John Force is hardly ready to wind down what has been a glorious career.

But the 16-time NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car champion continues to reap the rewards from his long history in drag racing.

Later this year, Force will be inducted into the California Sports Hall of Fame, becoming the first in motorsports to join the Hall.

“It’s an honor to be the first to represent not only my sanctioning body, NHRA, but to be the first of any driver in motorsports to be inducted into the California Sports Hall of Fame,” Force said. “Being a California native, growing up in the L.A. basin, this is truly an honor.”

CSHOF founder and president Christian Okoye, a past NFL All-Pro running back, made the announcement.

Force, who was born in Huntington Park, Calif., and lives in Yorba Linda, holds a number of NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series records, including most championships (16), most victories (148) and most No. 1 qualifiers (155). Force, 67, added to those numbers last month when he won the NHRA Gatornationals from the No. 1 spot at Gainesville Raceway.

Force, who recently signed what has been described as a “lifetime contract” with PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil to continue driving, will be inducted into the Hall during a ceremony June 25 at Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa in Cabazon, Calif.

Force will be racing at Summit Motorsports Park that day and will deliver a videotaped message during the ceremony.

“I’ve worked hard to get to where I am today, and my family is following,” Force said. “To be chosen as the first motorsports representative, to take our sport of NHRA drag racing into the Hall, I feel it’s an opportunity to represent all the professional racers, from Top Fuel to Funny Car to Pro Stock to Pro Stock Motorcycle to all the grassroots racers – and to kids up-and-coming in a Junior Dragster, like my granddaughter Autumn (Hight), who someday might be in the California Sports Hall of Fame. I was the first, and this is a true honor.”

Force began his racing career in 1974, but it wasn’t until 1987 when he scored his first NHRA Funny Car victory. Three years later, he won his first championship, and his driving career took off. He won 10 championships in a row from 1993-2002 and continued to pile up victories, winning in every season but once since 1987.

He grew John Force Racing into drag racing’s best, as his team has 18 championships and 251 races since its inception. Brittany Force and Courtney Force, daughters to John and wife Laurie Force, currently drive for the team, and daughter Ashley is a past driver and current vice president. Another daughter, Adria, is the team’s Chief Financial Officer.

JFR currently fields four full-time race cars in NHRA: John Force’s PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS, Robert Hight’s Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Funny Car, Courtney Force’s Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet and Brittany Force’s Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster.
“I’ve got to say thanks to PEAK, Chevrolet, Auto Club of Southern California, Monster Energy, Advance Auto Parts, Mac Tools,” Force said. “Without them, we couldn’t do what we love to do.”

Force was enshrined in the Motor Sports Hall of Fame of America in Novi, Mich., in 2008 and in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Ala., in 2012.

Other members of the California Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2017 include sports agent Leigh Steinberg, NFL star James Lofton, Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan and NBA star Byron Scott.