Force Revved Up For Another Countdown Run

With 16 NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car championships under his belt, one would think John Force is going to back down it down a bit and not be at wide open throttle all the time. Especially since John secured his spot in the ever critical Countdown to the Championship during the NHRA Sonoma Nationals back in July. The winningest driver in NHRA history has won just about everything during his illustrious racing career while rewriting the record books by shattering track ET and speed records.

So why is John Force chomping at the bit to get strapped in his 8000 horsepower Castrol GTX High Mileage Mustang Funny Car during this weekend’s Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals?  It’s simple, as long as he has air in his lungs, this 65 year-old racer will be blasting down drag strips at over 300 mph and competing with one goal in mind - to win races and championships.

“My job, if I am going to stay in this business, is to win. I’ve had over 35 years of training myself for moments like this weekend will present. You can only turn that switch on and off through time and experience. You cannot let anything get into your head. It’s all about mental preparation, and I have more seat time than anyone,” said John Force.

However, for John Force, it’s not just his driving capabilities or the performance of his race

car that needs his attention. He also has three other drivers in his racing stable who are also competing in the Countdown to the Championship that require his time and consideration. The patriarch of this racing dynasty will make sure daughter’s Brittany and Courtney Force along with son-in-law Robert Hight perform well during this weekend’s Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals as it kicks off the NHRA “playoff” season. John Force knows how important it is not only to their sponsors, but also to the loyal fans.

"If you look at my Traxxas Ford with Courtney and Robert Hight in the Auto Club Mustang, and me with Castrol, we work as a team. I think we've been in the last seven or eight final rounds. We won a bunch of them. Brittany’s Castrol EDGE dragster also started to come around earlier this year so we’re all on our game and competing in the Countdown,” said John Force.

As the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello season starts to turn the corner and head down the home stretch, it hasn’t been that that easy of ride for the reigning NHRA Funny Car champ. Like other competitors, the Castrol High Mileage team was bitten by mechanical gremlins through part of the season that had John Force going out early in competition.

“I got hot at the beginning of the year then I struggled. We got hot again. And something happened at testing. We tried some stuff, got off our game and then we got back on our game with the Traxxas Nitro Shootout and got the win there. I need a championship as much as the other drivers out there want and my focus is going to be dead on,” said John Force.  

With a runner-up finish less than two weeks ago at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, his 9th  final round appearance this season that includes three wins (NHRA Winternationals, Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, NHRA Northwest Nationals), John Force regained the lead with 2110 points over teammate Robert Hight.

We’d like to say it will be John Force’s laser like focus that will get him his 17th NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car championship but it will be his un-parallel determination, drive and attitude that get him there and it will be those attributes that will ultimately rewrite the NHRA history books.  

Courtesy JFR Public Relations