Drag racing's Courtney Force nearly wins first NHRA event

By Jim Peltz

July 2, 2012 12 AM PT

Rookie Courtney Force nearly won her first NHRA funny car event on a banner day for female drivers in drag racing’s premier series.

Force, the daughter of 15-time funny car champion John Force, reached the final round for the first time in her 11th race in the National Hot Rod Assn.’s Full Throttle Series.

But she lost the final to veteran Jeff Arend of La Verne, who ran 309.20 mph at the O’Reilly Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Ill., on Sunday.

“Going all the way to the final round was a huge accomplishment for us,” said Force, 24, who grew up in Yorba Linda where her father’s race team is based. “There’s always next weekend.”

Earlier in the day, Alexis DeJoria, another funny car rookie, had defeated John Force in the quarterfinals but then lost to Courtney Force in the semifinal round.

And in the pro stock division, where the cars can reach 210 mph, 28-year-old Erica Enders became the first female winner of an NHRA pro stock race by defeating four-time champion Greg Anderson in the final round.

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