Nearly 75 Years Old, John Force Wins 156th Race Of NHRA Career With Postponed Pomona Victory

Three days prior to turning seventy-three, on May 1, 2022, in the Charlotte, North Carolina, 4-Wide Nationals, was the last time John Force, the most successful driver in NHRA history, won a race.

Force earned himself an early 75th birthday present on Saturday at Firebird Motorsports Park by winning the Lucas Oil Winternationals final round, which was originally slated to take place in Pomona, California but was postponed due to weather and is now part of this weekend’s Arizona Nationals.

Force, the driver of the PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, said, “Right now, I’m alive.” “This morning, I was going to give up and leave the gate. And now I’ve decided to reconsider. I implored Austin Prock, my youthful teammate, “John, don’t give up.”

The 156th win (4.033 seconds/318.24 mph) of Force’s legendary career came against one of his chief rivals, four-time Funny Car champ Matt Hagan (4.048 seconds/283.61 mph).

“I’m really excited to have pulled this off,” Force said with a big smile on his face. “I didn’t imagine there’d be drivers like Prock, Robert Hight, like Hagan, like (Ron) Capps. I mean, I’m too old to even race these kids. It’s exciting. I give it all I have and push the limits wherever I can.”

The 16-time Funny Car champion then thanked John Force Racing president and 3-time Funny Car champ Robert Hight, who has been sidelined this season.

“Robert, thank you for everything you’ve done when I’m struggling, sending me back for new glasses, doing everything to get this old man back in the game,” Force said of Hight.

Force dedicated the victory to the late Frank Tiegs, a friend and former sponsor who died away in February. To remember his late friend, Force still has a sticker from Flav-R-Pac, one of Tiegs’ businesses, on his race car. A week ago in Kennewick, Washington, there was a Celebration of Life held in Tiegs’ honor, and Force was among the about 1,700 guests.

Force is eager to win his 17th NHRA Funny Car championship (his last was in 2013) and enters the 2024 season with a fresh sense of inspiration and drive.