Who ran a 3.623-second Top Fuel pass at Maple Grove Raceway on September 13, 2019?

Brittany Force ran a 3.623-second Top Fuel pass at Maple Grove Raceway on September 13, 2019.

The run is listed as the Top Fuel elapsed-time record in the National Hot Rod Association’s record table. Top Fuel cars use highly specialized dragsters powered by supercharged V8 engines burning nitromethane-based fuel, and modern NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car records are measured over 1,000 feet rather than the traditional quarter-mile.

Force is part of the prominent John Force racing family and became the second woman to win an NHRA Top Fuel championship, following Shirley Muldowney. Her 2017 title established her among the category’s leading drivers, while her 3.623-second performance demonstrated the combination of launch power, tire traction, engine tuning and track conditions required for a record-setting pass.

A common mix-up is confusing elapsed time with speed. The 3.623 figure is the time taken to cover the measured distance; speed is recorded separately, usually through a speed trap near the finish. The other names listed were major NHRA competitors, but none is the driver attached to this specific pass.