Competitive Forces repel, also attract on NHRA circuit

Always the first one to congratulate her famous father — 16-time NHRA world champion John Force — after a big win, Courtney Force was nowhere to be found after he clinched his 16th title by winning last year’s NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

That’s because Courtney was the driver eliminated by her father in the final round.

“That was probably the strangest moment for me as a driver, competitor and a daughter,” said Force, 26. “The fact that I was in the lane next to him trying to get the win for my team, and then seeing his win it, I was really bummed.

“I looked over and watched him celebrate and holding up the championship trophy. It was a very surreal moment for me because I was mad at myself that I couldn’t go over and celebrate with him because I was so bummed out I didn’t get the win for myself.

“At the end of the day, I was happy he got it, but it takes a little while to get over it.”

John Force, 65, would expect nothing less from his youngest daughter, a fierce competitor who he said reminds him of himself.

“She’s just like her dad,” he said. “I see the fire in her. She’s probably my biggest pain in the tail end. She loves this sport. She lives it and breathes it. Everything’s about racing. She’s the biggest fight that I have.”

Despite last year’s loss in Las Vegas, Courtney Force leads the head-to-head series against her father, 7-6, including a 3-2 edge this year.

Two of the top three Funny Car qualifiers in today’s NHRA Toyota Nationals at LVMS, John — who qualified No. 2 with a time of 4.022 seconds at 320.66 mph — and Courtney (No. 3, 4.024 seconds, 320.66 mph) could meet again in the semifinals as they chase Matt “Hulk” Hagan, the No. 1 qualifier and points leader.

Courtney, who has four wins this season and seven overall in her three-year career, enjoys trying to get under her father’s skin and often succeeds.

“Oh, she aggravates me sometimes when she tries to get in my head because I did all that smack talk back when I was her age,” he said. “I’ve grown out of it. I just race. But to hear her, I see so much of myself.”

The blond-haired, green-eyed Courtney said she’s not above playing the “but I’m your daughter” card to distract her father.

“But that never really works. I like to pick on him a lot. That’s the fun part about it,” she said. “The biggest way to mess with a person is really on the Christmas tree (starting lights). I grew up watching dad race, and I know his routine and how he likes to stage his car. If I can use that to my advantage and have it work like it has in the past, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Growing up, Courtney and her sisters — Adria, Ashley and Brittany — mostly watched their father race on TV because he was away from home most of the time.

“We didn’t have a very close relationship growing up. He was on the road all the time,” Courtney said. “I was doing cheer and gymnastics and had dance competitions, and he missed all of those. It was hard as kids growing up. We never saw our dad a lot.

“It’s a little ironic that now I think I’m closer with him than I’ve ever been before. Although we’re competing against each other, I get to be on the road with him, and being able to work with him has definitely brought us closer.”

Competing alongside her father has helped Courtney fill the void from her childhood.

“That was kind of an exciting thought in my head growing up, that I’m going to be a racecar driver like dad so I can travel with him and see all these cool places,” she said. “It was always something I knew I wanted to do.”

Ashley (four Funny Car wins) and Brittany (the No. 14 Top Fuel qualifier) also followed their father into drag racing.

“I’ve always said, NHRA took me away from my kids. Now, they gave them back because they’re all racing,” John Force said. “I love being on the starting line with them, but the hardest part for me is I’ve got to turn off the switch and (think) that’s not my kid, because I need (title) No. 17.”

John Force trails Hagan — who set a track-record time of 3.983 seconds at 322.42 mph — by 41 points. Courtney is third, 81 points off the pace.

Besides Hagan and his baby girl, John Force also has to contend with his wife, Laurie, who always looks out for her daughters.

“The other morning in the car, she tells me, ‘All you’re talking about is you winning. Don’t you ever think about your daughter?’” he said. “Well, I talk to keep my head going in the right direction. No matter what we talk about, next to our children and God, winning is everything.”

■ NOTES — Deric Kramer crashed in the fourth Pro Stock qualifying session, rolling his car on the track five times and hitting the wall, but he wasn’t injured. ... Andrew Hines was the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock Motorcycle with a track-record time of 6.856 seconds at 194.38 mph. Erica Enders-Stevens was the top qualifier in Pro Stock, setting track records in time (6.576 seconds) and speed (209.88). In Top Fuel, J.R. Todd was the No. 1 qualifier with a track-record time of 3.732 seconds, and Tony Schumacher set a track record for speed (330.55 mph). ... Eliminations start at 11 a.m. today at LVMS.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow him on Twitter: @tdewey33.