04-05-2025
NHRA Legend John Force Championed By Team With Touching Message
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John Force Racing shared a touching tribute to its owner, 16-time NHRA champion John Force, as he celebrated his 76th birthday.
Taking to social media, the team wrote:
"Happy Birthday 16X!! What can we say that hasn't already been said? To the man who created a drag racing dynasty, the father of a beautiful family (and one of the biggest extended families out there with all of his friends and fans!), and to a man who has, and continues to, overcome challenges and obstacles and is a beacon of light and strength to all; can we all wish John Force a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY?!"
Happy Birthday 16X!! What can we say that hasn't already been said? To the man who created a drag racing dynasty, the father of a beautiful family (and one of the biggest extended families out there with all of his friends and fans!), and to a man who has, and continues to,... — John Force Racing (@JFR_Racing) May 4, 2025
Force is currently out of the race seat after suffering from a severe crash in Virginia last year. Following the crash, the driver went from intensive care to the Neuro ICU due to a traumatic brain injury, before eventually being discharged from hospital to continue with his rehabilitation from home.
John Force, driver of the Castrol High Mileage Ford funny car waves to the fans during the NHRA Carolinas Nationals on September 20, 2009 at Zmax Dragway in Concord, North Carolina.
John Force, driver of the Castrol High Mileage Ford funny car waves to the fans during the NHRA Carolinas Nationals on September 20, 2009 at Zmax Dragway in Concord, North made his first track appearance since the Virginia crash in Las Vegas later that year to support his John Force Racing team. He commented at the time:
"I'm still going to therapy every week and working as hard as I can to get back out there with the sponsors and the fans in a sport I love and I miss. I've still got a lot of things I want to do, so I don't want anybody thinking they've seen the last of John Force. We'll have a lot more to talk about after the holidays."
Jack Beckman has continued to step in for Force since the crash.
"I am thrilled to continue a partnership with PEAK and BlueDEF and look forward to returning to JFR in 2025," Beckman stated.
"As a car enthusiast, I believe in using the best products available for both personal and professional applications. PEAK and BlueDEF products are trusted for our support vehicles and haulers, ensuring reliability and performance."
Adding to his long list of achievements, including 16 NHRA championship titles, Force was recently inducted into the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame.
He reacted to the honor, as previously reported by Newsweek Sports:
"I'm very proud to accept this honor along with the other 2024 inductees.
"It's been a rough year and I'm sorry I couldn't be there in Canada for the ceremonies, but this is special to me because I won my first NHRA race in Canada. It may have been a long time ago, but I still remember."
