NHRA Legend Pays Emotional Tribute To John Force At US Nationals – The End of an Era
Few names in motorsports are as iconic as John Force. This year’s U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, sponsored by Toyota, are bittersweet due to Force’s sorrowful absence. The event, which serves as a precursor to the Countdown, is Force-free owing to a severe brain injury received in a near-fatal accident near Richmond, Virginia.
John Force, a drag racing legend, has made an indelible stamp on the U.S. Nationals, winning five Funny Car races and competing an incredible 43 times. His presence at what he once termed as “the biggest drag race in the world” has been steady.
This year, however, his PEAK Chevy Camaro is in the competent hands of 2012 Funny Car champion Jack Beckman as Force concentrates on recuperation.
The driver’s absence has rippled across the racing scene, with fellow racer Ron Capps expressing a heartfelt recognition of Force’s effect.
“We’re getting a glimpse of NHRA without John Force,” Capps told Autoweek. “Throughout history, we’ve got these sports heroes/icons that have pretty much carried the sport through specific periods of time, going back a long way.
In the future, Snake and The Mongoose, Don Garlits, ‘The Greek’ (Chris Karamesines), and ‘The Ace’ will be remembered for their contributions to NHRA history.It’s difficult to top what John Force has accomplished, and it’s weird not to have him around the racetrack, especially given how close we’ve been and how much he means to me as a person both on and off the track.
