NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

John Force began his NHRA Funny Car career in 1977, and though his career got off to an inauspicious start — he failed to qualify at that first event and struggled to turn on win lights for several years to follow — his persistence and hard work definitely paid off. Force won his first race in Montreal in 1987, and in the years since, he has consistently found his way to the winner’s circle. Force has tallied 143 victories, the most not only in a Funny Car but overall in NHRA, and he has earned 16 world championships, also a record.

Force’s name is all over the Funny Car record books. In addition to overall wins and championships, Force holds the mark for wins in a single season (13), wins at a single event (11, Brainerd), overall round-wins (1,239), round-wins in a season (65), most No. 1 starts (154), most No. 1 starts in a season (13), longest qualifying streak (395), and most races leading the points (273).

This season, Force has had a steady car that has consistently gone down the track, and that shows in both the results and the points. Force is one of three Funny Car drivers who has not registered a first-round loss this season (Force’s daughter Courtney and Ron Capps are the others). Force has one final-round showing in 2016, in Phoenix, and entering Houston, he ranks third in the points, 17 behind leader Robert Hight.