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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 4:58 p.m., Saturday, July 26, 2008

Auto racing: Ashley Force earns No. 1 qualifier in NHRA

Associated Press

SONOMA, Calif. — Ashley Force earned her first career No. 1 qualifier today at the NHRA's FRAM-Autolite Nationals at Infineon Raceway.

The 25-year old daughter of NHRA great John Force had her pass of 4.096 seconds at a top speed of 301.60 mph in her Castrol GTX Ford Mustang from Friday night hold up today.

She will meet No. 16 qualifier Tommy Johnson Jr. in today's eliminations. Force earned her first career victory at Atlanta in April.

The other No. 1 qualifiers were Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Karen Stoffer (Pro Stock Motorcycle). It's the second time in NHRA history that two women qualified No. 1 at the same race. The first pair were Melanie Troxel in Top Fuel and Erica Enders in Pro Stock at Topeka 2006.

The first career No. 1 qualifier for Force came in her 36th career race, 23 better than her father, John, who needed 59 races to earn his first career No. 1 qualifier (Baton Rouge, 1986).