Courtney Force Wins NHRA Qualifying Despite Huge Engine Explosion

Blown engines and success usually are mutually exclusive in racing — just ask Fernando Alonso.

But that script was flipped by Courtney Force on Friday.

During her first qualifying attempt for the NHRA New England Nationals in New Hampshire, the 28-year-old force experienced a massive engine explosion in her Advanced Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car. It mattered not, though, as Force still managed to post the top qualifying speed at 331.53 mph.

Despite the ugly incident, Force was able to walk away from wreck, and eventually was cleared by the NHRA medical staff, according to For The Win.

Force’s husband, IndyCar driver Graham Rahal, showed support for his wife in a tweet Saturday.

Those comments came before he won Saturday’s Detroit Grand Prix. After that race, Rahal made his own headlines when he went after Formula One star Lewis Hamilton.