Just 4 Months Later, John Force is Back !!

FORCE GOES TO TOP OF THE PERFORMANCE LIST AT PHOENIX
14-Time Champ Makes Dramatic Return to Cockpit of Castrol GTX Ford Mustang

CHANDLER, Ariz. – For John Force, drag racing’s most prolific winner, and four months of intensive rehabilitation following the most serious crash of his pro career culminated Monday in an unexpected and spectacular 4.782 second, 327.51 mile per hour sprint down a resurfaced quarter mile at Firebird Raceway.

It was the quickest run recorded during a National Time Trials test session extended by Sunday’s rain and it all but ended speculation about Force’s ability to rally from injuries that included a compound fracture of the left ankle, broken bones in both hands, broken toes and ligament and tendon damage.

With many his peers looking on, the 58-year-old icon fired the engine on a race car on which daughter Ashley’s Castrol GTX Ford Mustang body had been mounted and, on his first effort since last Sept. 23, successfully executed a burnout and launch before shutting off at half track.

That done, the 125-time tour winner came back hours later and laid down the aforementioned 4.782 that moved him to the top of the performance list ahead of veteran Ron Capps, whose 4.786 in the NAPA Dodge had been the previous best.

Walking with a noticeable limp, Force passed the first phase of his comeback test on Saturday when he was able to get in and out of the cockpit and exit through the roof hatch, thereby satisfying NHRA safety concerns.

“I had to get in my firesuit and do the drill for them,” Force said, “but I knew it wasn’t going to be a problem because I already had done it (climbed in an out) at the shop. Like I said, ‘it ain’t pretty, but I can do it.’”

For Force, it was important that he was the first member of his team to take one of the new generation, Murf McKinney-built chassis down the track. He was followed by Robert Hight and Mike Neff. Daughter Ashley will make her first runs on Tuesday.

“I’ve been down the road more than anybody out here,” he said. “If there was a problem, I wanted to be the one to deal with it before I sent Robert, Ashley and Mike Neff out there.

“We didn’t know what we had (with the new car),” Force said. “We thought it would be good, but we didn’t know. We still have a lot of work to do but that (4.78) was a good boost for this team. That’ll give ‘em motivation. Everybody’s worked so hard since the end of the season and to run down through there like that was something.”

Force, who missed the last three races of the season and finished seventh in points, his worst showing since 1984, will return to competition Feb. 7-10 at the 48th annual CARQUEST Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (Calif.).

“I wouldn’t be here without the doctors in Dallas (at Baylor University Medical Center) who put me back together and without Robert Ortmayer, my physical therapist in California, who’s kept me motivated. He understood why I needed to get back in the car and what I had to do to make it happen.”

Neither of the JFR Mustangs made it to the starting line during the first two days of testing because of mechanical issues. They were denied again Sunday by rain.

Hight, No. 2 in the world the last two seasons, and rookie Neff, both aborted their first attempts Monday at half track, as planned. They’ll try to follow Force’s lead on Tuesday.

“Right now, it looks like we’ll try to test here through Wednesday,” Force said. “We need to make some laps. We’re behind right now but we’re scrambling to catch up.”

After the death of team driver Eric Medlen in a testing accident last March and after his own crash in September, Force scrapped eight cars and started over with a controversial new design that hadn’t been tested competitively before Monday.

“That’s the first lap on these cars,” Force said. “That’s a credit to Austin Coil, Bernie Fedderly, John Medlen, Ford and Murf McKinney – to get these cars done in three months was unbelievable.”

-www.johnforceracing.com-

Video of Crash Sept 23 2007

John Force, Kenny Bernstein In Horrific Crash

NHRA 14 time world champion John Force has been airlifted to a Dallas area hospital following a horrific crash at over 315MPH with drag racing legend Kenny Bernstein who returned to the seat of a nitro funnycar after retiring a few years back. Force was diagnosed with two broken legs, an arm or hand injury and possible concussion but was talking with crew, family and anyone else within range.

His main concern?
Is Bernstein okay?

Kenny Bernstein was uninjured in the accident which happened just past the finish line when his 2007 Dodge Charger funnycar made a move toward the center line hitting one of the timing cones in the center of the track. It appeared that debris from the cone may have caused one of Force's tires to go down and come apart. The resulting impact cut Force's car in half with the drivers cockpit, rearend, rear wheels and parachutes stopping along the retaining wall while the front half of Force's car including the engine, impacted Bernstein's car and continued down the track and into the sand trap.

Daughter Ashley Force (voted AOL's "Hottest Athlete in Sports") following first and second round wins withdrew from the semifinals to be with her father at the hospital.

Televised coverage of the complete NHRA O'Reilly Fall Nationals from the Texas Motorplex will air this evening at 6pm central on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD.

Worlds Hottest Athlete- Ashley Force

NHRA Nitro Funnycar driver Ashley Force easily defeated NE Patriots QB Tom Brady to win the "Worlds Hottest Athlete" competition held by AOL Sports this past weekend.

Force defeated Fastpitch Softball Pitcher Jennie Finch in the "Hottest Women" final after easily winning round after round of voting including a semi-final match-up vs Indycar hopeful Danica Patrick before securing the overall title "Hottest Athlete" over Brady.

Like her father drag racing legend John Force, Ashley is very humble and straight forward about the whole deal.
"I don't know how anybody could think someone looks "hot" in a drivers firesuit, ...I think it is really more of a tribute to just how many great drag racing fans there are out there".

Congratulations Ashley, we all know that the people around you definitely won't let it go to your head.

If you aren't familiar with Ashley Force or NHRA drag racing, check out the video below...

The "Other" Indy... Check It Out

As drag racers from coast to coast make their way to Indianapolis for what in drag racing is known simply as "The Big Go", the annual labor day race is as important to most racers as winning a world championship.

As Top Fuel driver Larry Dixon recently put it...

"I wouldn't trade my first win at Indy for ANYTHING.
Here is the true story about the legendary status of the U.S. Nationals and what many consider to be the "Best Ever" Big Go.

1967- Don Garlits shaves beard on starting line after winning US Nationals and posting his first 6 second ET in the final round...

The "coolest cat in motorsports" will be there...

Updated 8/29/07: ...as well as AOL's "Hottest Woman in Sports" in the online fan voting competition following a decisive victory over Danica Patrick (the other Indy) in the semi-finals and Fastpitch Softball Hurler Jennie Finch in the Finals... Ashley Force now competes against the male winner for the overall title "Hottest Person in Sports".

So, check it out and tune in to the extended 12 hours of coverage on ESPN2 over Labor Day Weekend for history in the making, check local listings for times in your area.
UPDATE 9/4/07: Winners- T/F Tony Schumacher, F/C Mike Ashley, P/S Dave Connolly, PSM Creg Treble. John Force failed to qualify for the "Big Go" for the first time in over 30 years and daughter Ashley Force lost in the second round after qualifying #2.

NHRA Opens '07 Season in Pomona CA

The big news in the National Hot Rod Association at the season opener in Pomona CA is in Funny Car with the debut of rookie driver Ashley Force (pictured) and the return of veteran driver Kenny Bernstein from retirement.

One is young, pretty and stars in her own reality show on TV and the other is... a legend in the sport. Ashley's dad, John Force will be returning looking for his 15th World Championship in the Funny Car division.- no easy feat.

In the Top Fuel Division, Brandon Bernstein will be looking to move up one spot from his second place finish in the 2006 season while Tony Schumacher and the Army T/F Dragster will be trying to repeat the stunning season they capped with a world record ET performance and win to secure the 2006 title at the final race of the season!

Pro-Stock has everyone chasing the Greg Anderson team and Jason Line sponsored by Summit Racing. Look for Jim Yates in the Grumpy Jenkins powered Chevy Cobalt to challenge Anderson and Line.

P/S Motorcycle looks to be another tight battle between the two Army backed bikes of Angelle Sampey and Antron Brown against the Vance & Hines Harley Davidsons led by Andrew Hines and GT Tonglet. Steve Johnson is always a fan and darkhorse favorite.

NHRA Powerade Drag Racing is televised on ESPN2 with coverage beginning this Saturday evening at 9pm Central with eliminations on Sunday 7pm-10pm.