Ashley Force Hood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ashley Force Hood |
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Force at SEMA in 2007
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| Born | Ashley Corinne Force November 29, 1982 Yorba Linda, California, U.S. |
| Retired | 2011 |
| Related to | John Force (father) Laurie Force (mother) Daniel Hood (husband) Adria Hight (sister) Courtney Force (sister) Brittany Force (sister) Robert Hight (ex brother-in-law) Graham Rahal (brother-in-law) Autumn Hight (niece) Jacob and Noah Hood (sons) Harlan Rahal (niece) Tinley Rahal (niece) |
| National Hot Rod Association | |
| Years active | 2007–2010 |
| Teams | John Force Racing |
Ashley Corinne Force Hood (born November 29, 1982) is an American former professional drag racing driver. She competed in the NHRA's Funny Car division. Ashley is the daughter of John Force, a legendary 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion.
Ashley made history in drag racing. On April 27, 2008, she became the first woman to win a Funny Car race in the NHRA's top professional category. She defeated her own father in the final round at the NHRA Summit Southern Nationals in Georgia. Ashley retired from competitive racing in 2011 to focus on her family. She now works as the President of John Force Entertainment.
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Drag Racing Career Highlights
Ashley Force Hood began her drag racing journey in 2004. She started in the Top Alcohol Dragster class. As a rookie, she quickly showed her talent. She won three of the last five races that season.
One of her big wins was at the 50th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. She also won the season-ending event in Pomona, California. At that race, she shared the winner's circle with her father, John Force. This was a special moment, as they were the first father-daughter duo to win at the same NHRA event. Ashley finished her rookie year ranked fourth in national driver points.
Moving to Funny Car in 2007
In 2007, Ashley Force moved up to the professional ranks. She began driving a Castrol-sponsored Mustang Top Fuel Funny Car. This car was part of her father's team, John Force Racing.
In April 2007, Ashley and her father made NHRA history in Atlanta. They became the first father and daughter to race against each other. Ashley won that round, reaching a top speed of 317.05 miles per hour. She advanced to the semifinals, which was the best finish for a female Funny Car driver at that time. Later in October 2007, she became the first female to compete in a national Funny Car final round.
Historic Wins in 2008
The 2008 racing season was a breakthrough year for Ashley Force Hood. She reached the final round in three races in a row: Houston, Las Vegas, and Atlanta. At Las Vegas, she became the first female racer ever to lead the NHRA Funny Car point standings.
Her biggest moment came on April 27, 2008, in Atlanta. Ashley faced her father, John Force, in the final round. John was trying to get his 1000th career round win. However, Ashley won the race, earning her first-ever NHRA Funny Car victory. This made her the first woman to win in the Funny Car class.
Continued Success in 2009
Ashley Force Hood continued her winning streak in 2009. On March 29, she secured her second career event win at the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals. She beat her former instructor, Jack Beckman, in the finals.
Later that year, at the U.S. Nationals, Ashley beat her teammate Robert Hight. This win was very significant. It made her the first female Funny Car driver to win at Indianapolis. She also became the first female driver to win in two different racing classes. Ashley finished the 2009 season ranked second in points. This was the highest finish ever for a woman in Funny Car history.
New Role and Family in 2011
On January 25, 2011, Ashley Force Hood announced a big change. She would become the President of John Force Entertainment. This is a part of John Force Racing that creates media projects and products. At the same time, she shared that she and her husband were expecting their first child.
Because of her pregnancy, Ashley took a break from racing for the 2011 season. Her father, John Force, drove her Castrol GTX Ford car in competitions. Her sister, Courtney Force, also became a driver for the team.
Life After Racing
After her son was born, Ashley Force Hood officially retired from competitive driving. She continued her role as President of John Force Entertainment. In 2014, she did some test driving for John Force Racing. She drove her sister Courtney's Funny Car during a testing session. This allowed her to renew her NHRA Funny Car license. This means she can test cars or be a backup driver if needed.
Television Appearances
Ashley Force Hood and her family were featured on a reality TV show. The show was called Driving Force and aired on the A&E Network from 2006 to 2007. It showed the daily lives of John Force, his wife Laurie, and their daughters Ashley, Brittany, and Courtney. The series highlighted their careers in the exciting world of drag racing.
Personal Life and Interests
Ashley has two younger sisters, Courtney and Brittany, who are also drag racers. She also has an older half-sister named Adria. On December 13, 2008, Ashley married Daniel Hood in Lake Tahoe. Daniel worked as the parts manager for her racing team. After getting married, she became known as Ashley Force Hood. On August 18, 2011, Ashley and Daniel welcomed their first son, Jacob John Hood.
Ashley attended Esperanza High School in Anaheim, California, where she was a cheerleader. She later graduated from California State University, Fullerton, in 2003. She earned a degree in communications, focusing on television and video. In 2007, an AOL Sports Poll voted her the "Hottest Athlete." She even beat famous athletes like Tom Brady and Danica Patrick.
Ashley Force Hood and her husband own two American Bobtail cats named Simba and Gizmo. Their cats were featured on Animal Planet's show Cats 101 in 2010. Today, Ashley is a director and runs her own production studio, John Force Entertainment. She creates new videos every week for her fans, which can be found on YouTube.
