John Force retires officially

[GTXDAN]

16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force has officially announced his retirement at 76 years old.

Force's retirement comes after he suffered a traumatic brain injury from a violent 300mph crash during the 2024 Virginia Nationals in Richmond. After months of intense recovery, he made his return trackside but was replaced in the John Force Racing PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet SS by Jack Beckman for the remainder of 2024 and 2025.

Now, as his daughter Brittany also retires, he has confirmed he will officially step away from the driver's seat while also sharing an update on his recovery.

"It's been over a year, but I've been under doctor's care and I still am," the NHRA legend said in a video. "So if I say anything wrong, please excuse me, but it's time for me to retire, and it all made sense to me even though I knew I had medical stuff that I had to address. Do I wanna get back in the car and get hit in the head? I don't.

"I've got new grandchildren coming with Courtney. She just had a little girl, and she's got two girls already, Harlan and Tinley, and we have Autumn, of course, we have Jacob and Noah.

"So I got a next generation that'll follow me just like my girls. Brittany retired today, and Beckman was there at the press conference, and so was [Austin] Prock. They're all running for the championship. Brittany's setting records right and left. She's got a shot to move up the ladder to maybe second or third, so we'll see, but it was time for me with Brittany stepping out of the seat."

"I don't want to get hurt, and I've said it many times, I'm gonna stay in the car until my race car gets me, and I always meant that, but I've been hurt really bad."

 

[Cojohnso1]

Certainly not a surprise, but still end of an era.

 

[OneWheelPeel]

I’m more surprised his fairly young daughter is also retiring. I don’t really follow pro drag racing so I may be missing some old news though.

 

[66ChargerHI-PO]

16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force has officially announced his retirement at 76 years old.

Force's retirement comes after he suffered a traumatic brain injury from a violent 300mph crash during the 2024 Virginia Nationals in Richmond. After months of intense recovery, he made his return trackside but was replaced in the John Force Racing PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet SS by Jack Beckman for the remainder of 2024 and 2025.

Now, as his daughter Brittany also retires, he has confirmed he will officially step away from the driver's seat while also sharing an update on his recovery.

"It's been over a year, but I've been under doctor's care and I still am," the NHRA legend said in a video. "So if I say anything wrong, please excuse me, but it's time for me to retire, and it all made sense to me even though I knew I had medical stuff that I had to address. Do I wanna get back in the car and get hit in the head? I don't.

"I've got new grandchildren coming with Courtney. She just had a little girl, and she's got two girls already, Harlan and Tinley, and we have Autumn, of course, we have Jacob and Noah.

"So I got a next generation that'll follow me just like my girls. Brittany retired today, and Beckman was there at the press conference, and so was [Austin] Prock. They're all running for the championship. Brittany's setting records right and left. She's got a shot to move up the ladder to maybe second or third, so we'll see, but it was time for me with Brittany stepping out of the seat."

"I don't want to get hurt, and I've said it many times, I'm gonna stay in the car until my race car gets me, and I always meant that, but I've been hurt really bad."

Here is the video

 

[oldkimmer]

He surely is a racing legend. The 90s were sure good to him. Kim

 

[Richard Cranium]

I thought he retired after that bad accident he had a couple(?) years ago.

 

[bandit67]

He has entertained us for decades in one of the world's most dangerous sports, and has lived to tell about it. Here's to him enjoying his time left with the family and grandkids, they deserve it. God bless.

 

[Outlawd]

John is definitely a class act and earned his retirement! He is a legend in the sport and will always be respected for what he has done for the NHRA. Enjoy retirement and those precious grandkids John!!

 

[Jeff Peterson]

Before they went automated, a friend of mine worked as a toll taker on I-88 west of Chicago, all the big name teams were randomly coming thru and when the Force racing semi pulls up, it was John himself in the drivers seat!

 

[alsant]

one of the best for sure !

 

[Nutso]

He was awesome! A great career and well done sir.

 

[Dave6T4]

A great career, and he got out alive! Some spectacular crashes, though. Best wishes on his, and his daughter's retirement.

 

[Budnicks]

He's had a great career, to say the least
I remember him back in the AA/FA days driving Beaver Hunter

he'll still be a great owner

tribute to his old Brute Force, Jack Beckman

Ashley Force

Courtney, John & Britney

crew chilef John Medlen
& later his son drove died in a tire testing session

Robert Hight F/C driver 4 time Champ (?) sorry didn't have a photo)

Austin Prock F/C Champion, maybe this year too

2010 his 15th Championship

 

[Cranky]

Several years ago at a National Event, my wife and I were walking behind the stands to the finish line area and was past where the stands ended. Don't remember why but maybe to show her what it looked like down there....and we came across John sitting by himself on the step of someone's motor coach. No big name on the coach or any advertising. As we came across, he looked up and smiled and I'm wondering if things are ok. He said he was fine and just got away from the frenzy. We spoke for a couple of minutes and I asked him if an autograph would be ok. He said sure....and signed my wife's white cotton pull over. I've always liked his style. Imo, great guy and wish him the best. Just wonder if my X still has that pull over....

 

[64BEL]

Before they went automated, a friend of mine worked as a toll taker on I-88 west of Chicago, all the big name teams were randomly coming thru and when the Force racing semi pulls up, it was John himself in the drivers seat!

That's a great story. He was a truck driver before he made it big in racing. He continued to like to call himself a truck driver even after all of the championships.

It's ironic and a shame that he ended up with the brain injury after all of the money, and R&D he put into the Eric Medlen Project. On the other hand, if not for all of those safety advancements, maybe he wouldn't have survived that most recent crash.

We toured his shop in Brownsburg, IN a couple of times in 2009. Very impressive. Once on Memorial Day weekend when a bunch of the shops down there had open houses and again one of the evenings during qualifying for the US Nationals when Force's shop had an open house. The first pictures are from the May open house and last two pictures are from the US Nationals open house.

All the best to John for a long, well deserved retirement (from driving that is).