For John Force, 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion, sitting out the 2020 season after the pandemic struck was nearly unbearable. However, his "unbearable" wasn't nearly as bad as his wife Laurie Force's.

"Laurie said, 'I can't take another round of this pandemic with you. It's painful."

And the truth is, Laurie wasn't the only victim of a somewhat idle Force.

"Well, let me tell you, the person that's most happy is Robert Hight," Force added. "Because he had to sit here with me every day, five, six days a week sometimes, on weekends, and go over this [crap] over and over, because that's how I remember. I go over everything. Repetition, repetition. He will be happy."

Continuing to expand his marketing program with healthy and on-trend brands, Justin Ashley Racing announced today an associate sponsorship with California-based snack company, The Daily Crave. Beginning at the 52nd annual NHRA Gatornationals Ashley’s Strutmasters.com/Auto Shocker Top Fuel dragster will also feature The Daily Crave branding from a variety of their products. The new marketing partner adds to Ashley’s growing list of sponsors as the second year driver makes a run at his first NHRA Top Fuel championship.
 
“Hooking up with The Daily Crave is a perfect partnership for me. When I am at a race and there are so many things going on from sponsor meetings, media interviews, interacting with the fans and of course, hitting the track in my Strutmasters.com Auto Shocker Top Fuel dragster I need a healthy snack option,” said Ashley, the 2020 NHRA Rookie of the Year. “They have so many delicious varieties it is easy to just grab a bag and get a quick snack that is a healthy alternative to junk food.”

The John Force Racing team will make their much-anticipated return to NHRA Championship Drag Racing at the 2021 Camping World Series season-opening NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fla. It was announced today that the 21-time championship team will feature three full-time hot rods driven by John Force, Robert Hight and Brittany Force.
 
On 16-time world champion John Force’s PEAK / BlueDEF Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, Danny Hood, son-in-law to John Force, will continue as lead crew chief with Tim Fabrisi, long-time car chief for Force, moving up to assistant. Both were key players in John’s historic 150th and 151st national event wins.
 
“Thank you to all of our sponsors and fans for sticking by us. I really realized how much I love this sport and I appreciate the chance to get back into my PEAK / BlueDEF Chevrolet,” said owner and CEO John Force. “We’re excited to be back racing and to have all of our sponsors with us. I’m looking forward to working with Camping World and can’t wait to see where the sport goes with them on board.”

Let 2021 begin! Our first NHRA conversation with Alan Reinhart and Joe Castello. The guys recap the holidays and look ahead to the start of the racing season.

For the third-straight year, Jerry Bickel Race Cars (JBRC) will return as a prominent backer of the Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Drag Racing Series (MWDRS) presented by J&A Service. Jerry Bickel Race Cars will contribute to the season-ending MWDRS championship points fund and will be prominently featured throughout 2021 as the official right-lane sponsor on the MWDRS digital timeslip app.  

"I can't even begin to describe what an honor it is to have Jerry Bickel Race Cars officially involved with the Mid-West Series," states Keith Haney, founder, owner and promoter of the Tulsa-based organization.

NHRA and Atlanta Dragway have teamed up to announce the new dates for the 40th annual NHRA Southern Nationals. The fan-favorite will be moved to April 30-May 2.

“We are looking forward to celebrating the 40th NHRA Southern Nationals,” said Kasey Coler, NHRA Vice President of Track Management & Operations. “We believe the new dates will allow for more of our loyal Atlanta-based fans to attend the event and will allow us to comply with state health guidelines.”

It took him only nine races, but for Top Fuel racer Doug Foley, the wait was worth it.

Foley defeated defending VRHRA Top Fuel champion Terry McMillen to win the inaugural Mickey Thompson Tires Golden Gate Nationals on Friday evening. The drag racing school instructor and part-time Top Fuel driver secured 52-percent of the votes cast for his monumental victory.

Other first-time winners included Chris McGaha (Pro Stock), Kelly Clontz (Pro Stock Motorcycle), and Chip King (Pro Modified). Tim Wilkerson picked up his third win of the season and clinched his second Funny Car world championship.