John Force facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John Force |
|
|---|---|
Force at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024
|
|
| Born | May 4, 1949 Bell Gardens, California, U.S. |
| Related to |
|
| NHRA Funny Car career | |
| Current team | John Force Racing PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Car no. | 7 (2024) |
| Crew chief | Danny Hood |
| Championships | 17 (16 in NHRA, 1 in AHRA) |
| Wins | 157 (NHRA) |
| Fastest laps |
|
| Championship titles | |
| 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2013 |
16 NHRA Championships (see left) 1 AHRA Championship (1984) |
| Last updated on: May 27, 2024. | |
John Harold Force (born May 4, 1949) is a famous American drag racer. He competes in the NHRA. John Force is a champion in the exciting Funny Car category. He has won 16 NHRA championships as a driver. He also won one championship in the AHRA series.
Force is also a successful car owner. His team, John Force Racing (JFR), has won 22 championships. He is one of the most successful drag racers ever. He has an amazing 157 career victories. John Force is known as "The First Family of Drag Racing." This is because his daughters also race. They are Ashley Force Hood, Brittany Force, and Courtney Force.
Contents
John Force: Drag Racing Legend
Early Life and Family
John Force was born in Bell Gardens, California. This is a suburb of Los Angeles. As a child, he lived in many different places. He lived in logging camps and trailer parks. John also survived childhood polio. His mother and family helped him recover.
He played football in high school. He also went to Cerritos College. John has five older brothers and sisters. His younger sister, Dana, was born much later. Many family members still go to NHRA events. They cheer for John and his team.
Early Racing Career (1978–2004)
John Force started driving Funny Cars in 1971. His first car was a Mustang called Night Stalker. He drove different car brands early on. These included Corvette, Monza, and Oldsmobile. In 1997, he started driving Fords. He switched to Chevrolet in 2014.
In 1985, John Force won the ADRA World Finals. This was in Spokane, Washington. He beat Johnny West in the final race. This win helped him make his mark in drag racing.
Between 1987 and 1996, Force was incredibly successful. He won 67 NHRA national events. He also won six World Championships. In 1996, he won 13 races out of 19. This was one of the best Funny Car seasons ever. His success continued for many years. He won ten NHRA Funny Car World Championships in a row. This was from 1993 to 2002.
In 1992, Cruz Pedregon won the championship. He beat Force that year. John Force got a major sponsor, Castrol Motor Oil, in 1986. This helped him become even more successful. He won many championships with their support. This partnership lasted until 2014.
In 2000, John Force earned the nickname "Brute Force." This was because of his powerful wins. He even had an unsponsored car named "Brute Force" early in his career. John Force also appeared on the TV show King of the Hill in 2004.
Later Success and Challenges (2005–2007)
In 2005, Force won five events. He finished third in the championship. In 2006, he won his 14th NHRA Funny Car Championship. He beat Ron Capps to secure the title. He also won the event, his 122nd career victory.
The year 2007 was tough for Force. He had a crash at a race in Texas. He was injured and needed medical care. He broke an ankle and dislocated a wrist. Despite this, he won two races that year. He also helped develop new safety features.
Safety Innovations and Team Growth (2008–2012)
After a serious accident involving another driver, Scott Kalitta, John Force became very involved in safety. He worked with other champions. They helped create a sensor for engines. This sensor automatically shuts down the fuel pump. It also deploys parachutes if the engine backfires. This helps prevent serious accidents. This safety device became mandatory in 2009.
Force also helped develop a new brake handle. This made it easier for drivers to apply the brakes. Even though he didn't win championships in 2008 and 2009, he was important for driver safety.
In 2009, his teammate Robert Hight won the championship. This made Force the winningest car owner in NHRA history. In 2010, Force celebrated 25 years with his sponsor. He also celebrated 34 years in NHRA. He won the season opener in Pomona, California. He went on to win his 15th NHRA Championship that year. He became the oldest NHRA champion ever.
In 2012, John Force welcomed his fourth driver. This was his daughter, Courtney Force. She was a former Top Alcohol Dragster champion. Courtney won the NHRA Road to the Future Rookie of the Year award. She even beat her father in their first race against each other.
New Sponsors and More Championships (2013–Present)
In 2013, John's daughter Ashley retired from full-time racing. John decided to try something new. He entered a Top Fuel car for the first time. His daughter Brittany drove it.
In 2013, John Force won his 16th NHRA Funny Car Championship. He beat his daughter Courtney in the final race. This was a special moment for the family. In 2014, Ford Motor Company and Castrol left as sponsors. But John Force quickly found new partners. In 2015, he teamed up with Chevrolet and Peak Antifreeze.
In 2016, John debuted a new Chevrolet Camaro SS body. He won four races that season. In 2017, his daughter Brittany won the Top Fuel championship. His son-in-law Robert Hight won the Funny Car championship. This showed the strength of John Force Racing.
In 2019, John Force achieved his 150th career win. This was at the Northwest Nationals in Seattle. He beat Ron Capps in a thrilling race. He also won the U.S. Nationals that year.
In 2020, his team paused racing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They returned in 2021. Force won three events that year. In 2022, he won the 4-Wide Nationals. In 2024, he won the Arizona Nationals. He also won at New England Dragway. This was his 157th victory.
In June 2024, Force had another crash. His engine exploded during a run. He was injured but is expected to recover.
Achievements and Awards
John Force has many amazing achievements:
- He was named "Driver of the Year" in 1996. He was the first drag racer to receive this honor.
- He has 157 wins in his career. He was the first driver to reach 100 wins.
- He was the first NHRA drag racer to complete a quarter-mile in under five seconds. This happened in 1993.
- He is a 16-time NHRA champion driver. He is also a 22-time champion owner.
- He is ranked #2 on the NHRA Top 50 Drivers list. Only Don Garlits is ranked higher.
- He and his daughter Ashley were the first father/daughter pair to race against each other. Ashley won that first race in 2008.
- He holds the record for most consecutive championship seasons. He won 10 in a row from 1993 to 2002.
- He has the most event #1 qualifications in NHRA history, with 161.
- He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2008.
Championships Won
- 1984 AHRA Funny Car Champion
- 1985 ADRA Funny Car WORLD FINALS Champion
- 1990 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 1991 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 1993 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 1994 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 1995 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 1996 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 1997 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 1998 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 1999 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 2000 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 2001 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 2002 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 2003 NHRA Champion Owner (Tony Pedregon, Funny Car)
- 2004 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 2006 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 2009 NHRA Champion Owner (Robert Hight, Funny Car)
- 2010 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 2013 NHRA Funny Car Champion
- 2017 NHRA Champion Owner (Brittany Force, Top Fuel)
- 2017 NHRA Champion Owner (Robert Hight, Funny Car)
- 2019 NHRA Champion Owner (Robert Hight, Funny Car)
- 2022 NHRA Champion Owner (Brittany Force, Top Fuel)
- 2024 NHRA Champion Owner (Austin Prock, Funny Car)
Driving Force TV Show
John Force and his family were featured on a reality TV show. It was called Driving Force on A&E. The show featured John, his wife Laurie, and his daughters Ashley, Courtney, and Brittany. It gave viewers a look into their lives and racing careers.
Images for kids
-
The John Force Racing shop
-
John Force's Peak Chevrolet Funny Car
-
John Force and NHRA Coin creator Joshua Dixon at the 2021 Winternationals
See also
- Ford Racing
