NHRA: A Family Affair for Force

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Fans, sponsors, family and team members all wanted a piece of John Force Saturday afternoon at Bristol Dragway.

With the final round of qualifying for the O’Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals just a couple hours away, Force could have easily retired to the comfort of his transporter to relax.

Even though Force was feeling the pain of last year’s gruesome crash at the Texas Motorplex, the 14-time world Funny Car champion still took time to promote his sport.

Welcome to the world of an icon.

“You learn to go to the ropes where the people are,” Force said. “Hell, half the time they don’t even know you lost or made a mistake.”

In Force’s world, the job of ambassador is just as vital as driver. The hours may be long and the questions are often old, yet Force accepts his duties and thrives.

“I saw [Richard] Petty do it, I saw [Dale] Earnhardt do it … as grumpy as he was he would always give an autograph,” Force said. “And never ever go by a wheel chair or older couples. Always take the time to talk, because they can’t get to you.”

Force has stressed the importance of public relations to his daughter and drag racing’s future icon, Ashley Force.

“The fans come to Ashley in groves, and I tell her to go to them,” Force said.

Thanks to reality shows, highlight packages and various media appearances, even the average sports fan is familiar with Force and his multifaceted saga.

Whether you like drag racing or not, you have to be fascinated by the journey of a guy who grew up in a trailer park, drove a truck for a living and then struggled for years to make a name in his favorite sport.

“We’ve got four good hot rods now,” said Force, of his John Force Racing team. “I’m very proud that we’ve stayed together and worked through last year’s hard times.”

Those hard times featured Force’s 300-miles-per-hour crash in Texas which left Force with a broken ankle, foot and hand.

Competing against longtime rival Kenny Bernstein, Force’s car basically broke in half during the crash. Force remained in the cockpit as the rest of his car skidded across the track.

That incident, which came just six months after the death of Force protégé Eric Medlen during a test session, has since been replayed hundreds of times.

After a grueling 27-day rehab period, the 59-year-old Force emerged intact and resumed guiding his empire.

“With the loss of Eric and then me getting hurt, it was just a gut-wrenching year but the technology and safety advances that have come out of all that have been great,” Force said.

“I give [Medlen] credit for saving my life. My crash at Dallas was as bad or worse than Eric’s, and yet I never even had a head injury because of the roll cage and all the stuff we learned form Eric’s crash.”

The script from the recent NHRA event at Atlanta Dragway was straight out of Disney, as the 25-year-old Ashley defeated her father to become the first female winner in NHRA Funny Car history.

“For our sport, and all sports, it’s good to see a woman evolve and win her category,” Force said.

“With Danica Patrick winning in Japan, I was really proud of Ashley. I was probably racing for 15 years before I finally got a win, but I didn’t have the team that I have and I didn’t have the financing, so she has Castrol behind her and Ford, so she’s doing real well.”

The family passion may be a bit unique and dangerous, but Force enjoys sharing his secrets and passing the torch.

“Out here everyday, I get to be with Ashley and they get to be with dad,” Force said. “Growing up I couldn’t teach my girls to be cheerleaders, sing or play the piano, but I can teach them to drive a race car. And Ashley, she’s pretty dang good. She doesn’t need much teaching; she went to driving school. ”Ashley has her mother’s smile. And I always joke, she looks like her mother and drives like me.”

Long after Saturday’s final qualifying session, Force joined his daughter on the Bristol Dragway track surface for a lengthy photo shoot with a national sports magazine.

To say the least, Force is high-energy and animated. His rambling postrace interviews are legendary within the sport.

“For me, the sky is falling everyday and I drive on the edge, but she’s calm and cool,” Force said. “I’m terrified of [the danger], but Ashley tells me, ‘Dad, you’re the only one nervous; we know the drill.’ And then she goes out there and does it. I’m getting a little bit better at watching her.”

From her driving instincts to her interview skills, Ashley Force has progressed in cool ways. Throw in her covergirl looks, and Ashley has all the makings of a superstar.

“I’m always worried about Ashley, but I’m trying to help her,” Force said. “Sometimes all I do is confuse her. Her and I learn together, but I tell you what, she’s really evolving as a woman.”

While Ashley has found her niche and become a championship contender, her father never relaxes.

“I’m worried sick,” Force said.

The relationship between Force and his wife Laurie was a major component of the reality show “Driving Force” which ran on the Arts and Entertainment network last year.

As is the case with most wives, Laurie usually comes to the starting to watch her husband, daughter and the other two drivers for Team Force.

In this case, the family that races together stays together.

“Back when we first started, [Laurie] worked for us to make a living,” Force said. “She wrote contracts or mixed fuel and packed parachutes and when we starting having children, and when we had Ashley, I had to go on the road by myself because they had to go to school. When you leave your children behind and you win one championship, that’s good. But when you win 14 championships, it becomes an addiction. All of a sudden you don’t know your wife, you don’t know your kids, and you’re like, ‘What happened?’ Then you are paying for college and your kids are doing everything.

“And to get that time back … we’re on a second chance. God gave me a second chance.”
| (276) 645-2544