It appears the questions will never stop.

John Force, after spending a lifetime building his legend, has seen it tarnished by the actions of a single run down the drag strip.

Three races and five weeks after the questionable round against Robert Hight and the subsequent cat fight at the top end, Force, a 14-time champion, is unable to escape the questions surrounding the event.

Set to face Hight once again, this time in the Virginia NHRA Nationals, ESPN2 reporters raised the possibility that Force might throw another race. They went so far as to ask him directly, is this another Indy?

It appears the questions will never stop.

John Force, after spending a lifetime building his legend, has seen it tarnished by the actions of a single run down the drag strip.

Three races and five weeks after the questionable round against Robert Hight and the subsequent cat fight at the top end, Force, a 14-time champion, is unable to escape the questions surrounding the event.

Set to face Hight once again, this time in the Virginia NHRA Nationals, ESPN2 reporters raised the possibility that Force might throw another race. They went so far as to ask him directly, is this another Indy?

Force was clearly agitated by the mere insinuation they would throw the race.

During the NHRA Today Show, an interview with then point leader Ashley Force Hood was brushed aside for the question from pit reporter Gary Gerould.

“The last time you faced Robert, it seemed to spark a furor. What’s in store today as you go up against Robert?” Gerould asked.

“I’m going to go out there and race,” said Force. “I have an opportunity here with Castrol, Ford and Auto Club and all the brands I carry … at the end of the day, they want me to win too. If Robert can come from as far behind as he was in three races and catch up to the points lead. Well there’s three races left, starting today, I’ve got to make a move today and make a move next race or I’m not going to have a shot at this. I’m going to do my best to win.”

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Fast forward to later in the day.

As Force stood on the starting line, watching Top Fuel eliminations, he was approached by ESPN2 pit reporter Dave Reiff, who rephrased the earlier question, asking, “Everybody has an opinion about what is going on and some are even questioning what’s going on between you and Robert. Everybody wants to know, John. What can we expect from this race?”

Force appeared agitated as he responded, ““I got so many people thinking I’d like for Ashley to win and so many thinking I want Robert with Auto Club to win. Did anybody think that maybe I’d like to win?”

Force was clearly not his usual rambling self as he walked away looking like a man whose feelings were apparently hurt.

Force, it appears is going to be unable to escape the accusations of race manipulation. The foundation of those accusations laid on a Monday afternoon in Indianapolis.

Never mind the fact Force has stood at the ropes signing millions of autographs for admiring fans in support of the sport.

Never mind Force and his family has given the media tons of stories to write over the decades.

Never mind what he’s done in his rags to riches story en route to stardom.

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Indianapolis 2009, for Force, is ground zero. The ruination of his credibility for many starts there.

Appearances so often become reality. For many, a single run against Robert Hight in Indianapolis has become a moment in time where it appears Force played the entire drag racing family for fools. That’s the perception and the backlash is the questions have not, and most likely will not, stop.

And that’s sad. Sad for a man who gave so much of his life to the betterment of drag racing, and almost single-handedly gave drag racing an identifiable icon the sport desperately needed after the departure of Don Garlits, Shirley Muldowney and Don Prudhomme.

Force had might as well get used to the questions, at least for now. Every time he hits the throttle for the rest of the season, and his opponent is Ashley or Robert, the questions will be asked and no matter the outcome, message boards will light up with criticism and allegations.

It appears, Force has lost the trust of many race fans and knowing Force, he takes that kind of thing personal.

I’d be willing to bet a million pesos, the same amount that Tony Pedregon offered as his wager that the fix was in during Sunday’s first round, that if Force had it to do over again, he would have handled the situation a lot differently. He’d still have the benefit of the doubt he deserves.

But he won’t likely get that courtesy and respect any time soon.

Instead, he’ll spend the better part of this season and possibly the rest of his storied career answering the allegations of race fixing, past and present.

That’s a shame. It is a sad commentary about a man who kept a stale sport on the map when there wasn’t much else to offer.

ESPN2 will continue to beat the dead horse. His competitors, past and present, will be brought into the mix and asked to offer their opinions.

Now, instead of being proud that two of his team cars are in a tight battle for the NHRA Full Throttle championship, he will field questions about whether a championship-deserving Robert Hight should have an asterisk by his name if he does win the title.

Racing could cease to be fun for Force. The fire, which inspired him to fight back from devastating injuries, extinguished by a single questionable run.

What the fans want, but may never get, is an admission of guilt.

What the sport needs, but clearly lacks in these times is credibility and transparency and a competitive John Force. There is not another driver in the sport who drives the fans into the stands like Force.

Until another driver steps up to fills Force's shoes, it might be time for ESPN to back off. Let the smoke clear and concentrate on the battle for the Funny Car championship between Ashley Force Hood, Robert Hight and Ron Capps.

Every "inciteful" interview conducted, doesn't bring any new knowledge, it just reminds the drag racing community that Force has a chink in his armor.