FUNNY CAR

(Ron Lewis photo)

During Saturday qualifying an explosion launched Robert Hight’s Auto Club Mustang carbon fiber body onto a walkway adjacent to the zMax Dragway. Luckily no spectators were seriously injured.

“I want to thank my crew guys for giving me a good race car today,” Hight said on Sunday, after exiting in the second round. “We made a great run in the first round. Yesterday was a tough day and I am so glad everything worked out the way it did. You never want to have an incident like that but like I said yesterday we will investigate the problem and see how we can possibly fix it.”

The JFR team had a frustrating time in Charlotte. John Force’s first round upset was the first time he has lost in the opening session under the four-wide format. Courtney Force, driver of the Traxxas Ford Mustang, was defeated in the first round for just the second time this season.