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Adria Hight (1969-2026): John Force’s Eldest Daughter and John Force Racing’s CFO

November 4, 2026
by Bobby Bennett

Last updated November 4, 2026

Adria Kaye (Force) Hight, also known as Adria Force Hight, the eldest daughter of NHRA legend John Force and the chief financial officer of John Force Racing, died on April 28, 2026, at age 56. She passed away peacefully in Indianapolis, Indiana, surrounded by her family. Born June 4, 1969, she was one of John Force Racing’s first employees and rose from answering phones to running its finances. Her family’s obituary and John Force Racing’s statement do not give a cause of death, and no illness or diagnosis has been confirmed by her family, the team, or NHRA. She is survived by her daughter, Autumn Hight, and her mother, father, fiancé, and three sisters. Services were private, with burial at Roselawn Memorial Park in Terre Haute, Indiana, and a celebration of her life is planned for later in 2026 in California.

Adria Hight: Key Facts

Category	Details
Full name	Adria Kaye (Force) Hight
Also known as	Adria Force Hight
Born	June 4, 1969, Huntington Park, California; raised in Huntington Beach
Died	April 28, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana, at age 56
Residence	Terre Haute, Indiana
Cause of death	Not announced. The family’s obituary says she “passed away peacefully”; neither it nor John Force Racing’s statement gives a cause.
Parents	John Force and Lana Starks
Role	One of John Force Racing’s first employees; later its chief financial officer
Education	Huntington Beach High School
Daughter	Autumn Hight
Former husband	Robert Hight, three-time NHRA Funny Car champion (divorced)
Fiancé	Jimmy Collins
Sisters	Ashley Force Hood, Brittany Force, Courtney Force
Interests	Music: sang and played tambourine in the band Mad Man Billy; founded Civil Defense Music
Services	Private, in keeping with her wishes; burial at Roselawn Memorial Park, Terre Haute, Indiana
Celebration of life	Planned for later in 2026 in California; date not yet announced

What Has Been Confirmed, and What Has Not

Question	Status
Date of death	Confirmed: April 28, 2026
Place of death	Confirmed: Indianapolis, Indiana
Age	Confirmed: 56
Surrounded by family	Confirmed, per her obituary
Services and burial	Confirmed: private services; burial at Roselawn Memorial Park, Terre Haute
Cause of death	Not announced
Any illness or diagnosis	Not confirmed by her family, John Force Racing, or NHRA
Celebration of life date	Not yet announced (planned for later in 2026 in California)

What Happened to John Force’s Daughter Adria?

Adria Hight died on April 28, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her obituary says she “passed away peacefully,” surrounded by her loving family. She was 56 and lived in Terre Haute, Indiana. John Force Racing announced her passing on social media on May 1, and NHRA included her in its In Memoriam notices.

The racing community responded with tributes. John Force Racing’s statement said the team was sharing the news “with heavy hearts” and described Adria as the oldest daughter of John Force.

What Was Adria Hight’s Cause of Death?

No cause of death has been announced. Her family’s obituary did not disclose one, and neither John Force Racing’s statement nor NHRA’s notice gives one.

That includes any illness. Some websites have published articles claiming a specific diagnosis or describing a long illness. None of them cites the family, John Force Racing, NHRA, her obituary, or any medical source, and CompetitionPlus does not repeat those claims. The family has not made further details public, and we will respect their privacy. If the family or the team provides more information, we will update this page.

Who Was Adria Hight?

Adria Hight was born June 4, 1969, in Huntington Park, California, and grew up in Huntington Beach. She was the only child from John Force’s first marriage, and her mother is Lana Starks.

After graduating from Huntington Beach High School, Adria joined the family drag racing business and became one of the first employees of John Force Racing. Her family and the team describe her work as starting with the basics: “answering phones and selling T-shirts out of the race trailer.” She was at her father’s side for one of the biggest moments of his career, his first NHRA national event win at Montreal in 1987, along with his crew chief Austin Coil and Coil’s future wife Lisa.

She spent the following decades in the behind-the-scenes work that built the team, and she became John Force Racing’s chief financial officer, managing the financial operations of what grew into the most decorated organization in NHRA history. Her obituary credits her “sharp business acumen” and “quiet dedication” and says her work helped transform a small family operation into a powerhouse that produced multiple championships.

John Force has said that drag racing brought his family back together. “I failed as a father, miserably,” he once said, adding that racing and NHRA brought his daughters home to him. Adria was a central part of that family and that business.

Music and Life Beyond Racing

Adria loved music. According to her family’s obituary, she sang and played tambourine in a band called Mad Man Billy, which recorded CDs and played local car shows and restaurants, and even performed on the sand at Pismo Beach. She also loved promoting rising artists through her company, Civil Defense Music.

Adria Hight Timeline

Date	Milestone
June 4, 1969	Born in Huntington Park, California
After high school	Joins the family drag racing business as one of John Force Racing’s first employees
1987	At John Force’s side for his first NHRA national event win, at Montreal
Later years	Becomes John Force Racing’s chief financial officer
April 28, 2026	Dies in Indianapolis at age 56
May 1, 2026	John Force Racing announces her passing
May 3, 2026	Jordan Vandergriff wins his first Funny Car national event and credits Adria
Later in 2026	Celebration of life planned in California; date not announced

Adria Hight’s Family

NHRA’s In Memoriam notice and her obituary list her survivors:

Relationship	Family member
Daughter	Autumn Hight (Nathan Prose)
Mother	Lana Starks
Father	John Force (Laurie Force)
Fiancé	Jimmy Collins
Sisters	Ashley Force Hood (Daniel Hood), Brittany Force (Bobby Lyons), Courtney Force Rahal (Graham Rahal)
Nieces and nephews	Jacob, Noah, Brody, Harlan, Tinley, and Fallon

Her sisters Ashley, Brittany, and Courtney all became professional drag racers; see our Brittany Force profile. Her obituary says her nieces and nephews adored their “silly aunt.”

Who was Adria Hight’s husband?

Adria was previously married to Robert Hight, a three-time NHRA Funny Car champion who drove for John Force Racing and served as the team’s president until March 2025. They divorced, and they had a daughter, Autumn. At the time of her death Adria was engaged to Jimmy Collins. See Robert Hight Resigns as John Force Racing President.

Who is Autumn Hight?

Autumn Hight is Adria’s daughter. Dragzine has reported on her own racing path.

Remembered at the Track

The weekend the news spread, John Force Racing driver Jordan Vandergriff won his first Funny Car national event, at the NHRA Southern Nationals on May 3. He was the 13th different driver to win for the team. “Adria got this win for me,” he said. Read CompetitionPlus’s coverage: Jordan Vandergriff Caps Emotional Week for JFR by Winning His First Funny Car Wally at Southern Nationals and The Ten: 2026 NHRA Southern Nationals, Valdosta Edition.

Services and Remembrance

Private services were held in keeping with Adria’s wishes, with burial at Roselawn Memorial Park in Terre Haute, Indiana. A celebration of her life is planned for later in 2026 in California. As of this writing, a date has not been announced; we will add it here when the family shares it.

Corrections to Common Misstatements

Some pages, including reference pages that have not been updated since her death, contain statements that are no longer accurate:

You may see	What the sources say
Adria Hight is John Force Racing’s CFO	She died April 28, 2026. Some reference pages still list her as the current CFO.
Adria Hight is married to Robert Hight	They divorced. At her death she was engaged to Jimmy Collins.
Adria Hight died of a specific illness	No cause of death has been announced, and no illness has been confirmed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to John Force’s daughter Adria?

Adria Hight, John Force’s eldest daughter, died April 28, 2026, at age 56 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her obituary says she passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family.

How did Adria Hight die?

No cause of death has been announced by her family, John Force Racing, or NHRA.

Did Adria Hight have an illness?

No illness has been confirmed by her family, John Force Racing, or NHRA. Claims on other websites are not sourced to the family or the team.

How old was Adria Hight?

56. She was born June 4, 1969, and died April 28, 2026.

When did Adria Hight die?

April 28, 2026. John Force Racing announced it on May 1, 2026.

Where did Adria Hight die?

In Indianapolis, Indiana, according to her obituary. She lived in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Who was Adria Hight’s mother?

Lana Starks, according to NHRA’s In Memoriam notice and her obituary. Adria was the only child of John Force’s first marriage.

Who was Adria Hight’s husband?

Adria was previously married to Robert Hight, a three-time NHRA Funny Car champion. They divorced. At the time of her death she was engaged to Jimmy Collins.

Is Robert Hight still married to Adria?

No. Robert Hight and Adria Hight were divorced. They share a daughter, Autumn.

Did Adria Hight have children?

Yes, one daughter, Autumn Hight.

What did Adria Hight do for John Force Racing?

She was one of the team’s first employees and became its chief financial officer, managing its financial operations.

What band was Adria Hight in?

Mad Man Billy. She sang and played tambourine, according to her family’s obituary. She also founded Civil Defense Music to promote rising artists.

Is there an obituary for Adria Hight?

Yes. Her family published an obituary in early May 2026, and NHRA included her in its In Memoriam notices.

Where is Adria Hight buried?

Roselawn Memorial Park in Terre Haute, Indiana.

When is Adria Hight’s celebration of life?

It is planned for later in 2026 in California. No date has been announced yet.

Who is Autumn Hight?

Autumn Hight is Adria’s daughter. She is also the daughter of Robert Hight.

Who are John Force’s daughters?

Adria (1969-2026), Ashley (1982), Brittany (1986), and Courtney (1988).

What was Adria Hight’s net worth?

No reliable figure has been published. Estimates on other websites are unsourced, and CompetitionPlus does not endorse any figure.

Related Coverage

Sources

Bobby Bennett

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