LAS VEGAS – With two of his teams battling for the 2024 NHRA Funny Car world championship, drag racing icon John “Brute” Force has secured clearance from doctors treating him for a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) to attend the 24th annual Ford Performance NHRA Nationals, Oct. 31-Nov. 3, at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“Vegas is close enough to home that (my wife) Laurie and I can drive over,” Force, a 75-year-old resident of Yorba Linda, Calif., said in a team news release. “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 acknowledged that doctors have been treating him not only for the injury he suffered in a crash during the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals on June 23rd at Virginia Motorsports Park in North Dinwiddie, Va., but also for the cumulative effect of the multitude of hard hits he has absorbed during a 50-year career.
Before the crash in June, Force had won twice this year and his PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS team was solidly in title contention. After missing two races, the team returned for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway in mid-August with 2012 world champion and fellow-Californian “Fast” Jack Beckman as substitute driver. NHRA rules allow for Beckman to add any points he collects to Force’s total.
Beckman subsequently won the NHRA Midwest Nationals on Sept. 30 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill., outside St. Louis. But Beckman, 58, was advised to sit out the final day of competition during the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex in Ennis on Sunday, Oct. 13, after experiencing vertigo-like symptoms overnight Saturday.
Entering the LVMS event – next-to-last race in the six-round Countdown to the Championship playoffs _ Beckman trails only teammate Austin Prock in the driver standings. Prock is a seven-time winner this season in the Cornwell Tools and AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS.
“I’m still a work in progress,” said Force, a 16-time world champion and winner of 157 national events. “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 Prock on FOX but watching on TV is not the same as being there.”
Additionally, Brittany Force – John’s daughter and a two-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion _ is eighth in the standings heading into the schedule’s penultimate round.
“I want to be there for Brittany and that team with (David) Grubnic and John Collins,” the elder Force said. “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.”
The season will conclude with the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at Pomona, Calif., Nov. 14-17.
Point standings (top-10) following the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, the 18th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and Round 4 of the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs:
Top Fuel _ 1. Justin Ashley, 2,422; 2. Antron Brown, 2,378; 3. Shawn Langdon, 2,346; 4. Steve Torrence, 2,334; 5. Tony Schumacher, 2,317; 6. Clay Millican, 2,308; 7. Doug Kalitta, 2,289; 8. Brittany Force, 2,232; 9. Tony Stewart, 2,181; 10. Billy Torrence, 2,167.
Funny Car _ 1. Austin Prock, 2,537; 2. John Force/Jack Beckman, 2,390; 3. Matt Hagan, 2,369; 4. Ron Capps, 2,357; 5. Bob Tasca III, 2,326; 6. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,238; 7. Blake Alexander, 2,234; 8. J.R. Todd, 2,223; 9. Chad Green, 2,210; 10. Alexis DeJoria, 2,177.
Pro Stock _ 1. Dallas Glenn, 2,517; 2. Aaron Stanfield, 2,464; 3. Greg Anderson, 2,427; 4. Erica Enders, 2,406; 5. Jeg Coughlin Jr., 2,321; 6. Matt Hartford, 2,215; 7. Cristian Cuadra, 2,188; 8. Jerry Tucker, 2,182; 9. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,175; 10. Eric Latino, 2,158.
Pro Stock Motorcycle _ 1. Gaige Herrera, 2,532; 2. Matt Smith, 2,470; 3. Richard Gadson, 2,371; 4. Hector Arana Jr., 2,347; 5. Chase Van Sant, 2,302; 6. Angie Smith, 2,262; 7. Jianna Evaristo, 2,247; 8. John Hall, 2,239; 9. Steve Johnson, 2,182; 10. Chris Bostick, 2,128.
