Weather permitting, Brittany Force wants to enjoy every single moment of her last event of the year with her team. At the NHRA Finals in Pomona starting on Thursday, the winningest female driver in the top fuel division of the National Hot Rod Assn. began her road to closing this phase of her career in the winners circle.
In September, the 39-year-old driver announced she would take a break from the tracks at the end of the season in order to start a family with her husband, Bobby Lyons. The announcement came a few days after Force went 343.51 mph at the NHRA U.S. Nationals, the fastest run in NHRA history.
It’s been a really difficult decision, the best way to describe it would be bittersweet, Force said in an interview with The Times this week. I wish I could do both, but there’s no space for being able to drive and try to start a family in the sport.
In her previous event, the NHRA Nevada Nationals last week in Las Vegas, Force took home the victory after defeating Shawn Langdon in the final round. Her 19th career win gave her the most by a woman driver, a mark she held with Shirley Muldowney. Combined with her father John Forces 16 funny car world championship titles, her win added another trophy to the familys dominating run. As she looks ahead to Pomona, shes hoping for the perfect ending to this chapter.
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That is what we were going for. Pomona is my home track, she said. It’s one of my favorite tracks on our circuit. It has just this nostalgic feel. I remember sitting in the stands watching my dad race, watching my sister race.
Brittany Force has had an illustrious career. Throughout her 12-year-run, she became the first top fuel driver in history to go 340 mph, owns nine of the top 10 fastest times in NHRA history, won two world championships and became the first woman in 35 years (second overall) to hold the top fuel racing world title. She never imagined she would accomplish so much but Force would rather leave a legacy behind to chase.
I hope that by doing what I love to do, that I can inspire people to do the same. Thats what I hope to be remembered for, Force added.
Force isnt calling it a retirement. In fact, she never used the r word. She hasnt ruled out a turn to the drag races in the future.
Thats a decision for further down the road, she said. a
She still plans to attend next years races with her dad and support her John Force Racing teammates. But her exit marks the first time since the NHRA Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway in 2020 that a member of the Force family will not appear in the list of drivers next year.
It definitely will be different, but John Force Racing will still be out there, Brittany Force said.
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Her legendary dads name will still remain a part of NHRA through his team, but John is proud of all that his daughter has accomplished.
She has other plans, thats her business, but what really is exciting to me is how much I love her because she [and her sisters] kept me alive, John Force said Thursday.
There is a sense of relief coming off the familys back, said Ashley Force Hood, 42. The family business comes with the potential of catastrophic accidents on the track. Her sister had one in 2018, her dad has had his fair share of hits to the head.
Like, your dads one thing, OK, its your dad, but when it’s your younger sister, you just are always going to be protective of her Hood said. Im glad that shes had the success shes had, shes safe and I want her to be safe this weekend, kick ass, but you want to keep them safe.
The differences will go beyond the track. For Force, her life will go from 350 to 0, from living out of a suitcase to being home for more than 10 days.
I mean, once I get home and I’m settled and I’m actually home for a solid month, I’m definitely going to miss being on the road. I know that because that’s my lifestyle, she said.
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Regardless of the change in lifestyle, Force will carry with her the hard lessons she learned from staring down the 1,000-foot-long track. The year after she won the championship in 2017, she returned to the track where she won it for the first event of the new season. This time, she wrecked her car. Instead of putting herself down, she bounced back and made her way into the victory column.
I went from the ultimate high in my career to the ultimate low, and being able to fight back to get back into that seat mentally, physically and then get back to the winning circle, Force said.
Hood has been a part of Forces ups and downs throughout her career. Shes seen her younger sister move up the ranks and learn different styles of driving, depending on the classes. Her calmness and demeanor demonstrated throughout her career was what made her realize she would succeed behind the wheel.
I think that it’s important to show that it is a business, and it’s not just about getting the car down the track, Hood said. And shes such a good wholesome person to have your kids look up to. Shes done really well and Im super proud of her.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.