NHRA President Tom Compton, left, and John Force posed with the permanent Hall of Fame pedestal that will be on display at Texas Motor Speedway

John Force brought the house down at the Speedway Club at Texas Motor Speedway during the 8th annual Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Speaking from a circle in the round stage in front of a packed house, Force regaled the crowd of more than 600 with tales of racing, promoting, and family in a speech that ended with the night’s only standing ovation.

“I love racing. It has been my whole life. I wasn’t born in Texas, but I nearly died here. I have to say thank you to the NHRA, to my sponsors Castrol, Ford, Mac Tools, Auto Club, and BrandSource for sticking by me, and most of all to the fans. That is why I do what I do, for the roar of the crowd,” said the 13-time NHRA winner in Texas.

Force was the lone inductee into the Hall of Fame in 2011, joining drag racing legends Kenny Bernstein, Lee Shepherd, and Eddie Hill as well as racing superstars A.J. Foyt, Mark Martin, and Bobby Labonte in the hall. Force was presented with a framed original painting to commemorate the event. A permanent pedestal featuring a reproduction of the painting as well as a list of Force’s Hall of Fame credentials will be permanently displayed at Texas Motor Speedway.

In his speech introducing Force, NHRA President Tom Compton spoke emotionally and eloquently about Force’s impact on the sport as well as his universal appeal.

“John Force is one of the greatest drivers ever to race in the NHRA. He is a great ambassador for motorsports, and he is one of the most unique people I have had the privilege of getting to know,” said Compton. “He spends time with the fans, and they love him for that. His determination to overcome poverty, childhood polio, and a less than stellar start to his career is a testament to the ability of the human spirit to survive and excel beyond anyone’s belief.”

NASCAR driver and commentator Kyle Petty with Force and Compton at the conclusion of the event. Petty had some tremendous one-liners, but Force stole the show by Petty's own admission.

Midway through his speech, Force’s attention was drawn to a young Marine sitting at a table adjacent to the stage. He immediately thanked the young man for his service to this country, left the stage to give him a hug, then resumed his train of thought. As Force wrapped up his speech with a number of comedic tales involving everyone from his daughters to Paris Hilton to track owner Bruton Smith, he took the time to sincerely thank all of the people who stood by him when he was in the hospital in Dallas and as he struggled to regain his championship form.

“I have been blessed throughout my career. I have a great family and great teammates. An honor like this is not for one man but for our whole organization. Every driver that has raced with me and every crewman that turned a Mac Tool wrench for me shares in this award. I thank every one of them for their support.”

As Force left the stage to thunderous applause, the crowd rose to its feet. Force didn’t even notice because he was already signing autographs and thanking people for taking the time to support such a great event.

Force donated a replica 25th anniversary Castrol GTX High Mileage racing helmet for the silent auction at the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame event. He signed it "John Force 15X, Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame 2011." All of the silent auction proceeds went to Speedway Children's Charities. His helmet garnered the largest amount of money of any of the silent-auction items, $3,000. Other silent-auction items included an autographed Jimmie Johnson firesuit, Johnson race-worn gloves, a Richard Petty cowboy hat, and numerous trips and sporting-event ticket packages.