John Force looking ahead, not back

NHRA Story

Thursday, October 23, 2014

It certainly wasn’t John Force’s plan to enter the final two events of the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series in pursuit of yet another Funny Car championship without his crew chief, but as with everything that the 16-time champ has overcome in his life, he’s up for the challenge.

On Wednesday, Force announced that he had not only accepted the end-of-year resignation of crew chief Jimmy Prock, who guided him to the 2013 Mello Yello title, but also dismissed him immediately to start moving forward with his plans not only to finish 2014 in glory, but also to head into what he hopes will be an equally successful 2015 campaign.

Force took part in a national NHRA teleconference Wednesday to get the news out and to allow him to keep his focus for the final two events of the season, the NHRA Toyota Nationals in Las Vegas and the Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona.

“I don't want to go to Vegas and have to spend my days there explaining to the media what's taking place,” he said. “I don't want to have to do it at the final race at Pomona.

“I got a call early this week from a number of team owners, but one that was being straight up with me: ‘I'm talking to some of your employees, and I'm talking to your crew chiefs.’ I was a little surprised that we're in the middle of the Countdown, but whatever. It's called business. I'm a big boy, and I understand it.

"I approached Jimmy, a great kid, brilliant, that won a championship with Robert Hight and a championship with myself. When I approached him, he couldn't give me an answer. We danced around for a few days. Finally I said, ‘I need to know because I have sponsor contracts that have been signed, contracts that are on the table. I'm selling this powerhouse race team of power teams. Jimmy said, ‘I'm probably going to leave at the end of the year.’ I said, ‘I need to know for sure.’ He said, ‘If I have to tell you, basically I need a change.’ I said, ‘I respect that.’ He turned in a resignation yesterday for the end of the year. I met with my brain trust [and] told Jimmy I would accept his resignation, but I was accepting it now; I'll take it right now. So as of right now, Jimmy Prock is no longer employed by John Force Racing.”

Force is No. 2 in the Mello Yello Funny Car points standings, 36 points behind rival Matt Hagan, with two races left.
“I know it's in the middle of the Countdown, and you think I'm committing suicide, but I'm not,” he explained. “I race from the heart. I'm about principle, I'm about camaraderie, I'm about loyalty. If a man's heart is not here with me, his job is to protect his family, he's got to do what he's got to do, and John Force has got to do what he's got to do.

“I have to make a decision because I'm not racing for this championship. I'm racing for this championship and the next 20 years. Right now, I've got to start building a team. Why wait till Pomona to start building a team next year in '15? I'm going to start tomorrow. The outcome will be what it is. But at least I know where I'm going. I couldn't wait any longer. Jimmy, we shook hands, he walked out and understood; I think he understood what I was doing.”

Force also laid to rest any questions about whether all four of his teams would be competing next season.

“We'll be making announcements at Las Vegas. We'll be making announcements in SEMA and right on through the winter, right up till opening day at Pomona,” he said. “Financially, I even dipped into my savings like I've done before, my wife and I, two and a half million dollars. With that, I have the budget if no more sponsors come onboard, but I've got calls this morning and yesterday. Things are looking good. I hope not to have to invest that money, but I will if I have to. That way, my four teams can race. I have a love and passion for NHRA. I feel I owe NHRA. I owe the sponsors, and I owe the fans to race.”
 

Six NHRA rookie drivers are eligible candidates for 2014 Auto Club Road to the Future Award Thursday, October 09, 2014

NHRA Article-Thursday, October 09, 2014

 

Jimmy Alund

Richie Crampton

Jonathan Gray

Elvira Karlsson

Chaz Kennedy

Shane Tucker

Six NHRA rookie drivers, representing three NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series classes – Top Fuel, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle – are the eligible candidates for the 2014 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award, it was announced by officials from NHRA and the Automobile Club of Southern California.

The award, which recognizes the top rookie competitor in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and offers a $20,000 prize and traditional trophy to the winner, will be presented during NHRA’s annual championship awards ceremony on Monday, Nov. 17 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles. More than 150 of the nation’s leading auto racing journalists will select the winner through a voting system based on the following criteria: number of events participated, performance on and off the racetrack, participation in NHRA promotions and relationships with fans, sponsors and media.

The candidates for the prestigious award are, in alphabetical order: Jimmy Alund (Pro Stock); Richie Crampton (Top Fuel); Jonathan Gray (Pro Stock); Elvira Karlsson (Pro Stock Motorcycle); Chaz Kennedy (Pro Stock Motorcycle); and Shane Tucker (Pro Stock).

“For more than 100 years the Automobile Club of Southern California has represented integrity, commitment and professionalism to our millions of members. The Road to the Future Award has come to symbolize these same attributes in the sport of NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing,” said Robert T. Bouttier, president and CEO of the Automobile Club of Southern California. “To be nominated recognizes not only that a rookie driver had a noteworthy first season, but also that they demonstrated exceptional potential for the future. We congratulate all six of the candidates for this year’s award and look forward to enjoying their achievements both on and off the race track for many years to come.”

Alund, 46, of Norrkoping, Sweden, filled in for Greg Anderson at the start of the season and performed admirably for the KB Racing team. He raced to a semifinal finish in Las Vegas and secured his first career victory in his fifth start at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. He also raced to career-best performances of 6.525 seconds and 212.90 mph at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.

Crampton, 34, a native of Adelaide, South Australia who is now a naturalized U.S. citizen living near Indianapolis, was a crewmember for Morgan Lucas Racing prior to making his transition as a driver. He has two wins to date in his rookie season. He won his first career race in Englishtown in only his ninth Top Fuel start. He also won the world’s most prestigious drag race, the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis over Labor Day weekend. He was the runner-up in the Top Fuel Traxxas Nitro Shootout in Indy. He entered the Countdown playoffs as the eighth seed in Top Fuel.

Gray, 33, of Mooresville, N.C., is following in the footsteps of his racing family during his rookie Pro Stock campaign. He qualified for the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoffs, then raced to a victory at the Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals and earned runner-up finishes in Bristol and Epping. He clocked career-best performances of 6.511 and 214.08 both at Englishtown at the controls of his Gray Motorsports Chevy Camaro.

Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Karlsson, 19, of Uppsala, Sweden, is in her rookie season after racing in the European Pro Stock Motorcycle ranks. She has attended seven events in 2014 and qualified for her first career NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event in Norwalk. She posted career-best performances of 6.947 and 192.08, both coming at Englishtown.

Kennedy, 20, from Ormond Beach, Fla., races for the successful Star Racing team on his Buell motorcycle. He qualified a season-best fourth in Norwalk and has qualified for every Pro Stock Motorcycle event he has entered. He has raced to three quarterfinal appearances and clocked career-best performances of 6.840 and 196.04 at Englishtown.

Tucker, 29, a native of Brisbane, Australia, has raced his Auzmet Architectural Chevy Camaro to a semifinal round appearance in Chicago and qualified a season-best fourth in Epping. He has also advanced to two quarterfinal round appearances and at Epping posted career-best performances of 6.496 and 213.94.

In 2002 the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award and the NHRA Rookie of the Year Award were combined to create one award recognizing the future stars of the sport. Past winners of the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award have developed into some of NHRA’s biggest stars, including Tony Pedregon (1996, Funny Car), Ron Capps (1997, Funny Car), Doug Kalitta (1998, Top Fuel), Antron Brown (1999, Pro Stock Motorcycle), Melanie Troxel (2000, Top Fuel), GT Tonglet (2001, Pro Stock Motorcycle), Gene Wilson (2002, Pro Stock); Brandon Bernstein (2003, Top Fuel); Jason Line (2004, Pro Stock); Robert Hight (2005, Funny Car); J.R. Todd (2006, Top Fuel); Ashley Force Hood (2007, Funny Car); Mike Neff (2008, Funny Car); Spencer Massey (2009, Top Fuel); L.E. Tonglet (2010, Pro Stock Motorcycle); Hector Arana Jr. (2011, Pro Stock Motorcycle); Courtney Force (2012, Funny Car); and Brittany Force (2013, Top Fuel).

NHRA Rookie of the Year winners prior to the merger of the two awards included the late Darrell Russell (2001, Top Fuel), Don Lampus (2000, Top Fuel), Scotty Cannon (1999, Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (1998, Pro Stock), Gary Scelzi (1997, Top Fuel) and co-winners in 1996, Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Matt Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

In addition to the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award, the company is the title sponsor for the Auto Club NHRA Finals, Nov. 13-16 at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. The company also is a major sponsor for John Force Racing, providing primary sponsorship for the Ford Mustang driven by Hight, as well as associate sponsorship for the cars driven by John, Courtney and Brittany Force. In addition, the company is the presenting sponsor for the NHRA Drags Street Legal Style, the California Hot Rod Reunion, National Hot Rod Reunion and New England Hot Rod Reunion, as well as the presenting sponsor for the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.