Message from John Force: Recovering Force Set to Return to NHRA Dragstrip

Sixteen-time Funny Car champion John Force is taking the next, and most public, step in his recovery from a traumatic brain injury as he is set to attend the upcoming NHRA Nevada Nationals at the The Strip in Las Vegas.

Force, 75, has not been seen at the racetrack since he suffered the injury in a crash at the Virginia Motorsports Park on June 23.

Force will not race at the Nov. 1-3 NHRA event in Las Vegas, but instead will be on hand to support John Force Racing drivers Austin Prock, Jack Beckman and Brittany Force. With two events remaining in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, Prock is leading the Funny Car standings, and Brittany Force is eighth in Top Fuel.

In Force's absence, Jack Beckman has been driving the John Force Racing PEAK Camaro. Points earned by replacement driver Beckman, by NHRA rule, goes to John Force. The Force/Beckman entry is currently second in the Funny Car standings, a distant 147 points behind teammate Prock.

The Las Vegas event will mark the first time that John Force has received clearance from doctors to make the trip back to the track from his home in Yorba Linda, Calif.

“Vegas is close enough to home that (my wife) Laurie and I can drive over,” John Force said. “I want to show my support for our race teams, the fans and all our sponsors. They’ve stuck with me during a hard time, and I want them to know that I haven’t forgotten them and I haven’t gone anywhere. I’ve just been doing my rehab, trying to stay strong.”

Force says that doctors have been treating him both for his severe head injury but also for what his team says is a 50-year career full of hard hits in his Funny Car.

Catching Prock would be unlikely, but in impossible, for Beckman with just two race weekends remaining. Beckman did win the NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis on Sept. 30. He would likely have to win both of the next two races and have Prock stumble to give Force his 17th championship in the class.

Prock has seven wins this season—his first season in the Funny Car class after previously competing in Top Fuel.

“I’m still a work in progress,” Force said. “I have good days and bad days, but I’m motivated. Beckman’s been doing a good job working with Dan Hood, (Chris) Cunningham and (Tim) Fabrisi. He tells me it’s still my car but he’s driving it like it’s his. It’s been exciting to watch him and (Austin) Prock on Fox but watching on TV is not the same as being there.

“I want to be there for Brittany and that team with (David) Grubnic and John Collins. They’re gonna win a race with Monster and HendrickCars.com and Chevrolet and I want to be there when they do, and I really can’t wait to see all my guys. I love them and I’ve missed them and can’t wait to be with them again.”