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Drag Racing Legend John Force Named Grand Marshal of 52nd March Meet, Mar. 5-7*
14-time Funny Car champion won famous race in 1975
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Feb. 2, 2010) – It’s a dream come true for drag racing fans. The sport’s greatest name is coming to the nostalgia drag racing’s most famous event. Fourteen-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force – the winningest driver in drag racing history – has been named Grand Marshal for the 52nd running of the March Meet, Mar. 5-7 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in McFarland, Calif. (about 20 miles north of Bakersfield).
“We’ve had some big names as Grand Marshals at the March Meet,” said Blake Bowser, vice president and general manager of the Kern County Racing Association, operators of Auto Club Famoso and producers of the March Meet, “but John Force is in a class by himself. He’s a living legend and the greatest Funny Car racer of all time. This will be a real treat for fans.”
Bowser said it would be a homecoming of sorts for the 59-year-old Force, who cut his teeth on the drag racing circuit by competing in Bakersfield back in the 1970s. Force won the iconic March Meet back in 1975.*
Although a schedule has not been set yet, Bowser said that the colorful racing legend will sign autographs for fans on Sat., Mar. 6 and Sun., Mar. 7.
“John’s a larger-than-life type of guy, and that’s why fans love him,” said Bowser. “He came from humble beginnings as a truck driver and now he’s the most popular drag racer in history. Having him as the Grand Marshal of the March Meet is unbelievable.”
John Force Career Highlights*
* Winningest driver in drag racing history with 126 tour victories.
* Winner of a record 14 series championships (1990-91, 1993-2002, 2004, 2006).
* Winner of 10 consecutive NHRA Funny Car championships (1993-2002).
* Selected as Driver of the Year for all of American motor racing in 1996 by a national panel of motorsports journalists, the first drag racer ever so honored.
* Won 13 races, appeared in 16 final rounds and won 65 elimination rounds en route to the 1996 championship. *All are NHRA single season records.
* Accepted the John Bolster Award for lifetime achievement at the 2005 AutoSport Awards in London, England.
* Has appeared in an NHRA record 202 final rounds.
* Has been named to the Auto Racing All-America Team selected by members of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association 14 times and set a record with 10 consecutive appearances (1993-2002).
* Has earned the Jerry Titus Memorial Award as the All-America driver receiving the most votes from the AARWBA membership a record four times, most recently in 2002.
* Started a record 395 consecutive events before failing to qualifying for the 2007 SummitRacing.com Nationals at Las Vegas, Nev.
* Only driver to have won 1,000 racing rounds.
* Returned to racing in 2008 and finished seventh in points after being seriously injured in a Sept. 23, 2007 crash at Dallas, Texas.
*Has won at least one NHRA tour event for 22 consecutive seasons.
* Has finished in the Top 10 24 consecutive seasons.
* In 1990, claimed first career championship, beating Ed “The Ace” McCulloch (and then crew chief Bernie Fedderly) by today’s equivalent of 43 points.
* In 1987, earned first NHRA career victory at the Molson Grandnational at Montreal, Canada, beating Ed McCulloch in the final.
* In 1978, qualified for his first NHRA national event (World Finals at Pomona, Calif.) before losing to Gordie Bonin in first round.
John Force Personnel File*
* Date of birth: May 4, 1949*
* Hometown: Yorba Linda, Calif.*
* Sponsor/Car: Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang*
*Crew Chief: Austin Coil/Bernie Fedderly Career*
* Wins: 126
* FC: 126*
* Career Final Rounds: 202
* FC: 202*
* Career Best E.T.: 4.060*
* Career Best Speed: 309.77
* Wife: Laurie;*
* Daughters: Adria (6/4/69), Ashley (11/29/82), Brittany (7/8/86), Courtney (6/20/88)*
* Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 190 pounds*
* Hobby: Storytelling*
* Notable: Daughter, Ashley, competes against him in Funny Car class; daughters Brittany and Courtney compete in Alcohol Dragster.*
* Enjoys riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and collecting Elvis Presley memorabilia*
* Drove trucks and became a television pitch man for a truck-driving school during early racing career*
* Also owns the Funny Car driven by Robert Hight
For more on John Force, go to John Force
Now celebrating 52 years of racing, the March Meet is a three-day speedfest that enthusiasts call ‘the jewel of Nostalgia Racing.’ *It attracts drag racers and spectators from around the world and also includes a hot rod car show, swap meet and a vendors’ midway.*
The 2010 March Meet is also the first race of the Hot Rod Heritage Series, the NHRA’s 9-race nostalgia racing series.*
Fans can purchase a Super 3-Day Pass for $75 online now at Auto Club Famoso Raceway and pick them up at the track the week of the event. There are no service charges for tickets purchased online.
*
Individual day tickets for the event will go on sale Mar.1, but will be available only at the track. Ticket prices are $25 for Fri., Mar. 5; $30 for Sat., Mar. 6; and $30 for Sun., Mar. 7.*
Auto Club members also receive a $ 2 discount off daily admission tickets by showing their cards when they purchase tickets at the track. Daily tickets for children ages 7 to 12 are $10 and kids 6 and under are free when accompanied by an adult with paid admission.
The Kern County Racing Association (KCRA) operates historic Auto Club Famoso Raceway (just north of Bakersfield, Calif.) and promotes a full schedule of races year round, including the world famous March Meet, Mar. 5-7, 2010, is the recognized Mecca of nostalgia drag racing. For more details, visit Auto Club Famoso Raceway
14-time Funny Car champion won famous race in 1975
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Feb. 2, 2010) – It’s a dream come true for drag racing fans. The sport’s greatest name is coming to the nostalgia drag racing’s most famous event. Fourteen-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force – the winningest driver in drag racing history – has been named Grand Marshal for the 52nd running of the March Meet, Mar. 5-7 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in McFarland, Calif. (about 20 miles north of Bakersfield).
“We’ve had some big names as Grand Marshals at the March Meet,” said Blake Bowser, vice president and general manager of the Kern County Racing Association, operators of Auto Club Famoso and producers of the March Meet, “but John Force is in a class by himself. He’s a living legend and the greatest Funny Car racer of all time. This will be a real treat for fans.”
Bowser said it would be a homecoming of sorts for the 59-year-old Force, who cut his teeth on the drag racing circuit by competing in Bakersfield back in the 1970s. Force won the iconic March Meet back in 1975.*
Although a schedule has not been set yet, Bowser said that the colorful racing legend will sign autographs for fans on Sat., Mar. 6 and Sun., Mar. 7.
“John’s a larger-than-life type of guy, and that’s why fans love him,” said Bowser. “He came from humble beginnings as a truck driver and now he’s the most popular drag racer in history. Having him as the Grand Marshal of the March Meet is unbelievable.”
John Force Career Highlights*
* Winningest driver in drag racing history with 126 tour victories.
* Winner of a record 14 series championships (1990-91, 1993-2002, 2004, 2006).
* Winner of 10 consecutive NHRA Funny Car championships (1993-2002).
* Selected as Driver of the Year for all of American motor racing in 1996 by a national panel of motorsports journalists, the first drag racer ever so honored.
* Won 13 races, appeared in 16 final rounds and won 65 elimination rounds en route to the 1996 championship. *All are NHRA single season records.
* Accepted the John Bolster Award for lifetime achievement at the 2005 AutoSport Awards in London, England.
* Has appeared in an NHRA record 202 final rounds.
* Has been named to the Auto Racing All-America Team selected by members of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association 14 times and set a record with 10 consecutive appearances (1993-2002).
* Has earned the Jerry Titus Memorial Award as the All-America driver receiving the most votes from the AARWBA membership a record four times, most recently in 2002.
* Started a record 395 consecutive events before failing to qualifying for the 2007 SummitRacing.com Nationals at Las Vegas, Nev.
* Only driver to have won 1,000 racing rounds.
* Returned to racing in 2008 and finished seventh in points after being seriously injured in a Sept. 23, 2007 crash at Dallas, Texas.
*Has won at least one NHRA tour event for 22 consecutive seasons.
* Has finished in the Top 10 24 consecutive seasons.
* In 1990, claimed first career championship, beating Ed “The Ace” McCulloch (and then crew chief Bernie Fedderly) by today’s equivalent of 43 points.
* In 1987, earned first NHRA career victory at the Molson Grandnational at Montreal, Canada, beating Ed McCulloch in the final.
* In 1978, qualified for his first NHRA national event (World Finals at Pomona, Calif.) before losing to Gordie Bonin in first round.
John Force Personnel File*
* Date of birth: May 4, 1949*
* Hometown: Yorba Linda, Calif.*
* Sponsor/Car: Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang*
*Crew Chief: Austin Coil/Bernie Fedderly Career*
* Wins: 126
* FC: 126*
* Career Final Rounds: 202
* FC: 202*
* Career Best E.T.: 4.060*
* Career Best Speed: 309.77
* Wife: Laurie;*
* Daughters: Adria (6/4/69), Ashley (11/29/82), Brittany (7/8/86), Courtney (6/20/88)*
* Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 190 pounds*
* Hobby: Storytelling*
* Notable: Daughter, Ashley, competes against him in Funny Car class; daughters Brittany and Courtney compete in Alcohol Dragster.*
* Enjoys riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and collecting Elvis Presley memorabilia*
* Drove trucks and became a television pitch man for a truck-driving school during early racing career*
* Also owns the Funny Car driven by Robert Hight
For more on John Force, go to John Force
Now celebrating 52 years of racing, the March Meet is a three-day speedfest that enthusiasts call ‘the jewel of Nostalgia Racing.’ *It attracts drag racers and spectators from around the world and also includes a hot rod car show, swap meet and a vendors’ midway.*
The 2010 March Meet is also the first race of the Hot Rod Heritage Series, the NHRA’s 9-race nostalgia racing series.*
Fans can purchase a Super 3-Day Pass for $75 online now at Auto Club Famoso Raceway and pick them up at the track the week of the event. There are no service charges for tickets purchased online.
*
Individual day tickets for the event will go on sale Mar.1, but will be available only at the track. Ticket prices are $25 for Fri., Mar. 5; $30 for Sat., Mar. 6; and $30 for Sun., Mar. 7.*
Auto Club members also receive a $ 2 discount off daily admission tickets by showing their cards when they purchase tickets at the track. Daily tickets for children ages 7 to 12 are $10 and kids 6 and under are free when accompanied by an adult with paid admission.
The Kern County Racing Association (KCRA) operates historic Auto Club Famoso Raceway (just north of Bakersfield, Calif.) and promotes a full schedule of races year round, including the world famous March Meet, Mar. 5-7, 2010, is the recognized Mecca of nostalgia drag racing. For more details, visit Auto Club Famoso Raceway
