What was the infamous Nascar vow taken by NHRA Legend John force?

Once during a celebrity softball game, John Force was asked about his thoughts on driving in NASCAR. The question led to the NHRA legend taking a vow.

Force retired recently after recovering from a traumatic brain injury suffered in a crash at Virginia Motorsports Park. His recovery kept him away from the car, and he decided the risk was no longer worth it at this stage in life. Amid his retirement news, his past thoughts on driving in NASCAR resurfaced, in which Force said,

“I tell them I wouldn’t drive a tin can if they gave me one, and that’s a fact.” (nascar.com)

John Force said this during a time when he was constantly around NASCAR stars for sponsor commitments and joint events. He joked often, and this vow became part of his style.

Even after saying that, he later attended Buck Baker’s driving school at Rockingham in 1993. Buck Baker told him he ran fast enough to qualify at Daytona.

Years later, Force continued appearing at Cup races. He said he only turned left when his Funny Car caught fire. He also took part in light exhibition races with Cup drivers during sponsor showcases.

Bruton Smith once named the largest seating area at zMax Dragway after him. At a 2011 event attended by Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth, John Force still managed to be the center of attention. Smith said,

“John’s one of us now,”

Force’s career achievements also back his status. He built a record that included 157 Funny Car victories, 167 No. 1 qualifiers, and 16 Funny Car championships. His team collected 24 NHRA world titles. He reached a career best of 3.820 seconds and 337.33 mph.

---

John Force continues to focus on recovery after his retirement decision

John Force is recovering from the brain injury he suffered during the Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park. The crash in June 2024 led to ongoing cognitive and behavioral problems. He was admitted to the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix for treatment and stayed there for a month before being discharged.

According to John Force Racing’s official X handle, he spoke directly about his condition and retirement. In the video, he said,

“It’s been over a year but I’ve been under doctors’ care and I still am so if I say anything wrong, please excuse me. But it’s time for me to retire. It all made sense to me even though I knew I had medical stuff that I had to address, that, ‘do I want to get back in the car and get hit in the head?’ And I don’t.”

John Force will now undergo outpatient speech therapy and OTPT to handle issues like short-term memory loss. His family has been part of the process. His daughter Brittany is in her final season of Top Fuel racing. Her sisters Ashley Force Hood and Courtney Force retired earlier in 2010 and 2018.

“It was time for me with Brittany stepping out of the seat and I don’t want to get hurt. I’ve said it many times, I’m going to stay in the car until my race car gets me and I always meant that.”

Force ends his career with 157 NHRA wins and 16 Funny Car championships. He won his first in 1990, earned 14 more between 1991 and 2010, and got his last title in 2013.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

Edited by Tushhita Barua