Force Makes 11th Hour Bid Pay Off with Showdown Berth
As No. 1 Seed, Ashley Force Extends Team's Streak in Funny Car Bonus Race
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_force07.jpg" alt="j_force07" align="left"borders="0"/><img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/a_force_209805.jpg" alt="a_force_209805"align="right"borders="0" />
MOHNTON, Pa. -- Against extremely long odds, John Force managed to earn the eighth and final starting spot for the 27th annual U.S. Smokeless Showdown despite qualifying his Castrol GTX High Mileague Ford Mustang only fifth for Sunday's 27th annual Toyo Tires Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.
That extended one of the sport's longest and most impressive streaks, putting the 14-time series champion in the field of the Funny Car bonus race for the 24th consecutive year and for the 25th time overall.
He was surprised and delighted by the unexpected turn of events even though it means he will oppose his daughter, Ashley, the No. 1 seed, in the first round, Aug. 31 in Indianapolis, Ind.
"I had to do everything right the last two races to have a shot," Force said. "We were lucky enough that we qualified high in Brainerd (No. 2) and here. Other guys struggled and two of them didn't make the show. Luck was a big part of this, but we'll take it."
When the 126-time tour winner failed to qualify for the July 20th Schuck's Auto Parts Supply Nationals at Seattle, Wash., it appeared that the streak would come to an end. After all, the Seattle race was the sixth Showdown qualifier in which he earned zero points. That included three races he missed while recovering from injuries suffered in a crash last Sept. 23 at Dallas, Texas and three DNQs.
"After last year and that crash in Dallas, I really didn't think that I'd be able to put this thing back in (the Showdown)," Force said. "We missed races, but you just keep the faith and you keep going down the road. You keep doing what you do and believing in your crew chiefs and your team.
"To be in (the race) for Castrol and Ford, Old Spice, the Auto Club of Southern California, BrandSource, Sanyo and Mac Tools, we've done our job and it is just really cool. I'm racing Ashley first round and that's really what I wanted to do most. I didn't want her to go to the Showdown for her first time and me not be in it with her. Boy, I made it by the hair on my chinny, chin, chin."
Almost lost in the celebration of her dad's unlikely comeback was Ashley's history-making drive to become the top seed, extending to 19 the number of consecutive seasons that a John Force Racing driver has been No. 1 going into the Showdown. That streak began with Force himself in 1990. He was the top seed for the next 16 seasons before his son-in-law, Robert Hight, climbed to the top in 2006 and 2007.
John Force's record in the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Showdown:
$2,000 1983 Beat Ken Veney; lost to Al Segrini (1-1)
$2,000 1985 Lost to Kenny Bernstein (1-2)
$5,000 1986 Beat Tom McEwen, Billy Meyer; Lost to Mark Oswald (3-3)
$50,000 1987 Beat Don Prudhomme, Billy Meyer and Mark Oswald (6-3)
$2,500 1988 Lost to Ed McCulloch (6-4)
$10,000 1989 Beat Kenny Bernstein, Mark Oswald; Lost to Don Prudhomme (8-5)
$50,000 1990 Beat K.C. Spurlock, Ed McCulloch and Bruce Larson (11-5)
$10,000 1991 Beat Al Hofmann, Richard Hartman; Lost to Jim White (13-6)
$10,000 1992 Beat Whit Bazemore, Cruz Pedregon; Lost to Al Hofmann (15-7)
$50,000 1993 Beat Whit Bazemore, Tom Hoover and Cruz Pedregon (18-7)
$4,000 1994 Lost to Kenji Okazaki (18-8)
$6,000 1995 Beat Jim Epler; lost to Cruz Pedregon (19-9)
$100,000** 1996 Beat Gary Bolger, Tony Pedregon and Cruz Pedregon (22-9)
$6,000 1997 Beat Del Worsham; lost to Kenji Okazaki (23-10)
$6,000 1998 Beat Al Hofmann; lost to Cruz Pedregon (24-11)
$5,000 1999 Lost to Del Worsham (24-12)
$100,000 2000 Beat Del Worsham, Tony Pedregon and Jim Epler (27-12)
$6,000 2001 Beat Del Worsham; lost to Whit Bazemore (28-13)
$5,000 2002 Lost to Dean Skuza (28-14)
$15,000 2003 Beat Ron Capps, Whit Bazemore; lost to Tony Pedregon (30-15)
$15,000 2004 Beat Phil Burkart Jr., Tony Pedregon; lost to Gary Densham (32-16)
$5,000 2005 Lost to Robert Hight (32-17)
$100.000 2006 Beat Tony Pedregon, Eric Medlen and Tommy Johnson Jr. (35-17)
$5,000 2007 Lost to Tommy Johnson Jr. (35-18)
$464,500 TOTAL
Event Qualifying:
5 No. 1 qualifiers @ $3,000 = $15,000
2 No. 1 qualifiers @ $3,500 = $7,000
123 No. 1 qualifiers @ $4,000 = $492,000
TOTAL $514,000
Showdown total $564,500
GRAND TOTAL $1,078,500
As No. 1 Seed, Ashley Force Extends Team's Streak in Funny Car Bonus Race
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_force07.jpg" alt="j_force07" align="left"borders="0"/><img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/a_force_209805.jpg" alt="a_force_209805"align="right"borders="0" />
MOHNTON, Pa. -- Against extremely long odds, John Force managed to earn the eighth and final starting spot for the 27th annual U.S. Smokeless Showdown despite qualifying his Castrol GTX High Mileague Ford Mustang only fifth for Sunday's 27th annual Toyo Tires Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.
That extended one of the sport's longest and most impressive streaks, putting the 14-time series champion in the field of the Funny Car bonus race for the 24th consecutive year and for the 25th time overall.
He was surprised and delighted by the unexpected turn of events even though it means he will oppose his daughter, Ashley, the No. 1 seed, in the first round, Aug. 31 in Indianapolis, Ind.
"I had to do everything right the last two races to have a shot," Force said. "We were lucky enough that we qualified high in Brainerd (No. 2) and here. Other guys struggled and two of them didn't make the show. Luck was a big part of this, but we'll take it."
When the 126-time tour winner failed to qualify for the July 20th Schuck's Auto Parts Supply Nationals at Seattle, Wash., it appeared that the streak would come to an end. After all, the Seattle race was the sixth Showdown qualifier in which he earned zero points. That included three races he missed while recovering from injuries suffered in a crash last Sept. 23 at Dallas, Texas and three DNQs.
"After last year and that crash in Dallas, I really didn't think that I'd be able to put this thing back in (the Showdown)," Force said. "We missed races, but you just keep the faith and you keep going down the road. You keep doing what you do and believing in your crew chiefs and your team.
"To be in (the race) for Castrol and Ford, Old Spice, the Auto Club of Southern California, BrandSource, Sanyo and Mac Tools, we've done our job and it is just really cool. I'm racing Ashley first round and that's really what I wanted to do most. I didn't want her to go to the Showdown for her first time and me not be in it with her. Boy, I made it by the hair on my chinny, chin, chin."
Almost lost in the celebration of her dad's unlikely comeback was Ashley's history-making drive to become the top seed, extending to 19 the number of consecutive seasons that a John Force Racing driver has been No. 1 going into the Showdown. That streak began with Force himself in 1990. He was the top seed for the next 16 seasons before his son-in-law, Robert Hight, climbed to the top in 2006 and 2007.
John Force's record in the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Showdown:
$2,000 1983 Beat Ken Veney; lost to Al Segrini (1-1)
$2,000 1985 Lost to Kenny Bernstein (1-2)
$5,000 1986 Beat Tom McEwen, Billy Meyer; Lost to Mark Oswald (3-3)
$50,000 1987 Beat Don Prudhomme, Billy Meyer and Mark Oswald (6-3)
$2,500 1988 Lost to Ed McCulloch (6-4)
$10,000 1989 Beat Kenny Bernstein, Mark Oswald; Lost to Don Prudhomme (8-5)
$50,000 1990 Beat K.C. Spurlock, Ed McCulloch and Bruce Larson (11-5)
$10,000 1991 Beat Al Hofmann, Richard Hartman; Lost to Jim White (13-6)
$10,000 1992 Beat Whit Bazemore, Cruz Pedregon; Lost to Al Hofmann (15-7)
$50,000 1993 Beat Whit Bazemore, Tom Hoover and Cruz Pedregon (18-7)
$4,000 1994 Lost to Kenji Okazaki (18-8)
$6,000 1995 Beat Jim Epler; lost to Cruz Pedregon (19-9)
$100,000** 1996 Beat Gary Bolger, Tony Pedregon and Cruz Pedregon (22-9)
$6,000 1997 Beat Del Worsham; lost to Kenji Okazaki (23-10)
$6,000 1998 Beat Al Hofmann; lost to Cruz Pedregon (24-11)
$5,000 1999 Lost to Del Worsham (24-12)
$100,000 2000 Beat Del Worsham, Tony Pedregon and Jim Epler (27-12)
$6,000 2001 Beat Del Worsham; lost to Whit Bazemore (28-13)
$5,000 2002 Lost to Dean Skuza (28-14)
$15,000 2003 Beat Ron Capps, Whit Bazemore; lost to Tony Pedregon (30-15)
$15,000 2004 Beat Phil Burkart Jr., Tony Pedregon; lost to Gary Densham (32-16)
$5,000 2005 Lost to Robert Hight (32-17)
$100.000 2006 Beat Tony Pedregon, Eric Medlen and Tommy Johnson Jr. (35-17)
$5,000 2007 Lost to Tommy Johnson Jr. (35-18)
$464,500 TOTAL
Event Qualifying:
5 No. 1 qualifiers @ $3,000 = $15,000
2 No. 1 qualifiers @ $3,500 = $7,000
123 No. 1 qualifiers @ $4,000 = $492,000
TOTAL $514,000
Showdown total $564,500
GRAND TOTAL $1,078,500
