Brittany Force Delivers Record Breaking Speeds During NHRA Run

Newsweek

22-07-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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39-year-old Brittany Force reached 341.85 MPH during her NHRA Top Fuel semi-final run at Northwest National in Seattle.
Daughter of the legendary John Force, Brittany is carving out her legacy after notching another impressive feat under her belt.
She was going up against Doug Kalitta and delivered the fastest speed ever recorded in the 1,000-foot era.
Force previously held the record for the highest speed reached, setting a speed of 341.59 MPH back in April.
Race car drivers Brittany Force (L) and John Force arrive at the Yahoo! Sports Presents A Day Of Champions event at the Sports Museum of Los Angeles on November 6, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.
Race car drivers Brittany Force (L) and John Force arrive at the Yahoo! Sports Presents A Day Of Champions event at the Sports Museum of Los Angeles on November 6, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.
Photo by"Obviously, the highlight of our weekend was in the semifinals when we made a killer run and went even faster than our [previous] national record [341.59 mph], the fastest of all time," Force said after reaching the highest speeds on track ever.
"It's really exciting for this whole team. We work really hard to turn on win lights and put the best numbers up on the board and we're hoping that record will hold for a while."
Even though she reached those speeds, her time overall was just short of the record. She finished in 3.641 seconds in 2022, but this run in Seattle was done in 3.659 seconds.
In total, Force owns five of the six fastest speeds ever recorded in Top Fuel, asserting her dominance in the race category.
She is in a class of her own, having won two Top Fuel titles and broken records during her long career.
Unfortunately, she fell short in the final after her car's oil pan pressure caused issues. The car shut down during her run and ultimately finished in second place.
"Overall, it was a pretty solid outing for this HendrickCars.com team," Force added.
"We were able to make our way to the final round but, unfortunately, came up short. Pan pressure automatically shut us off in the final. I had no power and was just coasting to the finish line and saw Shawn go around me."
Still, her blistering speed required a high level of skill and some favorable track conditions to achieve it.
The track at Pacific Raceways is situated at an elevation of only 308 feet above sea level, providing the circuit with air that is denser than the thinner air found at higher altitudes.
Additionally, the temperatures were cool, considering the Pacific Northwest weather.
Force's ability to handle such intense speeds is what makes her such an exceptional racing talent, and her current record might not be safe if she continues to race.