"He was Superman to me": Brittany Force opens up on growing up under NHRA legend John Force's shadow

Brittany Force has announced her decision to step away from racing at the end of the 2025 season to focus on starting a family. Talking about her career, the two-time Top Fuel world champion opened up about growing up under the legacy of her father, 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force.

In a heartfelt first-person essay with Fox Sports, Force recounted her early years at racetracks across America and how her father’s dedication and resilience inspired her to chase a career she once thought wasn’t meant for her.

“My dad wrecked and caught on fire more times than I could count. And he would always climb out of the car, throw his arms up in the air for the fans, and then give an interview about how spectacular the explosion was. He was Superman to me. He always did the impossible, and the fans cheered him on through it all, and so did I.”

Even before considering racing, Brittany Force saw the world of drag racing through the lens of a daughter, not a driver. Her childhood revolved around racetracks, traveling across the country with her mother and sisters as John Force built his legacy.

(L-R) John Force, Courtney Force, Brittany Force, and Robert Hight at Pomona, 2018. Source: Imagn

Brittany's journey toward racing began at home. It was her sister, Ashley Force Hood, who first proved that women could not only compete but win in the male-dominated drag racing world.

“I never imagined myself behind the wheel. Those cars are violent and it takes a tough person to drive one. It wasn’t until my older sister Ashley got in the seat that I realized there is a place for females to compete and be successful in a field full of men. And as a younger sister, I wanted to do everything my older sister did, so I followed in her footsteps and my father’s footsteps as well.”

Brittany often credited her sisters, Ashley and Courtney, for showing her that racing was not only possible but that the Force family’s next generation could carry the name forward in their own way. She described them as her “best friends,” a close-knit support system that made the relentless grind of the NHRA tour feel like home.

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Brittany Force’s legacy and her next chapter: "I have made the difficult decision to step out"

NHRA top fuel driver Brittany Force during the Nitro Fish Nationals. Source: Imagn

Known as the “Queen of Speed,” Brittany Force carved out her own identity in the NHRA. A two-time Top Fuel world champion (2017, 2022), she holds both the fastest run in NHRA history at 343.51 mph and the quickest pass ever recorded at 3.623 seconds, earlier this season at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

Force has spent 13 years in Top Fuel, working with some of NHRA’s top minds, including crew chief David Grubnic. Together, they pushed the limits of performance and consistency, collecting multiple wins and rewriting the record books. But as the 2025 season winds down, she’s ready for something new.

“After dedicating the last 13 years of my life to driving and the sport of NHRA drag racing, I have made the difficult decision to step out of the seat at the end of the season to focus on starting a family with my husband Bobby.... I’m not closing the door on driving in the future, but that’s a decision for further down the road once I get there,” she added, via the aforementioned source.

Watching her sisters start families gave Force a new perspective and helped her make peace with stepping back.

As Brittany Force prepares for her final stretch in the 2025 season, she remains fifth in the Top Fuel standings with 2,291 points, trailing leader Doug Kalitta (2,525) with two races left - at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Pomona.

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Edited by Hitesh Nigam