PR-ENGLISHTOWN- Ashley Force scores first win of 2005

TEAM CASTROL
NHRA Lucas Sportsman Series Drag Racing Summary
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
Englishtown, N.J.
Sept. 11

courtesy Mandie Yorio/John Force Racing

ASHLEY FORCE REPEATS AT ENGLISHTOWN POINTS MEET
Castrol/Hot Wheels Driver Claims First Victory of 2005 Season

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. – Ashley Force and crew chief Jerry Darien maintained their mastery of the Old Bridge Township Raceway Park quarter mile Sunday, repeating as Top Alcohol Dragster champions in the track’s annual Lucas Oil Sportsman Series event.

Ms. Force, the 22-year-old daughter of 13-time NHRA Funny Car Champion John Force, drove the Castrol/Hot Wheels A-Fuel dragster past the supercharged entry of Mark Albert of Baldwin, Pa., in the Top Alcohol final.

It was the second generation driver’s first victory of the 2005 season and it helped alleviate the frustration born of a poor performance in last week’s 51st annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, Ind.

Although she had qualified No. 1 in each of her three previous appearances at Raceway Park, most recently in last June’s K&N Filters SuperNationals, part of the 23-race NHRA POWERade Series, Ashley had to settle for a No. 2 start Sunday behind Arthur Gallant, but it made little difference.

After posting a 5.391 second quarter mile time in qualifying, the graduate of Cal State-Fullerton was clocked in 5.403, 5.437 and 5.450 seconds during eliminations in an overpowering performance. In fact, her Castrol-backed dragster was the quickest in every round of competition.

A three-time NHRA national event winner, Ashley now has won four races in the Lucas Series in which she finished four in national points just a year ago. She and her team now move to Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa., to compete in this week’s 21st annual Toyo Tires Nationals, a race in which she was runner-up last fall.

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RACE-WINNERS-AT-A-GLANCE:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER: Ashley Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol/Hot Wheels A/Fuel dragster, 5.450, 257.63 mph, def. Mark Albert, Baldwin, Pa., 11.932, 58.86 mph.
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR: Bob Newberry, Schenectady, N.Y., 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 5.798, 254.09 mph, def. David Ray, Plaistow, N.H., 2001 Dodge Avenger, foul.
COMPETITION: Joe Carnasciale, Cranston, R.I., 1992 Chevrolet Camaro, def. Lee Zane, Pittsgrove, N.J., 1932 Bantam roadster, foul
SUPER STOCK: Dan Fletcher, Churchville, N.Y., 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, def. Michael Iacono, Wading River, N.Y., 1989 Chevrolet Camaro.
STOCK: Todd Hoven, Spotswood, N.J., 1972 Pontiac GTO, def. Jerry MacNeish, Eldersburg, Md., 1968 Chevrolet Camaro.
SUPER COMP: Rich Biebel, Succasunna, N.J., drasgster, def. Frank Aragona, Old Bridge, N.J., dragster.
SUPER GAS: John Michaels, Holbrook, N.Y., 1970 Chevrolet Nova, def. Jason Kenny, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, 2003 Chevrolet Corvette.

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TEAM CASTROL Details:

ASHLEY FORCE, 22, Castrol/Hot Wheels A/Fuel dragster (Top Alcohol Dragster division)
Qualifying position and performance: 2nd at 5.391 seconds, 259.91 mph.
Race results: Beat Mike Kosky, Dan Mercier and Mark Albert.
Notable: Won for the second straight year at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, her first victory of the 2005 season.

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NEXT EVENTS:
Sept. 16-18 Toyo Tires Nationals Reading, Pa.
Sept. 23-25 O’Reilly Fall Nationals Dallas, Texas
Sept. 30-Oct. 2 Route 66 Nationals Chicago
Oct. 21-23 ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov. 3-6 Auto Club of S.C. Finals Pomona, Calif.