As some of you may know, I have been writing post-race columns for John Force Racing for the past few years. I am under no obligation to anyone as to what I write, how I write it, or how candid I choose to be on any topic. This was written on Monday evening after the race and will be posted on John's website soon. I saw this thread and I felt I needed to post my column here, right from the original document which was sent to John's webmaster.
BILL STEPHENS “IN THE GROOVE” 9/8/09
I’m not sure I know where to begin.
John Force Racing got everything it wanted at the biggest race of the year. Robert made it into the Countdown to 1, Ashley won in an all-JFR final round for the second time in her career (the first time was in her first Indy start in her Top Alcohol Dragster), and JFR can now look forward to the playoffs with all four team drivers in the mix.
They also got something they didn’t want. A dust-up with the Pedregon brothers, primarily Tony.
John has always told me that I have complete and unquestioned freedom to write anything I would like in all of my “In the Groove” columns. He has never asked me to avoid an issue, toe the company line, or trade my objectivity for political correctness.
However, as I sit down to piece together my thoughts after watching the events of the day unfold following Robert’s victory over John in the semi-finals, I know if John were sitting next to me right at this moment, he would encourage me not to rehash the emotionally-charged episode which took place this afternoon at O’Reilly Raceway Park.
And I’m in full agreement.
Instead, I want to share just a very brief, but I think important, aspect of John Force’s personality. It’s a quality I have always found admirable—along with many others—that separates him from most other successful professional racers, not only in the NHRA but in just about every pro motorsport there is.
Whenever John is involved in any kind of disagreement, difference of opinion, controversy or argument, as soon as the moment passes and the emotional temperatures return back to normal, he is the first—let me repeat—THE FIRST person to offer an apology, extend the olive branch, and attempt to make amends no matter whether he feels he was right or he was wrong.
I could give you numerous examples of that, dating back to the early years of the ESPN television contract which formally began in 2001. Sometimes, our TV coverage would include some information that John felt might be incorrect or irrelevant to our storylines. He would sometimes confront me or another ESPN team member and point out in no uncertain terms how off-base he felt we were or how we should have talked to him before airing the information. John would be emphatic, agitated, and ramped up, but never abusive or beyond reason. Once he had assertively made his points, he would jump on his scooter and drive away.
Then, no more than a half-hour later, he would come back and try to find whomever he had taken to task 30-minutes earlier and profusely apologize for his lecture, seeming as if he felt he had done something dreadfully wrong. That takes a special kind of character, especially for someone as famous, successful, and universally beloved as John is. I admire John for a host of reasons but that particular desire of his to avoid creating an enemy or offending someone with whom he’s had an issue is one I especially respect.
I would be wholeheartedly shocked if John hasn’t already extended an apology to Tony and/or Cruz about what happened today and I can almost guarantee that, knowing Tony and Cruz as well as I do, the Pedregons have accepted John’s conciliatory overtures.
While some may say John is just trying to maintain his image of the “good guy”, I can say without fear of contradiction that it goes much deeper than that. John has never forgotten his roots, his long struggle climbing the ladder of success, and how he has been blessed in so many ways when so many others have not. That has given him an honesty and humility that’s rare to find among individuals who have made it to the top. John is a “good guy”, not because there’s something in it for him, but because it’s the only way he knows how to be.
This has turned into quite a testimonial for Mr. Force and it really wasn’t intended to be. This year’s U.S. Nationals was a fabulous event which provided an almost endless array of memorable stories and unforgettable moments—in every class. Tony Schumacher ties “Big Daddy” Don Garlits with his eighth career U.S. Nationals Top Fuel win: Jeg Coughlin Jr. wins Pro Stock after beating No. 1 qualifier and notorious “leaver” Mike Edwards in the semi-finals—when Edwards fouls out! And after years of trying, Hector Arana finally wins the U.S. Nationals with such heavyweight favorites as Andrew Hines, Matt Smith, Eddie Krawiec, and Craig Treble falling by the wayside. What a weekend!
Next stop, Charlotte in two weeks as the Countdown to 1 begins and the NHRA treats everyone to FOUR fuel cars running down the Z-Max quarter-mile side-by-side in a special exhibition! That won’t just be cool; that will be below zero!
As always, I’ll have more from “In the Groove” right after the race so I hope you’ll be back then!
