. Hampshire salvaged as many points as he could and finished 11th in the second race to stand on the final box of the podium.

Tom Vialle came within a lap of scoring his first career podium. He had the position based on a tiebreaker over Justin Cooper and Maximus Vohland until Hampshire passed two riders on the final lap and earned one point more than that threesome. Instead, Vialle settled for his first podium in an individual moto with a 7-3 in the two races. More accustomed to this style of racing, Vialle will be a factor in the coming rounds.

Click here for 250 Overall results | Rider Points | Manufacturer Points

Cooper finished with a 5-4 in the two motos to sweep the top five and take fourth-place overall. Cooper started five rounds in the 450 class in Supercross this season and none on a 250, so he is starting with zero points in the SuperMotocross seeding, but with runs like this it won’t take long to make up the 89 he needs to climb to 20th.

One of the best performances of the weekend was put in by Vohland. He finished second in Moto 1 and had to withstand pressure from Lawrence in the closing lap. A poor start of 16th in the second race forced him to play catchup and he could only climb to ninth at the checkers.

2023 Supercross Results

Round 17: Chase Sexton, Jett Lawrence win
Round 16: Chase Sexton, RJ Hampshire win
Round 15: Chase Sexton, Hunter Lawrence win
Round 14: Justin Barcia, Max Anstie win
Round 13: Chase Sexton, Hunter Lawrence win
Round 12: Eli Tomac, Jett Lawrence win
Round 11: Eli Tomac bounces back with sixth win
Round 10: Chace Sexton wins, penalized
Round 9: Ken Roczen wins
Round 8: Eli Tomac wins 7th Daytona
Round 7: Cooper Webb wins second race
Race 6: Eli Tomac, Jett Lawrence win
Race 5: Webb, Hunter Lawrence win
Race 4: Eli Tomac, Hunter Lawrence win
Race 3: Chase Sexton, Levi Kitchen win
Race 2: Eli Tomac, Jett Lawrence win
Round 1: Eli Tomac, Jett Lawrence win