New Technology World

Years later, Robert Hight is back on top.

The Californian won his third NHRA Funny Car Championship in 2019, but had to wait a few years before being able to fight for the title again.

Due to COVID-19, Height has missed all but two races in 2020. Then, when he returned to the sport in 2021, he won only his two races and finished in a disappointing 8th place in the rankings.

But now it looks like Hight is racing for his fourth title. He already has six wins this season and leads the Funny Car standings by 250 points.

Of course, this lead will virtually disappear when the countdown to the championship, the NHRA’s six-race playoff, begins following this weekend’s U.S. Championships in Indianapolis. However, Haidt is proud of his team’s performance this season at John Force Racing and has high hopes for the countdown.

Robert Height. Photo courtesy of NHRA.

“This is what you dream about every year,” Haidt said in an exclusive interview. auto race digest. “Sometimes at Funny Car’s level of competition, you can turn your wildest dreams into reality. I think even winning a race is harder than ever. I’ve made it to several finals.”

After missing most of 2020, Haidt said last year was a very humble season. You must have been hit.

“For 2021, we were all hoping to get back in shape, but that didn’t happen,” Haidt said. I think you’ve tried a lot of things, and it’s had a negative effect on performance.

“But we also learn from things that don’t work in the long run. I spent my time focusing on Takaka.

“We came out swinging and won the first two races. I think we’ve all learned to take things for granted. [going to be] Easy last year. I soon found out that was not the case. ”

The team’s progress in the offseason has clearly paid off, and Hight now has his sights set on the countdown. He may have been a player to beat all his year, but with his points resetting now, there’s no time to rest.

“You have to stay focused, humble and don’t get sidetracked,” Haidt said of the countdown. “Unfortunately, you can have an incredible regular season and win every race.

However, Hight wasn’t the only JFR driver to put together a phenomenal season. On the Top Fuel side, Brittany Force leads the standings with four wins. The duo has a chance to win both the team’s top fuel and funny car championships. This is a feat done in 2017.

“This is probably the best four-car team I’ve ever been in,” Haidt said.

Haidt hopes to win his fourth Funny Car title at the season finale in Pomona this November (maybe not sooner if he dominates the countdown). Hmm), he also hopes to win his fourth U.S. championship this weekend in Indianapolis.

“It’s the biggest race of the year,” Haidt said. “It’s our Daytona 500 or Indy 500.

“(Top Fuel Racing legend ‘Big Daddy’) Don Garlitz once told me, ‘You just won Indy. It’s kind of like the idea of ​​what matters.

“You will win the biggest race of the year and you will be high-riding for the first race of the year. [of the Countdown] in Reading, Pennsylvania. I think it’s important to get out of Indy with some momentum, and I always want to win the biggest race of the year.

“A driver’s career is measured by how many times he wins the championship and Indy. I am lucky to have achieved both. I want another title for each.”

.