John Force retires from NHRA at 76 after violent 300mph crash: “I’ve been hurt really bad”

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John Force retires from NHRA at 76 after violent 300mph crash: "I've been hurt really bad"

16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force has officially announced his retirement at 76 years old.

Force’s retirement comes after he suffered a traumatic brain injury from a violent 300mph crash during the 2024 Virginia Nationals in Richmond. After months of intense recovery, he made his return trackside but was replaced in the John Force Racing PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet SS by Jack Beckman for the remainder of 2024 and 2025.

Now, as his daughter Brittany also retires, he has confirmed he will officially step away from the driver’s seat while also sharing an update on his recovery.

“It’s been over a year, but I’ve been under doctor’s care and I still am,” the NHRA legend said in a video. “So if I say anything wrong, please excuse me, but it’s time for me to retire, and it all made sense to me even though I knew I had medical stuff that I had to address. Do I wanna get back in the car and get hit in the head? I don’t.

“I’ve got new grandchildren coming with Courtney. She just had a little girl, and she’s got two girls already, Harlan and Tinley, and we have Autumn, of course, we have Jacob and Noah.

“So I got a next generation that’ll follow me just like my girls. Brittany retired today, and Beckman was there at the press conference, and so was [Austin] Prock. They’re all running for the championship. Brittany’s setting records right and left. She’s got a shot to move up the ladder to maybe second or third, so we’ll see, but it was time for me with Brittany stepping out of the seat.”

“I don’t want to get hurt, and I’ve said it many times, I’m gonna stay in the car until my race car gets me, and I always meant that, but I’ve been hurt really bad.”

Over his extensive career in the NHRA, Force secured 16 NHRA and one AHRA Funny Car championships and became one of the most dominant drag racers in the history of the sport with 157 wins. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2008 and has been running his team, John Force Racing, for over three decades.

While the 76-year-old is stepping away from racing, NHRA fans can still expect to see him during race weekends as he plans to grow the John Force Racing team and has joked he might jump in the car for a cheeky burnout here and there.

“I’m gonna grow my operation. I’m excited about where it’s going. I really love this sport, I really love NHRA.”

“I don’t wanna go on forever, but I am officially done with driving, and I hate to say that word. I also said in the media so many times until this race car kills me, they’re going to have to drag me out of the seat. But the truth is, I was dragged out of the seat at Richmond. And they thought it killed me then so I’m lucky that I’m back walking, still under doctor’s orders.”

He added: “I’m done. I won’t say I won’t ever get in the car and warm it up, or maybe even make a burnout. Don’t know, I guess it’ll be the response from the fans. You cheer loud enough, I’ll hear you.”