AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla. Post-Event Wrap-Up

 

Top Fuel Runner-Up: Shawn Langdon, Kalitta Air Careers Dragster

Finals Broadcast Replay (eastern time): 3-6 p.m. Wednesday, March 12 on FS2

 

Qualifying: Shawn Langdon was the No. 3 qualifier at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. During the opening round of qualifying Friday afternoon, Langdon and his teammate, Doug Kalitta made nearly identical passes with both reaching the finish line in 3.690 seconds. Langdon’s speed was 335.23 mph, seven miles per hour faster than Kalitta, giving him the No. 3 qualifying position with Kalitta fourth. Rain canceled Saturday’s qualifying sessions.

 

Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout: Due to persistent Saturday rain showers, the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout was postponed until Saturday, March 29 in Pomona, Calif. On Friday, Langdon, who is the third seed for the event, “called out” his opponent for the first round of the event. He will race reigning Top Fuel champion Antron Brown when the event begins.  

 

Eliminations: Langdon defeated Justin Ashley, Tony Stewart and Jasmine Salinas before losing to Antron Brown in a brilliant all-Toyota final round. Brown’s 3.673-second run at 333.99 mph was good enough to beat Langdon’s 3.684 second-effort at 332.67 mph by .0218 seconds.

 

When Langdon advanced to the semifinals, he earned a spot in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at the next race near Phoenix. During Saturday’s qualifying sessions, the drivers who reached the semifinals in Gainesville will re-run the semifinals and final earning additional purse and championship bonus points. 

 

Unofficial Point Standings: Langdon leaves Gainesville in second place in the NHRA Top Fuel point standings. He trails points leader Antron Brown by 22 points and leads third-place Steve Torrence by 24 points.

 

Langdon on Gainesville: “The Kalitta Air Careers team had a great weekend – the car qualified well and ran well on race day. Obviously, there were a lot of weather delays; it was a tough weekend, and the track was tough. We got behind with only two qualifying rounds, but we tested well last month so we were prepared - the car was making good runs. All in all, we have nothing to hang our heads about; we had a great final round against Antron – that was a championship-caliber run right there. I’m never happy to lose, but I can handle losing a good race like that. It was an awesome race for Kalitta Air, Dayco, Fifth Third Bank, Revchem and all the great companies that support us. We’re looking forward to going to Phoenix. We have a great race car right now so all is good.” 

 

Langdon Photo Caption: Kalitta Air Careers Crew Chief Brian Husen, right, Car Chief Justin Groat, middle and Matt Urcan, left, prepare the Kalitta Air Careers dragster for Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals competition in Gainesville, Fla. (Photo Courtesy: NHRA)

 

Doug Kalitta, Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster

Finals Broadcast Replay (eastern time): 3-6 p.m. Wednesday, March 12 on FS2

 

Qualifying: Doug Kalitta was the No. 4 qualifier at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. During the opening round of qualifying Friday afternoon, Kalitta and his teammate, Shawn Langdon made nearly identical passes with both reaching the finish line in 3.690 seconds. Kalitta’s speed was 328.78 mph, seven miles per hour slower than Langdon, giving him the No. 4 qualifying position with Langdon third. Rain canceled Saturday’s qualifying sessions.

 

Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout: Due to persistent Saturday rain showers, the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout was postponed until Saturday, March 29 in Pomona, Calif. On Friday, Kalitta, who is the second seed for the event, “called out” his opponent for the first round of the event. He will race Clay Millican when the event begins.  

 

Eliminations: Kalitta defeated Ida Zetterstrom in a tire-smoking first-round battle. The 2023 Top Fuel champ faced Steve Torrence in the second round. Kalitta left the starting line first and was leading Torrence when a fuel system malfunction caused engine failure allowing Torrence to drive around Kalitta for the win.

 

Unofficial Point Standings: Kalitta leaves Gainesville in fifth place in the NHRA Top Fuel point standings. He trails fourth-place Jasmine Salinas by 15 points and leads sixth-place Clay Millican by four points following the season’s first race.

 

Kalitta on Gainesville: “Something with our fuel system was acting up, and the Mac Tools car just never got the fuel it needed for that run - it was one of those deals. We’ve had a lot of good runs, and this is a really good car so I’m pretty excited for Mac Tools, Fifth Third Bank, SealMaster, Toyota – everyone that helps us out – for where we are right now. We’ll just have to lick our wounds until we get to the next race.”

 

Doug Kalitta Photo Courtesy: Gary Nastase/Mac Tools

 

J.R. Todd, DHL Funny Car

Finals Broadcast Replay (eastern time): 3-6 p.m. Wednesday, March 12 on FS2

 

Qualifying: J.R. Todd was the No. 11 qualifier at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. With qualifying shortened to only two rounds due to Saturday rain, Todd’s best qualifying attempt came late Friday when he made a 4.052-second pass at 265.17 mph.

 

Eliminations: Todd, new Crew Chief Dickie Venables and the rest of the DHL Toyota team endured a long wait to officially open the 2025 season making their first pass of the year some five hours after racing began due to rain showers followed by a power outage affecting all of Alachua County. When Todd’s time finally came, a battle of two tire-smoking cars ensued. Todd and Bob Bode both pedaled their respective cars multiple times before Bode’s regained traction allowing him to win the race.

 

Unofficial Point Standings: Todd leaves Gainesville tied with Terry Haddock for 12^th place in in the NHRA Funny Car point standings. The two trail 11^th place Cruz Pedregon by one point following the season’s opening race.

 

Todd on Gainesville: “As a driver, you hate to lose like that; I need to be a little more patient letting the DHL car calm down and do a better job rolling back into the throttle. I’m always mad at myself not coming out on the winning end of those. Track conditions definitely weren’t ideal, but it was the same for everybody. We’re still getting our DHL GR Supra dialed in with this new setup, and we all know it’s gonna take some time - it’s a process. We’ll be ready to take the next step in a couple weeks in Phoenix. Thanks to DHL, Dayco, Revchem, SealMaster – all the people who help get this car on the track.”

 

J.R. Todd Photo Courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports

 

Next Race: Team Kalitta will be back in action March 21-23, 2025 at the NHRA Arizona Nationals in Chandler, Ariz. For additional information, please visit www.nhra.com.  For additional information on Kalitta Motorsports, please visit www.teamkalitta.com. 

 

# # #

 

Contact:     Rob Goodman, Kalitta Motorsports                                          

                    E-mail: rob@3-gsports.com

 

Copyright © 2025 3-G Sports, LLC, All rights reserved.

John Force Racing - Gainesville 2025 Race Recap - JFR CHEVIES OUT EARLY IN RAIN-PLAGUED GATORS

 

Team Anxious to Get Back on Track with Upcoming Races at Phoenix, Pomona GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 9, 2 Photography: John Force Racing / Auto Imagery / Gary Nastase  Team Anxious to Get Back on Track with Upcoming Races at Phoenix, Pomona GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 9, 2025) – At the end of a rain-plagued 56th annual NHRA Gatornationals in which neither of the three John Force Racing drivers advanced beyond the second round, the mood was surprisingly upbeat Sunday as the team packed up for a trip back to its Brownsburg, Ind., shop prior to races in Phoenix, Ariz., and Pomona, Calif. “Rough weekend to start the year,” admitted reigning Mission Foods Funny Car World Champion Austin Prock after losing a first-round duel with Bob Tasca III. “The rear end blowing up (on the first qualifying run) really just put us behind the eight ball along with Mother Nature not being on our side.    “We were all confident going up there this morning and figured we could make a nice run and get it down (the track),” he said. “Honestly, I thought (that) even if Tasca and I both smoked the tires, we would be able to get the job done but, when it spun the tires, it disconnected the throttle and then the safety system got it (slowing the usually potent Cornwell Tools Chevy to a pedestrian 13.050 seconds at just 56.62 miles per hour).   “Not the outing we wanted, but I know there’s performance in this Prock Rocket,” said the 2019 tour Rookie of the Year. “I’m looking forward to going back to the shop and regrouping and going for a win in Phoenix.”   Jack Beckman, who started from the No. 1 position for the first time since taking over the seat of Force’s PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet SS last August, was the only JFR driver to survive the first round but even he was bounced in the second by four-time former World Champ Matt Hagan.   “It was an odd weekend,” said the two-time World Champion. “And it’s one of the ones JFR is not going to look back on fondly, but the silver lining is we got a lot of good data. We got to test Wednesday, we were No. 1 qualifier both sessions, we maxed out the qualifying points and we got a round win on what was an incredibly tricky racetrack.    “Without lane choice second round, it was almost like going up there with a strike-and-a- half against us,” he said. “But that’s alright. We will persevere.  We know that we have great data for the upcoming races, and I can’t wait to roll into Phoenix because our first win and John Force Racing’s 300th Funny Car win is going to come soon.”   Brittany Force, who was similarly optimistic after an impressive pre-Gatornationals test, echoed the sentiments of her teammates after losing to Tony Stewart in the first round when her Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster lost traction at the first hit of the throttle. She was ahead at 60 feet, but little went right after that.   “Overall, it’s not the way our Monster team wanted to start the season,” acknowledged the two-time Top Fuel World Champ. “But we still have a lot of races ahead of us. This David Grubnic/John Collins-run team is going to be strong this season. Our performance has shown to have picked up where we left off last season and this new crew works really well together.    “We were all very proud to run 302.69 mph to the 1/8th mile during testing (the fastest speed ever at that distance), but after only two qualifying runs we ended up sixth (in the Gatornationals qualifying order). We may have overcompensated (in the first round) because we were afraid it might shake and, unfortunately, we smoked early.    “But we know where the mistakes were made and will use it to learn and move forward,” she said. “We have a good team and a good racecar and I’m excited to see what we can accomplish in Phoenix.”   The team’s namesake, still under treatment for the Traumatic Brain Injury he suffered last June in Richmond, Va., but back on tour to support his teams and corporate partners PEAK, Cornwell, Chevrolet, Monster Energy and HendrickCars.com, was similarly optimistic.   “Our cars qualified okay,” said the 157-time NHRA tour winner. “We didn’t get very many rounds, but I was excited just to be here and I know we've got some great teams." Media Contact: PublicRelations@JohnForceRacing.com

PROCK, BECKMAN GO 1-2 ON FIRST DAY AT BRADENTON

 

THURSDAY RECAP - Bradenton

 

PRO Superstar Shootout Photography: John Force Racing / Auto Imagery / Gary Nastase

Brittany Takes Monster Chevy to Provisional No. 2 Spot at PRO Superstar Shootout BRADENTON, Fla. (Feb. 5, 2025) – Three months after winning the NHRA Mission Foods Championship in his first season in a nitro Funny Car, Austin Prock showed no signs of a sophomore swoon Thursday as he powered the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS to the provisional No. 1 qualifying position for Saturday’s second PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park.   The 29-year-old son of Cornwell crew chief Jimmy Prock stopped the timers in 3.816 seconds at 332.84 miles per hour, just a couple of ticks off the track record-topping 3.805 he put on the board during testing on Wednesday.  Second best Thursday was JFR teammate “Fast Jack” Beckman, who coaxed the also brand-new PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevy to a time of 3.836 seconds at 329.99 mph.   Not to be outdone, two-time Top Fuel World Champion Brittany Force also turned in a stellar opening day performance, qualifying her Monster Energy Chevrolet No. 2 behind only defending event champion Doug Kalitta.  Kalitta grabbed the top spot at 3.658 seconds, 332.84 mph with Brittany just a couple of clicks behind at 3.675, 334.15 mph.   “Pretty solid start to qualifying,” said the second youngest of John Force’s racing daughters.  “Car went right down the racetrack and it did exactly what we wanted it to do.  So, we feel really good going into tomorrow.  Now we can really push and see what we can get away with going into race day.”   Three rounds of qualifying Friday will set the eight-car lineups for Saturday eliminations in the biggest drag race outside of the Mission Series.   “We backed it down a little,” Prock said of a run that was quickest at every increment.  “It’s tough to say that when you run 3.81, but we just wanted to make sure it went down the racetrack and it was a nice, safe run to get us locked in the show.  That way we can have three opportunities to learn tomorrow.    “We have a morning session, an afternoon session and an evening session, so a lot to be learned and we’re in a good place to do that,” said the man who won the inaugural Superstar Shootout in his very first race as a Funny Car driver.    “Really proud of this team,” he continued.  “That was quite the hectic run. When we closed the body for the burnout, the windshield was completely fogged over.  I couldn’t see on the burnout (but) they wiped it off and it was about fifty or sixty percent cleared up when I was staging.  I was going to stand on the gas regardless.  It’s not the first time I’ve driven with a fogged windshield.   “This racetrack has a lot of grip, and if you do a little hack-sawing on the wheel, it can take it most of the time. So, I got it down there.  It wasn’t the prettiest, but definitely locked us in at No. 1.”   Beckman, making his first competitive appearance in the Shootout after serving as the color commentator at last year’s event, also was pleased with the first few runs he has made in the PEAK Chevy as he prepares to chase the championship over the course of an entire season for the first time since 2020.   “So cool,” said the 2012 NHRA Funny Car champ.  “Thursday. Night session.  Last pair of Funny Cars, the No. 1 and 2 cars in the country last year and we go to No. 1 and 2 in qualifying. Our PEAK Chevy SS was awesome. It did everything we wanted it to do and there’s more in it for tomorrow night.”   For Brittany, Thursday’s performance was particularly important.  A year ago, she posted a quick time in testing, just as she did this year, but in 2024 she wasn’t able to repeat during qualifying and ultimately failed to make the starting lineup.  She and crew chiefs David Grubnic and John Collins were determined not to follow that same path this time around.     “We want to obviously redeem ourselves from last year,” Grubnic said.  “We want to keep the momentum going on how we finished the season.  So, for right now, we just have to make sure we keep crossing our T’s and dotting our I’s.”

Media Contact:

PublicRelations@JohnForceRacing.com

TODD, DHL TEAM READY TO RETURN TO “LATER ROUNDS”

YPSILANTI, Mich. (July 16, 2024) – J.R. Todd and his DHL GR Supra team know that racing in the later rounds on Sunday is the key to drag racing success – now they want to get back to them. The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Season resumes July 19-21, 2024 at the NHRA Northwest Nationals in Kent, Wash.

           

At seven of the 10 races this season, Todd reached at least the semifinals including a win at the season-opening race and final-round appearances at Charlotte and Bristol, Tenn. All three of the races at which he did not reach the semifinals were in the last five events including each of the last two. That said, the team qualified No. 2 in Norwalk, Ohio one race ago so the issue, as it has been for some time, is something for which all teams strive: consistency. 

            “The DHL GR Supra team has had some great moments this year,” Todd said. “But we’ve also had some not-so-great moments, and that goes back to us needing to make consistent runs every time we go down the race track. That’s a hump we just can’t seem to get over. I’ve been saying all season that if you get into the Mission Foods deal, you’re reaching the semifinals and getting to those later rounds. We’ve raced in a lot of the Mission deals this year and won it twice - now we just need to get back to it.”

            The DHL team raced in the Mission Foods Challenge seven times this season winning the Saturday event in both Phoenix and Chicago. It’s a good barometer of success if one’s goal is racing in the later rounds. That’s something Todd and team did well on the western swing last season. The 2018 Funny Car champion advanced to the final round in Seattle, his second Seattle final round in as many seasons, won the Mission Foods Challenge in Sonoma the next week and then won the Sonoma race the next day. Warm race tracks are generally good for the DHL GR Supra team, and each of the next two races on this year’s western swing should fall into that category. 

“When it gets hot and tricky, that’s where this DHL Toyota team generally runs well,” Todd said. “I expect it to be warm in Seattle like it usually is, and that’s usually the kind of conditions when we run well so I’m looking forward to getting there. 

“We’re getting to the point now where it’s getting later in the year, and you have to start looking towards Indy and the Countdown when points matter. We’re fifth in points, but we need to get back to making semifinals and finals on a regular basis to make sure we don’t slide back. You definitely want to put some space between yourself and the guys behind you, but you also don’t want to let the guys in front of you get too far away. We’re going to Seattle where we’ve had some success so hopefully, we can take those notes, get some consistency and leave there with a trophy.”

 

 

Race Information: 

NHRA Northwest Nationals 

Pacific Raceways; Kent, Wash. 

 

TV Schedule (All times eastern):    

7. Qualifying Show 1: 10:30 p.m.-Midnight Friday, July 19 on FS1

8. Qualifying Show 2: 1-3 p.m. Sunday, July 21 on FS1

9. Finals: 4-7 p.m. Sunday, July 21 on FOX

 

2023 NHRA Nationals Recap: Qualified No. 5; defeated Alex Laughlin, Cruz Pedregon and Chad Green before losing to Tim Wilkerson in the final round.    

 

Funny Car Career Stats: 308 events, 21 wins, 26 runner-up, 342 round wins, 14 No. 1 qualifiers.

 

2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Results To Date (wins in italics):

Gainesville: Qualified No. 6; defeated Blake Alexander, Ron Capps, Bob Tasca and Austin Prock. 

Pomona: Qualified No. 11; defeated Cruz Pedregon and Paul Lee; lost to Matt Hagan. 

Phoenix: Qualified No. 5; defeated Cruz Pedregon and John Force before losing to Austin Prock. 

Las Vegas 4W: Qualified No. 3; defeated D. Wilkerson, D. Richards before losing to M. Hagan and R. Capps

Charlotte 4W: Qualified No. 12; defeated Ron Capps and Buddy Hull in the first round, Cruz Pedregon and John Force in the semifinals before beating John Force but losing to Matt Hagan and Daniel Wilkerson in the final round. 

Chicago: Qualified No. 12; lost to Alexis DeJoria. 

Epping: Qualified No. 3; defeated Dave Richards and Bob Tasca before losing to John Force. 

Bristol: Qualified No. 11; defeated Terry Haddock, Ron Capps, John Force; lost to Austin Prock. 

Richmond: Qualified No. 7; lost to Matt Hagan. 

Norwalk: Qualified No. 2; defeated Chris King; lost to Ron Capps. 

 

Note: All Images Courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports/Gary Nastase

 

Contact:     Rob Goodman, Kalitta Motorsports                                                  

                    E-mail: rob@3-gsports.com

 

Copyright © 2024 3-G Sports, LLC, All rights reserved

DOUG KALITTA, MAC TOOLS TEAM LOOK TO EXTEND FINAL-ROUND STREAK

 YPSILANTI, Mich. (July 16, 2024) – Doug Kalitta and his Mac Tools Toyota team have an impressive streak underway, and they want nothing more than to keep it going. The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Season resumes July 19-21, 2024 at the NHRA Northwest Nationals in Kent, Wash.

In the last four races, Kalitta has two wins in four final rounds, and on the strength of that recent streak, the reigning Top Fuel champion is back where he was when the 2023 season ended: atop the point standings.

“The guys are all working away – staying with everything that needs to happen to keep what they’re doing going,” Kalitta said. “We did a little testing in the off week so we’re staying active with what we’re doing and trying to stay in the groove with what we need to do.”

One year ago, Kalitta entered this event mired in ninth place in the NHRA Top Fuel point standings. He was enduring a long winless streak and was in search of his 50^th-career win – as he had been for multiple seasons. He would get that 50^th win in Reading, Pa., last September and go on to win the 2023 NHRA Top Fuel title on the strength of three wins in the six Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoff races. Fast forward to today, and Kalitta has three wins in six final rounds in the first 10 races of the season.

“It’s definitely a hell of a team effort after everything we’ve gone through to get where we are now,” Kalitta added. “Obviously, our leader, (Crew Chief) Alan Johnson, has been in this position a number of times with different drivers over the years, and it’s cool to see it happen on my car. It’s pretty cool, really, but again, he leads the charge, and all these guys are working on this Mac Tools car making sure it’s put together correctly, consistently; it’s one of those things that takes everybody to make it happen. It’s been fun going rounds and collecting these points trying to get to the end of the regular season. Running really, really well after Indy (U.S. Nationals, final race of the regular season) is definitely our goal to put ourselves in position to have a shot at winning another one of these things. You have to stay in your routine and don’t overthink it. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

New at Pacific Raceways this weekend is a schedule change on Friday to accommodate for the sun shining directly in the drivers’ eyes on the race track that’s oriented east-to-west. Because of the sun, Friday-night qualifying has never been an option at Pacific Raceways, but this year, the track will have a long break between the first and second qualifying sessions. After the first session at 4:15, the schedule takes a nearly five-hour break to allow the sun to set. After a concert, nitro qualifying will resume at 9:15 under the lights. 

“It sounds like a really long day because we typically fly in from Detroit that morning, but actually, to be able to run at night at any of these tracks is worth the wait; it’ll be good,” Kalitta said. “They’re doing a heck of a job at that facility. Pacific Raceways is one of the smaller places we go, but with the sweat equity that goes into that place, you can just tell it’s a special place for the people who own it and their fans. They’re definitely working to improve it every year. It’s tough racing towards the sunset so it’s good they’re going to wait it out this year.” 

 

Race Information:

NHRA Northwest Nationals

Pacific Raceways; Kent, Wash.

 

TV Schedule (All times eastern):   

1. Qualifying Show 1: 10:30 p.m.-Midnight Friday, July 19 on FS1
2. Qualifying Show 2: 1-3 p.m. Sunday, July 21 on FS1
3. Finals: 4-7 p.m. Sunday, July 21 on FOX

 

2023 NHRA Northwest Nationals Recap: Qualified No. 2; lost to defeated Ron Smith, had a second-round bye and defeated Clay Millican before losing to Steve Torrence in the final round.  

 Doug Kalitta Career Stats: 597 events, 55 wins, 62 runner-up, 789 round wins, 57 No. 1 qualifiers.

 

2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Results To Date (wins in italics):

Gatornationals: Qualified No. 7; defeated Clay Millican; lost to Steve Torrence.

Pomona: Qualified No. 6; defeated Jasmine Salinas; lost to Billy Torrence.

Phoenix: Qualified No. 3; defeated Terry Totten; lost to Justin Ashley.

Las Vegas 4W: Qualified No. 1; defeated Shawn Langdon in the first round, Brittany Force and Josh Hart in the semifinals followed by Justin Ashley, Steve Torrence and Tony Stewart in the final round.

Charlotte 4W: Qualified No. 1; defeated Shawn Reed and Cody Krohn in the first round, Billy Torrence and Jasmine Salinas in the semifinals before beating Antron Brown but losing to Justin Ashley and Clay Millican in the final round. 

Chicago: Qualified No. 3; lost to Justin Ashley.

Epping: Qualified No. 1; defeated Scott Farley, Tony Stewart, Shawn Langdon and Tony Schumacher.

Bristol: Qualified No. 14; defeated Antron Brown, Steve Torrence, Brittany Force; lost to Tony Schumacher.

Richmond: Qualified No. 2: after first-round bye, defeated Josh Hart, Tony Stewart and Shawn Langdon.

Norwalk: Qualified No. 1; defeated Kyle Wurtzel, Billy Torrence and Steve Torrence; lost to Antron Brown. 

 

FORCE LEAVES RICHMOND HOSPITAL FOR REHAB CENTER   Family Encouraged, but Tough Road Ahead for 16-Time NHRA Funny Car Champ

 

RICHMOND, Va. (July 9, 2024) – After spending 15 days in varying levels of intensive care at VCU Medical Center, drag racing champion John Force was released Tuesday in time to board an AirMed ambulance for a three-hour flight to a neurological rehab center at which treatment for the Traumatic Brain Injury he suffered in a June 23 crash will continue.   The 16-time NHRA Funny Car Champion’s departure from the facility to which he was airlifted after crashing at more than 300 miles per hour was considered by family members to be a major step forward in the recovery process.   However, medical staff cautioned that the road ahead still is a difficult one.  Force is dealing with cognitive and behavioral symptoms from the TBI and, while he has been able to converse with family and staff, enjoy the company of grandsons Jacob and Noah Hood and celebrate a Monday birthday with daughter Brittany, he still is prone to periods of confusion.   Family members said that no timetable had been established for the length of Force’s stay at the new facility which was selected because of its success in treating other race car drivers with similar issues.

 

--- John Force Racing --- Media Contact: PublicRelations@JohnForceRacing.com

 FORCE IMPROVING, FACES LONG ROAD AHEAD

June 27, 2024 - UPDATE 

NORWALK, Ohio. – Four days after his crash at more than 300 miles per hour, drag racing champion John Force has moved from the trauma intensive care unit to the neuro intensive care unit, where the medical team can focus on his head injury which is their primary concern.

The move was a welcome positive for his family members, who have maintained a daily presence at the hospital all week.

With the unanimous support of her family, team, and sponsors, Brittany Force is not planning to compete this week at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, where she would have driven the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster. Instead, she will remain at the hospital with her family in solidarity for her father.

Austin Prock will compete this weekend with the same courageous, fighting spirit that John has embodied and instilled in his teams over the years, and his AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS team will proudly carry the torch for the entire John Force Racing organization and sponsors this weekend.

The Force family is grateful for the team of medical professionals who are caring for John, and for the overwhelming number of heartfelt messages of prayer, support, and concern. Thank you for continuing to respect the privacy of the family and John Force Racing team members.  

--- John Force Racing ---

Media Contact:

PublicRelations@JohnForceRacing.com

John Force and Rick Hendrick: A Longstanding Friendship Initiated by a Movie and Later a Red Ball Cap

CONCORD, N.C. (April 26, 2024) – John Force is a man who wears many hats: multi-car NHRA team owner, businessman, and driver of the PEAK Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car.

 
He has become one of the most quotable athletes in sports, and one of the most successful and popular drivers in NHRA history. Force is also well known for his signature hat, having worn a bright white sponsor hat on race day for the last 40 years.

 
But this weekend in suburban Charlotte, while bidding to extend his own record to four career wins in the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, Force will also be carrying a red City Chevrolet hat that he received a number of years ago.

 
The hat serves as a reminder of Force’s admiration for his friend, NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick (who owns the original City Chevrolet), but also of the movie “Days of Thunder”, which premiered in 1990, the same year as Force’s first of what would eventually become a record 16 NHRA Funny Car championships.

 
This weekend, the Top Fuel dragster of two-time NHRA champion Brittany Force will carry primary sponsorship of HendrickCars.com, part of Hendrick Automotive Group. The Funny Cars of her father John, as well as teammate and current points leader Austin Prock, will also carry HendrickCars.com as associate sponsorship. The entire John Force Racing organization was invited to a private Hendrick Motorsports tour on Friday to celebrate.

 
The partnership between Hendrick Automotive Group and John Force Racing will also include three other races this season: Virginia Motorsports Park (June 21-23), a return visit to Charlotte (Sept. 20-22) and the Texas Motorplex (Oct. 10-13), the latter two being part of the NHRA’s “Countdown to the Championship.”

 
“I love drag racing. It’s where I found a love for motorsports, going to the local dragstrip with my dad and competing in my ’31 Chevy,” said Hendrick, chairman and CEO, Hendrick Automotive Group. “I have been a fan of John and his family for a long time, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to partner with Brittany and Chevrolet. I know they will be terrific representatives for the HendrickCars.com brand.”

 
Force, who turns 75 on May 4, is proud of the success he’s achieved in over 50 years of drag racing, with 16 NHRA Funny Car championships and 156 national event wins, with his most recent win coming just three weeks ago.

 
We sat down with John Force in the shadows of zMAX Dragway on Thursday afternoon and he spoke from the heart of his admiration for Hendrick, who is further expanding his motorsports reach into the NHRA world, first with 5-time Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson, and now with Force and his organization.

 
“Rick Hendrick has always been my hero,” John Force said. “He has excelled in everything that he has ever done in the automotive industry and motorsports. When I first saw Greg Anderson’s HendrickCars.com Pro Stock Camaro, I knew that Hendrick hit a home run and I hoped that someday I could be a part of it too.”

 
The colorful Force has long revered Hendrick’s success as a motorsports empresario. Known universally simply as “Mr. H.,” Hendrick has a NASCAR-record 14 Cup championships and 306 national event wins.

 
Force readily admits he’s tried to emulate much of the way Hendrick has built his organization into a NASCAR powerhouse, and Force has learned those lessons well, as his and his organization’s success attest to.

 
“With races becoming available in NHRA with my daughter Brittany, I thought there could be a chance to partner with them, so our president Robert Hight made the call to Rick Hendrick and the Hendrick Automotive Group. With my partnership with Chevrolet, it made a win-win situation for all involved.
“When I first received the paint renderings that Hendrick’s team had requested, I was excited that it was a duplication of not only Anderson’s Pro Stock car, but also other HendrickCars.com NASCAR paint schemes. It is very emotional for me to know Brittany will get to race a car that matches that of Rick’s son, Ricky. I still remember the first time I saw (Ricky’s) car and was reminded of those memories when I saw his cars in the Hendrick Motorsports museum. They were awesome.

 
“I have been in the sport longer than most realize and you all know I’m a movie buff. The first thought I have when I think of Rick Hendrick goes back to 1990, my first championship season and the premiere year for “Days of Thunder” (of which Randy Quaid’s character was believed patterned after Hendrick), when Tom Cruise drove a Chevy NASCAR stock car. I still have to this day, my red and white City Chevrolet hat that relates back to that movie.

 
“Austin Prock’s Cornwell Tools Chevrolet and my PEAK Chevrolet will also be flying the HendrickCars.com logos this weekend. This is more than a new partner. This is a friendship. If we are fast enough and lucky enough to win, we will be sure to wear our hats backwards in the winner’s circle.”

 
Media Contact: Jerry Bonkowski (708) 557-0471 Jerry@JohnForceRacing.com

Jim Dunn Racing and Buddy Hull to Rep USD at NHRA Arizona Nationals

LONG BEACH, CA (April 2, 2024) --- Continuing to highlight the diverse group of corporate supporters Jim Dunn Racing and Funny Car driver Buddy Hull will be racing a USD branded nitro Funny Car at this weekend’s NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park. With Hull behind the wheel as a rising star in the Funny Car ranks, the Jim Dunn entry will turn heads with the dynamic new-look design. Hull will be looking to make a move into the Funny Car Top Ten at the third race of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
“We have had a longstanding relationship with USD and this race is in their backyard,” said Jon Dunn, with Jim Dunn Racing. “We are thrilled NHRA is returning to Firebird Motorsports Park and having the support of USD on our Funny Car will make this a special weekend. Buddy has been doing a great job behind the wheel and the competition is very tough out here. We are looking forward to an exciting weekend.”
Hull, who will be making his third Funny Car start driving for legendary Jim Dunn Racing, knows the action off the track is almost as important as the results on the track. As a high-energy driver and ambassador for all the Jim Dunn Racing sponsors Hull loves the idea of representing new companies at every race.
“We have a very loyal group of sponsors that have supported Jim Dunn Racing for many years so as a new driver I want to make sure I am doing my job to talk about their goals and marketing objectives,” said Hull, who has also raced Top Fuel and Fuel Altereds. “Having USD on the side of this Funny Car with that eagle just swooping in is pretty cool and we want to keep moving this program in the right direction. I am getting more comfortable behind the wheel and the car is getting quicker. This will be an exciting weekend for the USD Funny Car for sure.”
USD has been servicing customers in the southwest for over 45 years. They are an authorized full line distributor of ACDelco (General Motors), Motorcraft (Ford) and Mopar (Chrysler) original equipment auto parts and accessories. They have four locations to efficiently service customers with inventories of more than 12 million dollars. The corporate headquarters and largest warehouse are in Phoenix, Arizona. There are branch warehouses in Albuquerque, Denver and El Paso service New Mexico, Colorado, and West Texas, as well as surrounding areas. The commitment to advanced technology and superior customer satisfaction has set them apart from the competition.
In addition to USD Jim Dunn Racing will also be partnering with local favorite Chompie’s to provide meals for the team and guests throughout the weekend. Recognized as Arizona’s New York Deli since 1979, Chompie’s has multiple locations in Phoenix, Chandler, Scottsdale, and Glendale.
“Chompie's is proudly continuing its sponsorship for the second consecutive year, supporting Funny Car driver Buddy Hull and his team with fresh made meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” said Frank Lara, Chompie’s Marketing Manager.
Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team will be making one qualifying run on Friday, April 5 and two qualifying runs on Saturday, April 6 at Firebird Motorsports Park. The top 16 quickest Funny Cars in the field will advance in competition to race day on Sunday, April 7. The first round of eliminations will begin on Sunday at 11 a.m. PST. Fans can watch the finals on FS1. For tickets or more information on the NHRA Arizona Nationals visit nhra.com.
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Media Contact: Elon Werner 214-244-1184