Legendary John Force keeps on doing it after all these years.

The 16-time NHRA nitro Funny Car world champion showed he still has it.

Force clocked a 3.887-second elapsed time at 327.90 mph. to take the provisional No. 1 position Friday at the Four Wide Nationals with a 3.741-second elapsed time at 328.06 mph at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“My car was real fast in testing,” Force said. “Daniel Hood and Fabrisi run it. Daniel's my son-in-law, actually. We had a string of 80s in testing in Phoenix, but it got to Pomona, and we were off the game. Couldn't get back. Gainesville, Phoenix, it just wasn't going anywhere, and it'd be quick one run and then wouldn't for another and it made a run, but there again, it didn't do it again. So, there'll probably be changes in the clutch, but for right now that won't stick tomorrow, but it feels good to get back up here with y'all.”

If Force’s keeps the No. 1 spot in the qualifying ladder, it would be No. 164 in his decorated career. Force has voiced his opinions about Four Wide racing, but he’s not against the concept.

“Oh yeah, but I like different kinds of racing,” Force said. “The race to me goes too fast and it's hard for the crew chiefs to stay up on the lanes and it's really hard on the driver to find himself. Brittany and I went out this morning, looking at the track, trying to figure out. This throws a curve ball in the middle of everything, but it's different for the fans. We come here twice a year, just like Charlotte. I'm good with it.”

John Force Racing consists of four teams, the three others are Funny Car driver Robert Hight and Top Fuel drivers Brittany Force and Austin Prock. All have John’s attention.

“I always root for my teammates, and it's about my team,” Force said. “That's what I want to do. But I cheer Robert on. He's done great, a great car. But I had a meeting with my guys this morning and they want meetings every week now because we went out and ran good. But I said if anyone's been the problem, it's been me. My head got mental in the pandemic, and I've whacked my head too many times in crashes and I struggle a lot with being happy, so to speak.

“I told this earlier down there on TV that my wife and I, Lori, we took the babies to go see "Sing 2," and the boys were laughing, and I got all into it,” John said. “But the story of that... I think it's been out a while, so I won't ruin it, but the old rock star, the old lion, was depressed and he couldn't write his music. And I thought about that, and I thought, my wife goes, ‘That is you. You're on a roller-coaster every day, Happy one day, terrible the next.’ And she said, ‘You need to find the music or find your heart and get back in this game.”

John said when he arrived at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Friday he had a different outlook.

“When I got out here today, I was a different animal,” John said. “And I started going and doing meetings. (Austin) Coil said, ‘Do you do the meetings like you used to do them?’ Now that I'm old I jumped in there, except for Robert's team. I leave that team alone. But my guys were excited, and I hope it stays. I don't want it to go away. I don't like being unhappy.

“And I got a grandbaby, the little IndyCar, her name is Harlan, but they call her happy. She's always saying, ‘I'm happy, Grandpa.’ 

Force knows he’s got a busy day Saturday and he would not have it any other way.

“Well, we'll be doing shows all day and we'll be in the tent over here with all the fans,” Force said. “All the drivers do that, but it's to come back out tomorrow and figure out how to go A to B go down this racetrack.”

Force knows he would still be doing what he’s doing without his old crew chiefs Austin Coil and Bernie Fedderly.

People don't know it, even though we fought all the time, we were best of friends, Austin Coil, I got to give him credit for who I am today.

“Anyway, him and Bernie Fedderly were just the best. They got us all those wins and he's the one that talked to me yesterday.”