Drag racing legend John Force retires at 76

Audio By Carbonatix

Enlarge

Drag racing legend John Force is retiring after 46 years on the track.

Now 76, Force has not raced since June 2024, when his engine exploded at the NHRA Virginia Nationals, sending his burning car across the track at nearly 300 mph and into a concrete wall. He sustained a serious head injury and a fractured sternum.

The winner of 16 Funny Car championships, Force discussed in a video posted to social media on Thursday about how the crash impacted him and led to his retirement.

“I’ve been under doctors’ care and I still am, so if I say anything wrong, please excuse me. It’s time for me to retire,” Force said, adding he asked himself this question:

“Do I want to get back in the car and get hit in the head? And I don’t.”

Force holds the record for National Hot Rod Association wins with 157. His 16 NHRA championships are a record and include 10 in a row from 1993-2002.

He made his announcement from his headquarters in Yorba Linda, Calif. Earlier, his daughter, Brittany, confirmed she was retiring with the intention of starting a family.

The 39-year-old is the winningest female driver in the top fuel division of the NHRA and one of three Force daughters to race. She set the all-time mark when she won her 19th race on Nov. 2 to surpass Shirley Muldowney.

John Force was the first Funny Car driver to reach 100 wins, then tacked on another 57 to extend his legacy. His 16 NHRA championships are a record and include 10 in a row from 1993-2002.

In the video, Force said he looks forward to spending time with his grandchildren — and the ones still to come — as well as continuing to build his racing team.

“I’ve said so many times, ‘Until this race car kills me, they’re going to have to drag me out of the seat,'” he said. “But the truth is, I was dragged out of the seat at Richmond. They thought it killed me then. I’m lucky I’m back walking.”

He is a member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.

–Field Level Media