Southern Nationals still a Force family event

COMMERCE – When it comes to winning the Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, few can do it like John Force and family.

Force has captured more Atlanta races than any other competitor except motorcycle rider Dave Schultz, who has eight trophies to Force’s seven. Force’s daughter, Ashley Force Hood, has been to the Funny Car finals in all three of her Atlanta appearances and won in 2008. She also finished first in a Top Alcohol Dragster race in Atlanta in 2006.

This time, it was Force’s son-in-law, Robert Hight, who was the big winner. He beat Ashley, his sister-in-law, off the starting line in the finals and earned his second consecutive Funny Car win.

The Force team was strong from the beginning, with Hood grabbing the No. 1 qualifier spot ahead of Hight, the defending Funny Car champion and second best.

Hight considered the wide-reaching success the Force family has enjoyed at Commerce over the years, including his earlier loss to John Force, but the important thing for everyone was the team was guaranteed a winner once he and Ashley advanced to the finals.

“I was a little nervous going up against Ashley in the finals,” Hight said. “But, no matter what, we couldn’t lose."

John Force came away ranked first the points standings with Hood second and Hight third.

In Top Fuel, No. 1 qualifier Larry Dixon won the final round when Brandon Bernstein turned on the red light by leaving the starting line too soon. It was Dixon’s fourth win of the season and 52nd victory of his career, tying him with the retired Joe Amato for seventh on the all-time list. Dixon didn’t feel worthy to have his name alongside a legend such as Amato.

“He’s a great champion and one of the guys I looked up to when I started,” he said.

In Pro Stock, veteran Jeg Coughlin ran his career victory total to 50, putting him ninth on the career list. He ended a strong Southern Nationals run by Rickie Jones, who began the day as the 15th qualifier but used quick reaction times to make it to the finals. Jones knocked off series points leader and No. 2 qualifier Mike Edwards in the first round; Coughlin beat top qualifier Allen Johnson to reach the final.

Three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Andrew Hines defeated the reigning champion Hector Arana in the finals. Arana, the No. 1 qualifier, had his best Atlanta performance after just one previous round win in 15 years of trying.

The local drivers in the professional classes were eliminated in the early rounds. Alpharetta’s Bob Vandergriff Jr., the No. 8 qualifier in Top Fuel, was the first driver ousted on Sunday morning when he was beaten by T.J. Zizzo. Another local driver, Buford’s Warren Johnson, was knocked out in the first round of Pro Stock. As the last of 16 qualifiers, Warren Johnson faced the No. 1 entry, Allen Johnson, who was no relation. Allen Johnson knocked out Warren Johnson’s son, Kurt, in the quarterfinals.