NHRA icon John Force receives emotional birthday message from his team

NHRA icon John Force received an emotional birthday message from his team, John Force Racing, with a special post on X. The veteran driver is celebrating his 76th birthday on Sunday, May 4, and has received wishes from people around the racing fraternity.

John Force Racing shared the following message for its founder.

"Happy Birthday 16X!! What can we say that hasn’t already been said? To the man who created a drag racing dynasty, the father of a beautiful family (and one of the biggest extended families out there with all of his friends and fans!), and to a man who has, and continues to, overcome challenges and obstacles and is a beacon of light and strength to all; can we all wish John Force a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY?!"

Force is a 16-time NHRA champion and a one-time AHRA Funny Car champion. He is one of the most renowned and dominant racers in the drag racing world, with a total of 157 career victories in the sport.

Force congratulating Tony Stewart after his win at Vegas Four Wide Nationals - Source: Imagn

Force had a severe crash in 2024 that left him with a serious brain injury. The driver has still not returned to racing but supports his team as he continues his recovery.

The driver is married to Laurie Force, and the couple has four daughters: Brittany Force, Courtney Force, Adria Hight, and Ashley Force Hood. Three of his daughters were racers themselves, with only Adria Hight being the CFO of John Force Racing and not a racer.

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NHRA legend John Force's daughter sets a new speed record

John Force's daughter, Brittany Force, set a new speed record recently after clinching a top speed of 341.59 MPH (549.7km/h) at the Four-Wide Nationals. The 38-year-old broke the previous record with this achievement.

The previous record was set by her in 2022 at the World Finals in Pomona, where she clinched a top speed of 338.94 MPH (545km/h).

Brittany Force at the Ford Performance Nationals - Source: Imagn

"I didn’t know until I was mid-interview at the top end that we ran that kind of mile-per-hour, and it’s just something really exciting for every single one of these guys on this HendrickCars.com team,” Force said while talking to DragZine.

She was also pretty quick to praise her team and the people involved in completing the incredible achievement.

"My crew chiefs, David Grubnic and John Collins, and every member of this crew, and for us to be able to accomplish that together and hold on to that, I hope we hold it for a long time. It’s pretty special,” Force added

John Force's family has a love for racing, with three of his daughters establishing themselves in drag racing after the legendary driver. The 76-year-old would be proud to see the success of his daughters in the sport he has performed in for so long.