FORCE STILL A FACTOR AS COUNTDOWN MOVES TO LVMS.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 24, 2018) — In a career spanning 42 seasons, John Force routinely has defied the odds while paying little attention to conventional wisdom. It’s a strategy that has worked out okay for the former big rig truck driver if you call 16 championships and 149 tour victories okay. The upshot is that even though he is only seventh in Mello Yello driver points entering this week’s 18th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the sport’s most successful pro driver still believes he can win another title at the wheel of a much-improved PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro. “This PEAK Camaro has gotten better every week,” said the former Driver of the Year for all American motorsports (1996). “It has consistency now. (At the last race at Charlotte) it went down the racetrack every run in qualifying and every run (on race day). Overall, as a team, we’re doing good. “It’s a long way to that championship and we are running out of races,” he grudgingly admitted, “but I never give up as long as there’s a chance. Things happen. It’s drag racing. I know we’ve got our work cut out for us but if we go out and win Vegas, we’ll see where it goes?” Winning Vegas” is something Force knows how to do. After a horrid first 10 years at The Strip during which he won just one time in 17 attempts, the Hall of Famer has turned things around, winning five of his last 16 Vegas starts including Toyota Nationals’ titles in 2010, 2013 and 2016, the first two paving the way to championships. After a start to the 2018 season where Force made multiple trips to the hospital after on track incidents, the racing icon turned around and won the Mile-High Nationals at Denver and extended to 31 the number of different seasons in which he has won at least one tour event, a feat unparalleled in professional sport. “I want to win and I know I still can,” Force said. “This isn’t NASCAR. I don’t have to drive around for three or four hours. I’ve been doing this a long time. I know the drill. When it’s over, I’ll know it’s over – but it ain’t over yet!” Although he is on the verge of win 150, Force will be focused on something much grander. “It’s all about the championship,” Force said. “If I can’t get it and Courtney (youngest daughter Courtney Force, driver of the Advance Auto Parts Camaro) can’t get it, then I’m going to try to take out the guys who are chasing Robert (Hight, the current points leader and president of John Force Racing) so he has the best chance of winning.” Nitro qualifying at the Toyota Nationals is scheduled at 12:30 and 3 p.m. on Friday, 12:30 and 2:45 p.m. Saturday. The single elimination tournament will begin at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Photo Credit: Gary Nastase, Auto Imagery

PROUD JOHN FORCE ACCEPTS HONORARY DOCTORATE FROM UNOH

LIMA, OH (January 10, 2018) – An emotional and proud John Force, legendary NHRA Funny Car driver, accepted an honorary doctorate today at the University of Northwestern Ohio in a special ceremony presided over by university president Dr. Jeffery Jarvis. The 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree for his historic motorsports career and his dedication to racing safety.

“I never had this kind of opportunity. I learned on the race tracks and in the boardrooms. I got an education at truck stops across the country,” Force told students and faculty during the special ceremony. “I am honored to receive this doctorate mainly because I saw the passion these UNOH students have for motorsports as well as their other programs. They are really turning their passions into careers here. I could not be more impressed with what I saw around campus and I am excited to be Dr. Force.”

Force, as well as 2017 NHRA Funny Car champion Robert Hight, 2017 NHRA Top Fuel champion Brittany Force and winningest female Funny Car driver Courtney Force, toured the UNOH campus. The group met with students in a variety of degree programs and also spent time with the students on the successful UNOH motorsports team.

UNOH president, Dr. Jeffrey A. Jarvis, presented Force with the honorary degree during a special ceremony at the UNOH Event Center. Current students, faculty, staff and special guests were in attendance filling the center to near capacity.

“John Force is truly a wonderful role model and icon in the motorsports industry. He is not only a championship driver, but he embraces a love for the future of the sport which lies within many of our students today,” said Jarvis. “John Force Racing has employed UNOH graduates for many years. It was an easy decision to honor a man that has had such a large impact on the racing industry, the business community, and educational environment. We are thrilled to have John Force join the UNOH family.” 

The University of Northwestern Ohio is the first university to honor Force in this way. With this degree, Force became the first drag racer recognized in this manner. He became the third motorsports luminary after Richard Petty and Richard Childress to receive honorary doctorates. Childress was honored by UNOH in 2013.

For additional information contact Sara Slaughter, John Force Racing PR at sara@johnforceracing.com or UNOH Director of Public Relations and Marketing, Stephanie Malloy at smalloy@unoh.edu. 

Story courtesy Sara Slaughter, JFR-PR.

All Photos courtesy JFR PR.

Editor's Note: I guess we need to call him Dr. Force now. And it seems only fair since we call Warren Johnson, "The Professor". DW.

Tanner Gray wins his First Ptro-Stock Race. In Vegas no less.

17 YEAR OLD ROOKIE HITS THE JACKPOT IN SIN CITY AND BECOMES THE YOUNGEST PROFESSIONAL DRIVER IN NHRA HISTORY TO WIN A NATIONAL EVENT!

Las Vegas, Nevada (April 3) - 13 days before his 18^th birthday rookie Tanner Gray earned his first wally in Pro Stock at the 18^th Annual Denso Spark Plug NHRA Nationals and becomes the youngest professional driver in NHRA history to win a national event.

Tanner defeated Deric Kramer in the opening round of eliminations Sunday, current point’s leader Greg Anderson in the quarterfinals, and the 2016 World Champion Jason Line in the semi-finals before taking a huge starting line advantage in the final against Bo Butner.  

Tanner moved “all-in” in each of the 4 rounds Sunday, with an average reaction time of .017 seconds including a near perfect .001 in the quarter finals against Anderson. “It is my job as a driver to perform on the tree. I let Dave (Connolly) and his guys make the calls and trust that they have given me a good race car.”

“Dave (Connolly) has this car running really well and we saw that all weekend.” Tanner continues, “In qualifying he was able to make some adjustments that really paid off today.”

Tanner Gray’s teammate, and father, Shane Gray also had a successful weekend. Gray runner up in Saturday’s Pro Stock specialty race: the K&N Horsepower Challenge and nearly missed an opportunity to face son Tanner in the semifinals on Sunday. Gray’s race day ended when he met Jason Line in the quarter finals and ran an ET of 6.732 seconds at 205.91 mph to Line’s ET of 6.695 seconds at 206.10 mph.

Running two Gray Motorsports Valvoline Chevy Camaro’s help’s crew chief Dave Connolly collect additional data to equip both drivers with the best race car possible.

“We knew the track was going to be hot Saturday and we just tried to race smart,” Connolly said. “With Shane’s (Gray) 3 runs on Saturday, we capitalized on seeing what kind of track conditions we were going to have on Sunday, or at least something similar. I felt like we had the upper hand going into eliminations. With the sun being out and the track getting hotter and hotter, we knew it was going to be tricky but felt comfortable with what we learned from Saturday that led into Sunday’s results.”

There was a true optimism that circled the Gray Motorsports pit all weekend long. Connolly spoke about this optimism, “There are times when you are able to produce impressive ET’s with a pro stock car, but you know things are not right. You know the car is not happy. After Gainesville, we stayed and tested and learned a lot. I felt very comfortable coming into race day, especially with the run we made Q4. The track was 120 plus degrees, and we made great run with what we figured would be our race day set up. Take that confidence and combine it with a driver who we have all the faith in the world in come race day, and these are the results we work towards. Tanner did his job all afternoon and earned this win”

Tanner Gray has always been a spectator at the Denso Spark Plug NHRA nationals until given the opportunity by grandfather, Johnny Gray, at the beginning of the 2017 NHRA season.

“I was pretty nervous coming up. This is something I wanted to do since I was really young and I finally got the opportunity to do it. When I started this deal, I told my dad I wanted to be the youngest Pro Stock winner. To be able to do that feels really cool,” Tanner said.

When asked about being a part of Tanner Gray’s historical moment, Crew Chief Connolly said, “It’s crazy and gratifying all at once. I’ve said this over and over, this is more gratifying standing behind a car watching Tanner (Gray) who is like a brother to me , 17 years old doing what he’s doing. I don’t know if there is anything else that could put a bigger smile on my face. I knew I was going to be excited about this year. Watching him (Tanner Gray) win, along with the reactions of Shane (Gray), Amber (Gray), Johnny (Gray) and Terry (Gray) really meant a lot. We’re a huge family and we care about each other.” Story from Natalie Jahnke of Gray Motorsports.

Robert Hight's "New" paint scheme celebrates CHP and AAA of SoCal.

Robert Hight's CHP paint scheme celebrates California Highway Patrol, Auto Club of Southern California

Editor's note: Updating with fresh quotes. POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 8) – Past Funny Car champion Robert Hight, the Auto Club of Southern California and the California Highway Patrol introduced a special CHP paint scheme Wednesday that will adorn Hight’s Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car at the season-opening NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series race. The CHP scheme will run in the Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona this weekend, as well as the Auto Club NHRA Finals here in November. The unveiling was made at the NHRA press conference. The CHP scheme celebrates Auto Club of Southern California’s long relationship with the California Highway Patrol and also helps kick off the new NHRA Salutes First Responders program. “I am honored to be driving the Auto Club/CHP Chevrolet Camaro SS to kick off the 2017 NHRA season,” Hight said. “This car makes sense on so many levels. First, this car helps kick off the NHRA’s Salutes First Responders program. And second, the Auto Club and the CHP are very close partners in keeping the California highways safe for all of the motorists. My race team is very excited after our testing in Phoenix and will be very motivated to get this car in the winner’s circle.” The black-and-white Chevrolet is designed to look like a CHP cruiser and will help bring awareness to California’s Move Over law. The Move Over law, passed in 2007 and amended in 2009 to include tow trucks and construction vehicles, requires drivers to move over a lane to the left when safe to do so and/or slow down if they see a stationary emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights.   “If you’ve driven on a California freeway, you’ve seen the message on illuminated signs all over the Southland: ‘Move Over or Slow for Workers. It’s the Law,’” said Kathy Sieck, Auto Club Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Publications. “California, like every state in the union, has a move-over law designed to protect first responders, and these laws can literally be life-saving.  We want to make California drivers more aware of their responsibility so we can keep our roads safe and help protect those who protect us.” The NHRA Salutes First Responders program will highlight police, fire, medical and recovery services and the military during the 24 races on the 2017 schedule.  “It was Auto Club who decided years ago to help stranded motorists on the road,” 16-time Funny car champion John Force said. “They said, ‘We’re going out to get them.’ There was no one to protect them back then, so Auto Club stepped up with the ‘Highway Patrol Service.’ Then the CHP was founded, so Auto Club and CHP work hand-in-hand. Robert’s CHP car is really cool-looking, and we can’t wait for everyone to see it.”  Editors Note: Besides the very cool Wrap on the JFR TF/FC Driven by Robert Hight, the real hero of the event was Andrew Tachias (pronounced: Tack-E-Us). From KABC's Rob Mc Millan. "It was four years ago this week that Riverside officer Andrew Tachias was shot nine times by rogue ex-LAPD cop Christopher Dorner. Tachias didn't know at the time if he'd survive that day, much less return to the force. He had been with the department less than three months that night of Feb. 7, 2013 when he and his training officer, Michael Crain, were ambushed as they sat in their patrol car at a Riverside intersection. Crain did not survive the attack. But now after a long recovery, Tachias is slowly getting back to work. And the experience hasn't soured him on law enforcement. The college track star has been visiting his alma mater, the University of California at Riverside, to help inspire students to follow his own career path. The Riverside Police Officers Association has sponsored a scholarship in his name for student athletes who are interested in law enforcement careers". "I want them to understand the will to survive and how to fight through it," Tachias said. Editor's Note: It was my honor to talk to Andrew this week, and with a lump in my throat, I got to give him a hug. I cannot imagine what he went through, but as all of my family that is not in Motorsports, is in Law Enforcement, I have a better understanding of what goes on having been on the job as a Range Officer for many years. Dicken Wear, Editor-in-Chief.  Robert Hight CHP TF/FC Photo by: Dicken Wear Leah Pritchett, Andrew Tachias, Tony Schumacher.  Photo by: Dicken Wear  Jeffrey Spring, Robert Hight and CHP Officers.  Photo by: Dicken Wear JFR, Robert Hight TF/FC with CHP Wrap. Photo by: Dicken Wear.