NHRA: Force Hoping to Recruit a Few Hard Driving' Buddies While Defending Championship in Mopar Nationals
20 May 1999
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. -- In John Force, the eight-time and reigning Winston Funny Car Champion, Castrol GTX may have aligned itself with the ultimate "hard driving man."Winner of 75 NHRA national events since first linking up with Castrol GTX in 1986, the current NHRA national record holder (4.788 seconds, 324.05 miles per hour) returns to Old Bridge Township Raceway Park this week (May 21-23) seeking third straight season title, his second consecutive win in the Mopar Nationals and his sixth victory in eight races so far this year.
He also is seeking something else: a hard-driving companion culled from the ranks of the civilian population.
The current NHRA Winston points leader, Force is the point man in his sponsor's search for "America's Hardest Driver." That means truck drivers, bus drivers, ambulance drivers, taxi drivers, off-roaders, commuters, anyone who "drives hard" to succeed.
"Ever since my days as a truck driver, I've always considered myself a hard driver," said the seven-time Auto Racing All- America selection. "Castrol GTX has given my engine the maximum protection it needs to handle my driving at 324 miles an hour. I'm hoping to hear similar stories from other hard-driving men and women."
Castrol GTX has launched the search in support of its "Drive Hard" national advertising campaign, a campaign that illustrates that Castrol GTX provides maximum protection against viscosity and thermal breakdown, exceeding a driver's expectations in even the toughest situations.
"We're looking for licensed drivers, 18 or over, who, in 150 words or less, can tell about their hard driving experiences and tell us why they deserve to be named the America's Hardest Driver,'" Force said. "I'll show up on the winner's doorstep this fall just like Ed McMahon with a prize package that includes two tickets to Super Bowl XXXIV."
Among the most obvious candidates, Force said, "are truck drivers, ambulance drivers and New York cab drivers. But there are lots of others."
Meantime, America's ultimate hard driver will focus this weekend on extending Team Castrol's season-long winning streak which last week reached seven. Force, the NHRA national record-holder for quarter mile time (4.788 seconds) and speed (324.05 mph), has won five times; Castrol SYNTEC teammate Tony Pedregon twice.
That performance has put Force back on pace to break Bob Glidden's record for career victories (85) as early as 2001. He can move within nine victories of Glidden's total if he repeats at Raceway Park where he dominated a year ago, setting an NHRA speed record for all vehicles (including Top Fuel dragsters) that stood for six months (323.89 mph).
Mopar Nationals May 21-23, 1999 Old Bridge Township Raceway Park Englishtown, N.J.
Number starts: 17 Times No. 1 qualifier: 3 Final round appearances: 6 Event wins: 3 Most recent win: 1998 Won-Lost Record: 34-21 Best performances:
4.843 seconds, May 15, 1998
323.89 mph, May 17, 1998 Noteworthy: Last year, John set the overall NHRA speed when he ran 323.89 mph; John has lost more rounds of racing at Raceway Park (21) than at any other track on the tour.
DID YOU KNOW: John has been named to the Auto Racing All-America team six straight years....John has qualified for 215 straight consecutive events dating back to the 1987 Winston Finals at Pomona, Calif.....John is the only drag racer to have won the Driver of the Year Award for all of American motor racing (1996)....102 of John's 609 career round wins have come against three opponents: Chuck Etchells (36), Al Hofmann (36) and Cruz Pedregon (30)....John reached the finals in his first appearance at Raceway Park, losing to Raymond Beadle in the finals of the 1979 Summernationals....in his first three final round appearances at Englishtown, John was beaten by three World Champions -- Beadle in 79, Mark Oswald in 83 and Kenny Bernstein in 86. He wouldn't WIN for the first time until 1993.
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