Two-time Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force made history on Friday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park by recording the fastest run ever at the track. Driving her 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Quality Tools dragster, Force completed a blistering 3.666-second pass at 339.79 mph, securing the provisional No. 1 qualifier spot at the prestigious Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals.
This achievement places Force on course for her fourth No. 1 qualifier position of the season and the 56th in her racing career. The event, part of the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, marks the 14th race in a 20-race season.
Top Fuel Competition Highlights
Force’s landmark 3.666-second run set a new track record, continuing a remarkable year of performances. Despite the milestone, her ultimate goal remains capturing her first U.S. Nationals victory, an accomplishment she has pursued throughout her career.
Jordan Vandergriff claimed second place with a personal best of 3.683 seconds at 333.33 mph, while T.J. Zizzo secured third with a 3.695-second pass at 333.08 mph. The competition remains fierce, with Doug Kalitta, Antron Brown, and several other top drivers also posting impressive times around the high 3.6-second mark.
This is what our team’s been chasing all season long, building everything up,
Force said. All our hard work has come to this point at Indy this weekend, when the points reset, and now it’s game on for this Countdown. So, it was an exciting way to do that. Put a 3.66 on the board. It was a killer run for David Grubnic and all these guys and in Cornwell colors.
An Indy win would be huge. It’s what every driver wants. It’s definitely been on my bucket list for a long time. We’ve accomplished a lot, but one thing we haven’t done is win here in Indy. I was runner-up twice a few years ago, and so we’ve been successful here, but we’ve never been able to take it to the winner’s circle, and we’d love to do that.
Jack Beckman Excels in Funny Car Qualifying with Tribute Livery
In the Funny Car category, Jack Beckman earned the provisional No. 1 qualifier position behind the wheel of his 12,000-horsepower Peak Chevrolet SS. Running the special Brute Force tribute car created by John Force Racing, Beckman recorded a 3.865-second run at 332.26 mph. This marked his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season and offered a promising start for the weekend.
While teammate Austin Prock leads the points heading into the regular-season finale, Beckman aims to secure victories in both the U.S. Nationals and the PlayNHRA All-Star Callout event.
When you’re strapped in that car towing up in the staging lanes, last pair at Indy driving a John Force Brute Force tribute car, that’s about as good as it gets,
Beckman reflected.
I’m trying to do a better job of living in the moment. I just try to tell myself, just stop, pause, take a breath, look around and let it sink in a little bit. I don’t know if that run will hold [for No. 1], but I know it was the best of Friday night. Pretty cool. I’m going to stop, take a breath, look around and enjoy it.
Ron Capps is currently in second place with a 3.877-second pass at 331.69 mph, followed by Alexis DeJoria, who recorded a 3.891 run at 329.02 mph. The competitive field includes Matt Hagan, Chad Green, and others aiming for top spots in the eliminations.
Greg Anderson Breaks Track Record in Pro Stock Qualifying
Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson demonstrated his dominance once again by smashing the Indianapolis track record with a 6.491-second run at 210.44 mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Anderson remains a frontrunner in the chase for the regular-season championship, facing off against KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn, who entered the weekend holding a nine-point lead.
A five-time race winner this season, Anderson also paid tribute to former team owner Ken Black, who passed away earlier in the week. Anderson expressed his determination to honor Black’s memory by aiming for the win at the U.S. Nationals.
Today was cool. It’s rare to have this sort of air at Indy in August. It’s a Pro Stock racer’s dream,
Anderson said. This is what we live for. It’s nice to get in the car in a firesuit and not have sweat dripping into your eyes.
This is for Ken Black, who we lost this week. It’s a sad, sad deal, but we’re going to celebrate. I’m not going to pout. He’d want us to go out and win this race and that’s exactly what I’m going to try my best to do. No one who met Ken didn’t like him and I wouldn’t be here without him. I was so lucky to meet him when I did.
Dallas Glenn sits just behind Anderson with a 6.523-second run at 209.59 mph, while Erica Enders earned third place with a 6.528-second pass at 211.26 mph. The Pro Stock field is tightly packed as drivers prepare for critical championship battles during the weekend.
Gaige Herrera Sets Pro Stock Motorcycle Track E.T. Record
Defending Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Gaige Herrera impressed fans with a track elapsed time (E.T.) record on opening night. He ran 6.739 seconds at 200.98 mph aboard his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki, securing the provisional No. 1 qualifier position. Herrera looks to continue his pursuit of a third consecutive world title with his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 27th of his career.
Following his first Indy win last year, Herrera is motivated to replicate that success after a solid start on Friday.
It’s hard to prepare for five runs here at Indy because you know anything can happen. I was shocked that we ran 6.73, but we just treated it like a test lap and we hit it hard,
Herrera commented. I don’t think we could have run any faster. That’s all she’s got. I don’t think that will be beaten the next two days.
This is Indiana, so you never know what you’re going to get as far as weather. It’s perfect today. We figured that we might run 6.75 or 6.76, but that was a picture-perfect run. I don’t think the bike moved a quarter of an inch from side-to-side and that almost never happens.
Matt Smith followed in second place with a time of 6.779 seconds at 199.88 mph, and Richard Gadson, winner of the last Pro Stock Motorcycle race in Sonoma, holds third with a 6.782-second performance at 200.47 mph.
Detailed Qualifying Results from Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals
Friday marked the conclusion of the first qualifying round in the 71st annual U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Qualifying will continue on Saturday, leading up to the final eliminations scheduled for Sunday. The event is the 14th in the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series calendar.
Top Fuel Qualifiers — Forecast dominance by Brittany Force with her 3.666-second pass at 339.79 mph, followed by Jordan Vandergriff (3.683, 333.33 mph), T.J. Zizzo (3.695, 333.08 mph), Doug Kalitta (3.697, 329.99 mph), Antron Brown (3.702, 332.75 mph), Shawn Langdon (3.712, 337.24 mph), Steve Torrence (3.727, 332.10 mph), Josh Hart (3.734, 333.00 mph), Tripp Tatum (3.737, 316.60 mph), and Tony Stewart (3.744, 328.78 mph). Additional qualifiers completed the field with times ranging up to 3.799 seconds.
Funny Car Qualifiers — Jack Beckman led the pack at 3.865 seconds and 332.26 mph, with Ron Capps close behind at 3.877 (331.69 mph) and Alexis DeJoria in third with a 3.891 run (329.02 mph). The field showed strong performances from Matt Hagan, Chad Green, J.R. Todd, and others.
Pro Stock Qualifiers — Greg Anderson topped the class with his record-breaking 6.491-second pass at 210.44 mph, followed by Dallas Glenn (6.523, 209.59 mph) and Erica Enders (6.528, 211.26 mph). The qualifying round highlighted intense competition within this category.
Pro Stock Motorcycle Qualifiers — Gaige Herrera led the qualifiers with the record-setting 6.739-second run at 200.98 mph, followed by Matt Smith (6.779, 199.88 mph) and Richard Gadson (6.782, 200.47 mph). Additional riders rounded out the field with times ranging up to 7.156 seconds.
Looking Ahead at the U.S. Nationals Championship Weekend
With qualifying underway and provisional leaders crowned, the stage is set for a thrilling climax this weekend at the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals. Brittany Force’s blistering run not only shattered the historic record at Indianapolis Raceway Park but also intensified the pursuit of NHRA’s most coveted victory. The continuation of qualifying on Saturday will finalize seedings before the elimination rounds commence on Sunday, where drivers will vie for valuable points and the chance to secure championship advantages.
Jack Beckman’s performance in the tribute car adds emotional depth to the Funny Car competition, while Greg Anderson and Gaige Herrera continue to solidify their championship bids with record-breaking performances. As the season progresses towards its final events, the competition remains fierce and the anticipation grows for who will ultimately triumph at the iconic U.S. Nationals.
