NHRA veteran Bob Tasca III sends message to Brittany Force after record speed

Top Fuel driver Brittany Force delivered a historic performance at the American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, blasting to a record 341.59 mph on Friday night (April 25). Veteran racer Bob Tasca III recognized the incredible feat, and celebrated Force's accomplishment with a congratulatory message on X.

The unprecedented run was the fastest in Top fuel history and the second-fastest recorded in drag racing. Racing under the lights in Charlotte, Force lined up in the quad alongside Doug Kalitta and Tony Stewart to give the fastest pass and shook the zMAX Dragway crowd. The historic moment drew reactions from across the paddock, with Bob Tasca III among the first to publicly applaud Force.

Tasca, a long-time standout in Funny Car, wrote:

"Nice work, Brittany Force. Welcome to the 341 club."

Tasca was the first NHRA racer to eclipse the 340-mph barrier last year in February. The 49-year-old veteran drove his Dark Horse Ford Mustang Funny Car in the unofficial PRO Superstar Shootout at a 341.68-mph pass at Bradenton. However, Force became the first driver in Top Fuel history to surpass the 340-mph mark at drag racing's final frontier.

Brittany Force during Gatornationals at Gainesville on March 9, 2025. Source: Imagn

The two-time Top Fuel world champion, Brittany Force has long been known for pushing the limits. Clocking 341.59 mph on a 3.667-second run, she shattered her previous record of 338.94 mph, set in Pomona during her 2022 championship campaign. Her eighth-mile split was equally impressive, hitting 301.00 mph before thundering through the finish line.

Speaking after the run, Force said (via NHRA):

"She was flying on that run. We really needed that, we needed a solid run. We didn't get to end there on the first run. We had no power, car shut off. And this one we needed, it's four wide here... 341. That's awesome to have that top speed some like that for this HendrickCars.com team, we're all really excited about that." (0:58 onwards)

Backed by HendrickCars.com, she also thanked her crew chief Dave Grubnic and co-crew chief John Collins for the run with the #5 Monster Energy Top Fuel Dragster. The two-time champion had 11,000 horsepower at her disposal, helping her deliver at the 1,000th NHRA Top Fuel race, which will be remembered for years.

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Doug Kalitta dominates qualifying in Brittany Force's record-breaking night

(From bottom) Doug Kalitta, Ida Zetterstrom, Tony Stewart, and Brittany Force in qualification. Source: Imagn

Brittany Force's historic pass was part of an action-packed American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, under the lights at zMAX Dragway. Her incremental times displayed flawless execution reaching 60 feet in 0.848 seconds. She took 2.111 seconds to 330 feet, and a blistering 2.959 seconds to 660 feet, hitting 301.00 mph at the eighth-mile marker.

Despite incredible numbers, Doug Kalitta secured the provisional No. 1 spot with a 3.646 at 333.74 mph. Shawn Langdon followed closely with a 3.665 at 333.33 mph, while Force’s 3.667-second, 341.59-mph run placed her third. Shawn Reed rounded out the top four with a 3.703 at 329.75 mph.

Kalitta praised teammate Langdon's effort, highlighting the synergy in the Kalitta Motorsports camp (via NHRA):

"Right now, my car is running incredibly well. Shawn Langdon ended up second, so both our cars are running really well. Alan (Johnson) and Brian (Husen, crew chiefs) and all our guys, and Connie (Kalitta, team owner) is definitely giving us everything we need."

Fellow competitor Tony Stewart also posted strong numbers, with a 60-foot time of 0.839 seconds, 2.117 to 330 feet, and 2.976 to 660 feet at 294.24 mph, demonstrating the high level of competition at the event.

Qualifying for the American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte resumes on Saturday, April 26, at 12:30 p.m. ET, promising more fireworks as racers vie for top positions ahead of race day.