Drag racer Brittany Force has 293-mph run after first-day stumble

Brittany Force put aside her first-day stumble and made a successful debut run in the NHRA’s top-fuel division Friday in Pomona.

The 26-year-old daughter of drag-racing legend John Force raced down the 1,000-foot drag strip in 3.845 seconds at a speed of 293.22 mph in the second day of qualifying at the National Hot Rod Assn.’s season-opening Winternationals.

“Got it down the track,” a smiling and no doubt relieved Brittany Force said after she climbed out of her dragster on a balmy day at Auto Club Raceway. “It’s just going to be one step at a time.”

Force was supposed to make her first run in top fuel, drag racing’s fastest division, during the opening round of qualifying Thursday.

But as she approached the starting line, she was unable to keep the 8,000-horsepower car from inching just past the line. So she effectively fouled out before she could hit the throttle.

There were no such issues Friday, when Force ended up 12th-fastest among the top-fuel drivers. Seven-time champion Tony Schumacher was first with a run of 3.758 seconds at 328.14 mph.

After Schumacher crossed the finish line, his parachutes failed to immediately deploy and Schumacher’s dragster sped into a safety sand trap at the end of the drag strip.

That stopped the car, and Schumacher, who was not hurt, quickly climbed out.

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