John Force would like to set the record straight.

Some of the words the 14-time National Champion used in the article Force: I’d Had Enough of It published on CompetitionPlus.com did not accurately describe actions he took concerning the NHRA and PRO.

John Force would like to set the record straight.

Some of the words the 14-time National Champion used in the article Force: I’d Had Enough of It published on CompetitionPlus.com did not accurately describe actions he took concerning the NHRA and PRO.

Force was quoted as saying that Tony Pedregon asked him to go to the NHRA and to PRO with a plea to slow the cars down and make them safer. Force did approach the NHRA and PRO about slowing the cars, but reducing the speeds by shortening the track to 1,000 feet, was not one of the topics discussed. Even then, Force said, his comments were not made before the PRO board.

Force said Pedregon, following his 2008 Pomona engine explosion and subsequent fire, sought the assistance from Force as he was loaded into the ambulance.

“He felt the NHRA and PRO would listen to me,” Force said.

Force wants to admit publicly that he misspoke when pointing out that he initially approached the NHRA and PRO about shortening the length of the track on behalf of Pedregon and the racing community.

“I said in my interview, and was quoted accurately by CompetitionPlus.com, that I had spoken to PRO about 1000-foot racing,” Force said. “That is not true. I totally have to retract that and I have to apologize. Later after the death of Kalitta, NHRA addressed PRO about putting in racing to the 1,000 foot.”

“My heated reaction at the U.S. Nationals was the result of a lot of things coming back to me that I felt that it was time for me to speak out. I spoke out against Schumacher and Pedregon. Those things were said in the heat in the battle. I spoke to the NHRA and PRO about safety but not about 1,000 feet. That’s what I would like to retract.”

Another regret Force has is how the shutdown incident with Pedregon transpired and admits the timing couldn’t have been worse.

“On the biggest day of my career, watching my daughter Ashley winning the U.S. Nationals, it was hard for me to celebrate after what had happened during the day,” Force explained. “I have some regrets over my actions on that day but the largest regret is that instead of her being able to celebrate her win over Tony, that she had to instead pull me away because Tony’s children were watching the incident unfold.

“I’ve always tried to teach my children to take the high road and my job is to be a representative of the sport. I failed my daughter and I failed those children who had to witness that. For that, I am sorry. I want to believe at the end of the day that nobody should hate anybody. If I made the statement that I hate Tony or [Don] Schumacher … John Force will not allow himself to hate anybody, even if he had the right, otherwise all of my prayers would have no meaning.”

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